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Machine-read from the scan, so expect some errors. Lines that couldn’t be read are left out.
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: Distad Rep Bikini Subject .= My cotients on the accompanying report on the M-boats Since I arrived on Bikini over six months are the.M-boats have been one of my biggest problems. One of the three has never run in all of this time. The other two have run sporadically. Most of the ‘observations made by Mr. Kirk I can personally verify. Having spent over six months with these * M-boats I can relate many instances that back up his conclusions. There have been times when we have tried to move one of the inoperative M-boats .by tyin g one of the running M-boats to it and using the power from this one to move both of them, and have one or both of the engines on the running boat cut out and fail to restart (the batteries soon go dead upon repeated attempts). In one instance we nearly were blown out to se3 before - : we managed to get one of the other engines running and move back to the dock. -- When the two running boats are docking and the engines are chnnged from ahead to astern one of the engines frequently fails. The ramps on the boats frequently do not operate and off-loading of m3ny iter especially heavy equipment, is impossible. -- The ramps have been down numerous times and the winches have been unable to lift them, and in two cast the ramps fell into the water and could not be raised without special The latest instance of repeated malfunctioning of these M-boats occurred during the past three weeks. The Atomic Energy Conznission chnrtcred one of the bo3ts for their use in conducting their work on various islands on the atoll. In three weeks the M-bent was used only five hours due to sundry mechanical problems. They used our Boston Whaler instead of the M-boat. All’of these defects and problems require at least the services of one full time marine engineer. We have not had a qzlified marine engineer on Bikini for over four mont’hs and the man we had originally was overworked to the point of not being able to even keep up with the problems as they occurred, let alone get ahead of them. Needless to say, the problems we h3ve had with the M-boats have slowed the rehabilitation program down. And now that we . are starting to wo:rk on the island of Bikini we need a M-boat opersting every work day. And the safety factor, which is foremost, has not evcn’bcen
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This project requires one well equiped N-boat in good running condition all of the time and one full time, qualified marine engineer to maintain and‘-- operate the hoat. We have neither. I will not be responsible for accidents resulting in damage to or loss of equipment and/or injury to or loss of life, that result from the malfunction or improper operationof the M-boats.- I request that you initiate action in all possible haste to obtain for us a safely running M-boat and a qualified marine engineer. Please advise me of your action as soon as possible. . Distad Rep Bikini