AOGes , COPY . , . . Memorandum CONFIRITY MED DOESACaAS TO BE UN SIFED AUTHOR AeD."Ri GILSON. DATE G-/G- Gy S ‘ _ June 13, 1970 Ke f ? To : Distad Rep Bikini Fron : Sid Kirk, M-boat operator with AEC party Subject : Observations on the conditions of the three M-boats stationed at Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands, and _recommendations. Upon the request of Lewis Glenn, the District Administrator's Renresentative on Bikini Atoll, I have cxamined the three M-boats stationed at Bikini. I am a licensed First Mate on large craft and have been operating boats since 1964 for Global Associates, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. Here follows my observations and recommendations. The M-boat ramps: 1. 2. 3. Have holes and rust beyond repair. Pad eyes rusty and could break and fall. One boat does not even have pad eyes and the bow ramp must be secured with rope. Winches do not work properly; brakes will. not hold; clutches are burned u Handles to raise and lower the ramps are rusty and will not function prop Belts on the winches are the wrong size and will not work properly. M-boat decks: Rusty. Holes on tcp cocks caused from rust. Bits, cleats, and pad cyes all rusty and some broken. The M-boat engines: Need conplete overhaul. Gencrators do not work. Batteries will not kecp a charge. Bilge pumps do not work properly. Only one on each boat. Throttles hard to mancuver, especially while making landings going from ahead to astern. Engines frequcntly stall when making this maneuver and leave the boat with power from only ‘one engine, and sometimes with power from neither engine. The screws are bent and out of balance. The shafts may also be in the same condition as there are bad vibrations when running at a high rpm, Three of the four engines on the two running M-boats will not reach over 7. 9. 1200 rpms. There are no lights on the boats. Most gauges on the control pancl do not work. Only safety equipment aboard the boats is life jackets and lined ‘ring buoys. Signal flares are lacking. Emergency rubber life rafts are lacking. These items are essential, especially given the conditions of these boats. “COPY 72 3¢- Bo s-