America's Cup- Kiwi crewman lodges bonus claim against Oracle Team USA

by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com on 20 Feb 2015 New Zealand sailor, Joe Spooner, who was a grinder with America's Cup Defender, Oracle Team USA, has lodged a claim in a San Francisco Court, claiming an unpaid bonus and wages.

In the claim, Spooner seeks to have one of the teams AC45 arrested presumably as security for his claim. That would prevent the yacht being sent out of USA and would have a considerable impact on the team's ability to compete in America's Cup World Series Regattas and in their relocation to Bermuda due to take place in a couple of months.

The claim pulls back the curtain on the secret world of America's Cup, and Oracle Team USA's salary payments to crew.

Spooner claims that his contract was for USD25,000 per month, and the win bonus to be paid to Spooner was for six months of salary.

His total claim is for USD$750,000. It is not clear how this amount was constructed.

The claim says that he was put off contract with the team from January 31, 2015 and the due date for all monies was February 9, 2015 - his claim was filed two days later.

Spooner was a top Finn sailor in New Zealand, before joining Team New Zealand for the 2003 campaign. His Finn sailing campaign, aimed at the 1996 Olympics was bought to an abrupt end after a savage assault, which left him with hearing loss. He resumed sailing two years later and eventually joined Team New Zealand, changing to Oracle after the 2003 loss by Team New Zealand.

After the America's Cup wins in 2010 and 2013, Spooner stayed with the team sailing the AC45 in Australia, and was let-go three weeks ago.

A second former Oracle Team USA crew member, Matthew Mitchell (NZL) has a claim in the same court, also against Oracle Team USA claiming legal expenses of $87,000 relating to his suspension by the International Jury for the 34th America's Cup and subsequent Hearings.

Both claims are employment related matters.