On December 11th, 2023, at approximately 5:30 PM Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), was dispatched to a boating incident at Fort Pierce City Marina. Upon arrival, I encountered vessel one operator, OP1, and vessel two occupant, at the Fort Pierce City Marina Fuel Dock. No parties were injured. Damage was evident on the starboard side of vessel one and the bow pulpit of vessel two. 
While interviewing OP1 about the incident, OP1 advised that his wife and him were leaving the fuel dock when they lost control of the vessel’s steering and crashed into the neighboring vessel. OP1 explained that he was removing his vessel from the dock by bowing up to the west dock piling of the fuel dock, front end of vessel to the dock pile. After breaking away from the dock and heading underway, OP1 noticed his close proximity to the moored vessels that were adjacent east of the fuel dock and attempted to correct his direction of travel through steering. However, OP1 advised that while attempting this method, his steering wheel became alarming easy to turn, like if he had lost steering all together. At this time, OP1 advised he put the vessel into neutral then reverse to prevent himself from hitting vessel two, but was unsuccessful due to the prevailing winds. 
OP1 informed that the starboard side of vessel one had struck the bow of vessel two. OP1 vessel damage includes damage to the aft rub rail, one window broken, and scraps to the fiberglass.

MARINA
FORT PIERCE                   