ON 08/07/2023, AT APPROXIMATELY 1200 HOURS, A SINGLE VESSEL BOATING INCIDENT OCCURRED IN CLEVELAND COUNTY ON MOSS LAKE INVOLVING A 15 FOOT SKEETER. THE SKEETER BOAT HAD 2 PEOPLE ON BOARD. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED JUST OUTSIDE OF THE NO WAKE ZONE AT THE MOSS LAKE BOAT RAMP. THE APPROXIMATE GPS COORDINATES ARE 35.2758, -81.4575. 

IT WAS DETERMINED THAT OPERATOR WAS DRIVING NORTH- NORTHEAST OUT OF THE NO WAKE ZONE. SHORTLY AFTER LEAVING THE NO WAKE ZONE HE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. HE ESTIMATED THAT HE WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES PER HOUR. AS HE WAS ACCELERATING, THE TRANSOM OF THE BOAT FAILED. WHEN THAT HAPPENED, IT CAUSED THE MOTOR AND A SECTION OF THE TRANSOM, CONNECTED TO THE MOTOR MOUNTING BRACKET TO FALL FROM THE BOAT. THE VESSEL BEGAN TAKING ON WATER. APPROXIMATELY 2 MINUTES AND 20 SECONDS LATER THE BOAT CAPSIZED. OPERATOR DID NOT HAVE ANY LIFEJACKETS ON THE BOAT. A NEARBY BOATER SAW THE CAPSIZED VESSEL AND RENDERED AID TO OPERATOR AND PASSENGER WHO WERE SWIMMING IN THE WATER. THE MOSS LAKE OFFICE MANAGER AND KINGS MOUNTAIN OFFICER USED THEIR BOAT TO PULL THE CAPSIZED SKEETER BOAT BACK TO THE RAMP.

OPERATOR PURCHASED THE BOAT ON 08/06/2023 AND WAS TESTING THE BOAT ON 08/07/2023.

NO INJURIES REPORTED.

ALCOHOL/DRUGS ARE NOT BELIEVED TO BE A FACTOR.


END REPORT.
MOSS LAKE
SHELBY                        