- USCGC Matagorda
The USCGC Matagorda is an
United States Coast Guard Island Class Cutter . The Island Class cutters were originally 110 feet long. The Matagorda was the first vessel to complete an extensive refit that added a newsuperstructure , and a 13 foot extension to herstern , as part of the Deepwater program.The new superstructure was intended to improved the habitability and endurance of Island Class cutters. It enables the vessels to comply with the Coast Guard's plan to make all vessels capable of housing mixed sex crews.
The new stern extension allowed the Matagorda to launch and retrieve her Short Range Prosecutor at speed.
Shortly after the Matagorda reentered the fleet and arrived in its home port of
Key West, Florida , it developed a six-inch crack forward of its superstructure and a buckled hull on the starboard side. Similar problems with other vessels that had undergone this refit resulted in a decision to stop the refits after only 8 of the 49 Island Class cutters had undergone them. [Patricia Kime, [http://navytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-2006443.php "Video alleges security problems on converted cutters"] , "Navy Times", August 7, 2006]References
External links
* [http://www.icgsdeepwater.com/resources/video/MATAGORDA.mpg Video of the Matagorda deploying and retrieving her Short Range Prosecutor pursuit launch at speed] .
* [http://www.uscg.mil/deepwater/system/123.htm Official description of the conversion from 110 to 123 feet.]
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