to repair and strengthen the hulls, but the converted cutters continued to crack at high speed in rough seas. Efforts to repair the Matagorda and the other vessels in the fleet were unsuccessful. The cutters were reported unseaworthy and were taken out of service. Sea trial results The refit added about 15 tons to the vessel's displacement, and reduced its maximum speed by approximately one knot. This added length and weight caused unexpected flexing on the ships' decks, causing cracks. At least one cutter had warping so severe; its engines were no longer fully seated, while another ship's fuel tanks were deformed to the point of leakage. Another problem these cutters faced after their intended improvement was their steering. The steering system was mangled so badly, they had problems maintaining course, even at speeds slower than ten knots. The propeller shaft design was flawed also, growing steadily misaligned with the engines once the cracking of the hulls began. The maritime waste disposal systems were also damaged to the point of being below specification. There was poor welding and sloppy workmanship throughout the ships that also attributed to the failing of these vessel' hulls. The communications system was a complete fiasco too, barely functional and completely unsecure. All of the work done by Bollinger for the Deepwater System Program was done insufficiently and all contributed to the failing of these ships. Legal liability In January 2008, the United States Coast Guard made an unusual move of demanding a partial refund of $96.1 million, but the request was withdrawn later in the year due to possible criminal charges that could be faced, enforced by the Department of Justice. In addition to the Coast Guard, the Justice department also sued Bollinger Shipyards for damages towards the Coast Guard Cutter Matagorda and seven other boats in that fleet. The Coast Guard paid hundreds of millions of dollars towards Bollinger for this refit, and has tried to file for reimbursement 65 times once the Matagorda had displayed the six inch crack in its hull. The suit was dismissed. Conclusion In late 2005, sea state restrictions were given to the cutters requiring better workmanship and quality for construction in the future. At the same time, these refits were halted with only eight out of the intended 49 cutters actually being worked on. On November 30, 2006, Admiral Thad Allen, Coast Guard Commandant, personally gave a direct