ON SATURDAY AUGUST 12, 2023, AT 3:30PM A BOATING INCIDENT OCCURRED ON BADIN LAKE NEAR THE TUCKERTOWN DAM.  V1 OPERATOR, OWNER OF VESSEL #1 AND HIS FRIEND, V2 OPERATOR, OWNER OF VESSEL #2, HAD THEIR VESSELS TIED TOGETHER AND AT ANCHOR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CHANNEL.  THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILIY MEMBERS WERE SWIMMING IN THE WATER WHILE OTHERS STAYED ON VESSEL #2 ENJOYING THE SUMMER DAY.  A WAKE FROM ANOTHER VESSEL STRUCK VESSEL #1 AND VESSEL #2 CAUSING THEM TO COLLIDE WITH EACH OTHER.  

OWNER OF VESSEL #1 ARRIVED AT A LOCATION WHERE HE MET WITH VESSEL #2.  THIS LOCATION IS LOCATED MIDWAY BETWEEN THE TUCKERTOWN DAM AND THE “NO WAKE ZONE” AT THE RAILROAD TRESTLE.  A LOCAL HANGOUT AREA FOR BOATERS KNOWN AS, “THE SANDBAR”, WHERE BOATERS ANCHOR IN SHALLOW WATER AND AWAY FROM THE MAIN THOROUGHFARE WAS ON ONE SIDE OF VESSEL #1, APPROXIMATELY 270 YARDS AWAY.  THE STANLY COUNTY SHORELINE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF VESSEL #1 WAS APPROXIMATELY 200 YARDS AWAY.

THE OWNER OF VESSEL #1 IDENTIFIED A VESSEL IN THE AREA THAT HE FELT PUT THE WAKE OUT THAT CAUSED DAMAGE TO HIS VESSEL.  DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF BOATING ACTIVITY IN THE AREA IT IS NOT CLEAR EXACTLY WHICH VESSELS WAKE CAUSED THE DAMAGE.  VESSEL #1 IS A PONTOON CONSTRUCTED OF ALUMINUM AND WITH THIN SHEETS OF METAL FOR THE SIDE RAILINGS.  VESSEL #2 IS A VESSEL CONSTRUCTED OF FIBERGLASS, WHICH IS A STRONGER MATERIAL.  OWNER OF VESSEL #1 ALSO STATED, HE DIDN'T SEE ANY OTHER VESSELS PASSING BY WHILE THEY WERE ANCHORED.    VESSEL #2 WAS NOT OCCUPIED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.

DEPUTY 1, WITH THE STANLY COUNTY SHERRIF'S DEPARTMENT'S PATROL BOAT DIVISION RECEIVED A REPORT OF A BOATING INCIDENT THROUGH STANLY COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS.  DEPUTY 1 ARRIVED IN THE AREA WITHIN 30 MINUTES OF RECEIVING THE REPORT.  DEPUTY 1 APPROACHED VESSEL #1 BUT KEPT A DISTANCE DUE TO SEVERAL BOATS IN THE AREA CAUSING WAKES.  AFTER THE OWNER OF VESSEL #1 TOLD DEPUTY 1 TO PULL OVER TO HIS VESSEL, DEPUTY 1 TOLD HIM HE WOULDN'T DUE TO THE WATER CONDITIONS CAUSED BY THE AMOUNT OF BOAT TRAFFIC.  DEPUTY 1 FURTHER STATED, “METAL AND FIBERGLASS DON'T MIX.”  DEPUTY 1 DESCRIBED THE AREA WITH A LOT OF BOAT TRAFFIC PASSING BY AND A LARGE CROWD AT THE SANDBAR.

THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF BOAT TRAFFIC ON BADIN LAKE ON THIS DATE.  IT IS UNKNOWN EXACTLY WHICH VESSEL'S WAKE CAUSED THE DAMAGE TO VESSEL #1.  

ALCOHOL AND DRUGS WERE NOT A FACTOR IN THIS INCIDENT.  NO INJURIES OCCURRED DURING THE INCIDENT.  ALL SAFETY EQUIPMENT WAS ACCOUNTED FOR AND IN PROPER WORKING ORDER.
BADIN LAKE
NEW LONDON                    