RedactedNarrative: On 10-27-2014 at approximately 10:45 am I (Officer) responded to a call of a boating accident at Tavernier Creek Marina that occurred the day before.. When I arrived at the marina I saw the vessel sitting on a dry rack out of the water. There was a significant amount of damage to the starboard bow area as well as a crack on the starboard chine in the aft area of the vessel. Vessel had FL 2571SJ displayed. I photographed the damage as it was sitting on the rack. I asked if anyone knew who the vessel belonged to and could not get any information. I spoke with one of the employees of the marina who told me the individual was coming back to pick his vessel up that afternoon. I gave him my phone number and asked him to please call when he got there. Around 4 PM I received a call from the marina saying that the vessel owner was back. When I arrived at the marina I saw three men loading the vessel onto a trailer. I asked the men who the vessel belonged to and one of the individuals said it was his. 
  
  Operator stated that he, his wife and son were out for a cruise and headed up to Adams cut from Tavernier creek. He said that after they went around Pigeon key on the bay side headed to the north in the intercoastal there was a larger vessel headed south. He said he was looking at his GPS to find the next channel marker when he hit the larger vessels wake causing his bow to get pushed to the right. He said he heard his wife yell to stop and when he looked up they hit the channel marker. The vessel began to take on water slowly and he stated that he drove down the shoreline to try and find a boat ramp so he could pull the boat out of the water. He ended up at Tavernier Creek Marina and asked the marina staff if they could help because his boat was sinking. They agreed to pull his vessel and put it on a dry rack. I asked him what color the channel marker was and he said it was green. I asked if anyone sustained any injuries and he said no just some bumps and bruises. 
  
  The repair man was assessing the damage while I was there and gave an estimate of $11,500 to repair. 
  
  I got on a vessel at Mangrove Marina and drove out to the area of the accident. I found the first green channel marker as you head north past Pigeon key and it was marker 59. There appeared to be a few scuff marks on the marker where something had impacted it. I took photos of the marker and gps coordinates. 
  
  operator was issued a warning for careless operation and failure to report a vessel accident.