ON 7/23/2023, OPERATOR OF VESSEL #2 FILED A REPORT WITH MARINE DEPUTIES REFERENCE A BOATING ACCIDENT THAT OCCURRED THE DAY EARLIER, 7/22/2023. AT AROUND 1500 HOURS.  IT WAS REPORTED THAT WHILE OPERATOR OF VESSEL #2 WAS SAILING HIS SAILBOAT OUT OF THE HOLLAND CHANNEL IN LAKE MICHIGAN, ANOTHER SAILBOAT CAME UP BEHIND HIS SAILBOAT AND HIT VESSEL #2'S SAILBOAT IN THE STERN OF THE SAILBOAT.  THE RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE STERN RAIL OF OPERATOR #2'S BOAT.  OPERATOR #1 OBSERVED ONE OCCUPANT ON THE SUSPECT SAILBOAT AND WAS ABLE TO GET PHOTOS OF THE SUSPECT SAILBOAT.  

DEPUTIES MADE CONTACT WITH THE OWNER, AND OPERATOR #1 ADVISED THAT HE WAS ALONE ON HIS SAILBOAT WHEN HE WAS HEADING WEST OUT OF THE HOLLAND CHANNEL, WHICH WAS EXTREMELY CONGESTED.  OPERATOR #1 TOLD DEPUTIES THAT HE WAS PROCEEDING AT A 270 DEGREE HEADING DUE WEST WHEN ANOTHER SAILBOAT CROSSED OVER IN FRONT OF VESSEL #1'S SAILBOAT CAUSING A COLLISION BETWEEN THE SAILBOATS.  OPERATOR #1 HAD NO DAMAGE TO HIS BOAT AND HE DID NOT KNOW WHO HE NEEDED TO REPORT THE ACCIDENT TO.
LAKE MICHIGAN
PARK TWP.                     