◆ SpookStack

RPS RET realize how much boats cost to run and to keep in repair. The arrangement whereby officers in Headquarters tried to control the expenditures being made in Florida to repair and operate boats which were urgently needed was highly impractical. The high cost of boats in this project is well illustrated by the dismal case of the “Sea Gull". Case of the "Sea Gull" 37, SRA ~: It had pre- viously been used to service offshore oil-drilling rigs and was estimated to have a fair market value of $74,500. 38. The request for approval gD was signed for the chief of the project by a special assistant in the FI section (acting for the acting chief!) and approved by the Deputy Chief of WH Division (acting for fits chief). It was qq, christened the "Sea Gull" and transported ” to Miami, where it broke down 500 yards from the pier on its first trial run. On 6 January 1961 it was estimated that repairs and modifications would cost $10,000; by 30 January, ‘the estimate had grown to $32,000; by 22 February, to $40,000; and on 24 February, the shipyard doing the work | submitted a bill for $65,000! In all, the "Sea Gull" cost;