USCGC Point Chico ( WPB - 82339 ) USCGC " Point Chico " ( WPB - 82339 ) was an Point class cutter constructed at the Coast Guard Yard at Curtis Bay , Maryland in 1962 for use as a law enforcement and search and rescue patrol boat . Since the Coast Guard policy in 1962 was not to name cutters under in length , it was designated as " WPB - 82339 " when commissioned and acquired the name " Point Chico " in January 1964 when the Coast Guard started naming all cutters longer than . Construction and design details . " Point Chico " was built to accommodate an 8 man crew . She was powered by two VT800 Cummins diesel main drive engines and had two five - bladed propellers . Water tank capacity was and fuel tank capacity was at 95 % full . After 1990 she was refit with Caterpillar diesel main drive engines . Engine exhaust was ported through the transom rather than through a conventional stack and this permitted a 360 degree view from the bridge ; a feature that was very useful in search and rescue work as well as a combat environment . The design specifications for " Point Chico " 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 Chico " was stationed at Sausalito , California , from 1963 to 1965 where she was used for law enforcement and search and rescue operations . On 14 June 1965 she escorted the damaged FV " Salmon Queen " from eighteen miles southwest of Point Bonita , California to Sausalito . In 1966 her homeport was shifted to Benicia , California where she helped fight a barge fire in San Francisco harbor on 26 September 1966 . In 1974 " Point Chico " was transferred to Yerba Buena Island . She and her crew were awarded the Coast Guard Unit Commendation for her part in fighting a fire that engulfed Pier 37 at the Port of San Francisco ' s Embarcadero and saving the historic ferry boat " San Leandro " . She received a second unit commendation for rescue and relief operations during flooding of the Noyo River basin in October 1977 . On 7 April 1980 she towed the disabled tanker " Austin " into the wind 35 miles northwest of Morro Bay , buying time for engineers working on damaged wiring as the tanker drifted toward the Piedras Blancas . After 4 August 1980 " Point Chico " was stationed at Bodega Bay , California . On 9 September 1983 , she towed the disabled pleasure craft " Sabra " into San Francisco . On 16 September , she towed the disabled FV " Huyne Long " from off Farallon Island to San Francisco . On 8 November she rescued two divers off Mendocino , California . " Point Chico " received her third unit commendation for participation in the Olympic Security Task Force during the 1984 Summer Olympics held at Los Angeles , California from 7 July to 15 August 1984 . She was awarded the Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation for search and rescue and law enforcement operations from 1 January to 9 April 1985 . when her crew seized the FV " Oregon Beaver " with of marijuana on board . On 7 June 1985 , " Point Chico " was adopted as the official Coast Guard cutter of the City of Sacramento . " Point Chico " was decommissioned 24 June 2001 and transferred to Costa Rica .