SYNOPSIS

On Sunday, August 13th, 2023, at approximately 1525 hours, I was contacted by owner of Navajo Lake Marina, regarding a rental party barge which had damage due to a rope getting caught in the propeller. By his account, the transom had partially detached from the vessel and the engine was partially submerged in the water. I interviewed the operator and two of the passengers who were still present.

NARRATIVE

On Sunday, August 13th, 2023, at approximately 1525 hours, I was contacted by owner of Navajo Lake Marina, regarding a rental party barge was damaged due to a rope getting caught in the propeller. By his account, a rope had gotten caught in the propeller of the party barge, the force of which caused the transom to detach from the vessel, partially submerging the engine in the water. 

I examined the damaged rental party barge. On the port side of the transom I could see a broken weld and several joints where the bolts had ripped through the aluminum, causing the engine to become partially submerged in the water, though it was still attached to the transom. The transom was still attached on the starboard side but there appeared to be cracks in the welds as well. I saw a navy blue rope wound around the propeller and the engine being supported by a white rope tied to the frame of the vessel. 

I interviewed the operator of the vessel. Operator1 said the boat hadn't been running well all day. Operator1 said they were stationary in the main body of the lake. He said when he went to start the boat, he had issues getting it started. He said once it finally turned over the rope got caught and rigged the bolts off the transom. He said he heard a sound when he was trying to start the boat but he didn't really think about it since the boat hadn't been running well all day. 

I interviewed subject2, who was also on the vessel. She said they had issues with the boat from the start. She said it "kept bogging out." She said they had already called the marina once to check on the boat and it was running fine. When the marina maintenance crew came out a second time when they were having issues getting the boat started again, the marina crew pointed out the rope around the propeller and the partially submerged motor. The marina crew towed them back to the marina. 

I spoke with maintenance worker for Navajo Lake Marina. Subject3 said they went to check on the vessel twice that day. He said the first time they went out the people who rented the boat said it was running fine. Subject3 said the second time they were called out to check on the vessel, he saw the engine in the water and a blue rope around the propeller. He said they secured a white rope around the engine so it wouldn't fall in the lake and towed the party barge back to the marina. 

I examined the other rental party barges at the marina. Most were equipped with the same navy blue ropes attached at the cleats around the vessel. I asked Operator1 if he had seen anything unusual or out of place when he did his walkaround that morning and he said no. 

Navajo Lake
Navajo Dam                    