USCGC Point Thatcher ( WPB - 82314 ) USCGC " Point Thatcher " ( WPB - 82314 ) was an Point class cutter constructed at the Coast Guard Yard at Curtis Bay , Maryland in 1961 for use as a law enforcement and search and rescue patrol boat . Since the Coast Guard policy in 1961 was not to name cutters under in length , it was designated as " WPB - 82314 " when commissioned and acquired the name " Point Thatcher " in January 1964 when the Coast Guard started naming all cutters longer than . " Point Thatcher " was unique because it was the only cutter that was built in the class that was powered using gas turbine main drive engines . Construction and design details . " Point Thatcher " was built to accommodate an 8 man crew . She was powered by two gas turbine engines and had two variable - pitch propellers . This was the only Point class cutter equipped in this manner and the " Thatcher " was used by the Coast Guard to evaluate gas turbine propulsion . Water tank capacity was and fuel tank capacity was at 95 % full . The design specifications for " Point Thatcher " included a steel hull for durability and an aluminum superstructure and longitudinally framed construction was used to save weight . Ease of operation with a small crew size was possible because of the non - manned main drive engine spaces . Controls and alarms located on the bridge allowed one man operation of the cutter thus eliminating a live engineer watch in the engine room . Because of design , four men could operate the cutter ; however , the need for resting watchstanders brought the crew size to eight men for normal domestic service . The screws were designed for ease of replacement and could be changed without removing the cutter from the water . A clutch - in idle speed of three knots helped to conserve fuel on lengthy patrols and an eighteen knot maximum speed could get the cutter on scene quickly . Air - conditioned interior spaces were a part of the original design for the Point class cutter . Interior access to the deckhouse was through a watertight door on the starboard side aft of the deckhouse . The deckhouse contained the cabin for the officer - in - charge and the executive petty officer . The deckhouse also included a small arms locker , scuttlebutt , a small desk and head . Access to the lower deck and engine room was down a ladder . At the bottom of the ladder was the galley , mess and recreation deck . A watertight door at the front of the mess bulkhead led to the main crew quarters which was ten feet long and included six bunks that could be stowed , three bunks on each side . Forward of the bunks was the crew ' s head complete with a compact sink , shower and commode . History . After commissioning " Point Thatcher " was stationed at Miami , Florida where she was used for law enforcement and search and rescue operations . She was moved to Norfolk , Virginia in 1964 . On 16 June 1965 , she stood by the Norwegian MV " Blue Master " and the following a collision off Cape Henry . On 24 July she escorted FV " Explorer " with casualties on board to Little Creek , Virginia . From early 1966 to early 1971 she was once again homeported at Miami . On 19 February 1966 she transported 16 Cuban refugees from Gun Cay , Bahamas to Miami . On 4 October while responding to the grounding of MV " Transporter " off Miami Beach , she was herself grounded and holed . The crew was forced to abandon ship . After being refloated on 9 October , she was towed to Miami Beach for repair and refit . On 28 March 1967 , she embarked seven Cuban stowaway s from MV " Amfialia " and delivered them to Key West , Florida . On 31 May 1970 the refueled and escorted a distressed 18 foot pleasure craft to Miami . Her homeport was shifted to Sarasota , Florida in March 1971 . On 28 December 1977 she seized the MV " Marania " for carrying contraband . In 1985 " Point Thatcher " was moved to Nokomis , Florida . On 7 May 1985 she rescued three persons from a raft in the Gulf of Mexico . On 2 – 3 March 1987 she towed the disabled FV " Beach King " from a point 225 miles south of Mobile , Alabama to safety at St . Petersburg , Florida during a storm . Later the same week on 7 – 8 March , she towed the disabled FV " Miss Ann " and the pleasure craft " Grenada II " to Fort Myers , Florida in 18 foot seas . When was transferred to the Pacific coast in July 1990 , " Point Thatcher " joined her sister cutter in August at Gulfport , Mississippi where their primary mission was law enforcement and " Point Thatcher " set a record during that time for 14 drug arrests in coastal waters . " Point Thatcher " was decommissioned 13 March 1992 and moved to USCG Training Center Cape May , New Jersey for use as a training hulk . In the spring of 2000 she was sunk as an artificial reef off Ocean City , Maryland .