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Vol Navy is down one dock this season

The city and the university are working together to make sure two docks are maintained and replaced. 

He's been a part of the Vol Navy since college when his parents had a boat.

"You have to do the Vol Navy right? Who cannot tailgate on the water besides the Vols?" Kyle Wooley said.

Friday morning he guided the Wooley Bully along the river to his favorite spot at what is known as the Vol Navy dock near Neyland Stadium.

"A lot of these boats have been down here for a week. We are lucky to have friends who have their boat right here and we park next to them every year. It's an agreement we have with them so they are gracious enough to let us park here," Kyle said.

This time Kyle Wooley brought his friend from South Carolina along for the ride: Clemson fan John Sarratt.

"I've seen it from the stadium a couple years ago when I came to a game and wondered how it would be to arrive on a boat," John said. "We've been enjoying the sights and this beautiful weather and looking at all the pretty homes and beautiful scenery along the river and just chilling out and having a great time."

Upriver from the Vol Navy dock is another popular spot for boats outside Calhoun's restaurant.

Now that dock is gone. The City of Knoxville already planned to replace it after this football season but after a boat smashed into it the dock was unsafe and had to be removed.

A new dock is coming to that location sometime before the 2018 home opener.

The Vol Navy dock was also already set to be replaced after football season and that's still the plan.

Grants from TWRA are expected to cover the cost of replacement of both docks.

The city and the university are working together to make sure the docks are maintained and replaced.

But for this season, the fans are one dock short.

"It will effect the Vol Navy because there are less places to park for people. Calhoun's usually has a hundred boats down there and a 100 boats now have to come down here. So hopefully we can figure out a way to get all the boats in here and still have a record crowd for the Vol Navy," Kyle said.

John bought in to the whole Vol Navy spirit.

"Go Vols! Go Tigers!"

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