RedactedNarrative: On Saturday October 16, 2021 I was dispatched to a boating accident in New Smyrna Beach between Chicken Island and the South Causeway. I was able to make contact with the complainant, OP2 by telephone. He stated that a 28 ft cabin boat made contact with his sailboat and that there was damage to both vessels. I then made contact by telephone with OP1, operator of cabin boat. He stated that he was already back at his home located in Ponce Inlet. I confirmed with both parties that no injuries occurred during the collision. 
  On Sunday October 17, 2021 I met with OP1 at his vessel. It was located on a boat lift behind his condominium in Ponce Inlet. I surveyed the damage to his vessel (FL 6742 SY) (V1) and documented it with photographs. OP1 was able to provide me with a detailed witness statement. 
  On Thursday October 21, 2021 I met with OP2 at the New Smyrna Beach City Dock. I surveyed the damage to his vessel (FL 6871 DL) (V2) and documented it with photographs. I observed flakes of fiberglass on the bow pulpit. He was able to provide me with a witness statement describing the incident.
  Overview based on my interviews and the physical evidence: On Saturday October 16, 2021 at approximately 12:00 pm OP1 was at the helm of his vessel (FL 6742 SY) (V1), he was maneuvering at slow speed outside of the channel near channel marker 38 in New Smyrna Beach. This is on the west end of Chicken Island. The area that he was traversing is a common place where vessels moor up outside both the ICW and Sheepshead Cut marked channels. 
  OP1 maneuvered his vessel (V1) near the bow of OP2l’s sailboat (V2). OP1 then came in contact with the anchor line attached to the bow of the sailboat (V2). This then caused the sailboat’s (V2) bow to swing into the portside bow of V1. This caused damage to both vessels (see attached pictures). No one was onboard V2 at the time of collision. OP2 observed the collision from a separate vessel and made contact with OP1. OP1 provided contact information and returned to his home in Ponce Inlet. 
  I issued OP1 two written warnings for violation of Navigation rule 5 and 8.
  