An ongoing dispute between sacked Oracle Team USA grinder Joe Spooner and his former bosses has spilled over into a US federal court with the New Zealander filing a suit seeking to have the American syndicate’s AC45 catamaran confiscated as a seaman’s lien against unpaid wages.

Spooner filed suit in US District Court asking federal marshals to “arrest” the foiling 45-foot catamaran that the two-time America’s Cup champion rolled out in San Francisco Bay earlier this week and keeps at Pier 80.

He said in his filing that his contract for $25,000 a month was terminated last month without cause. His total claim is for $750,000.

Spooner’s attorney, Patricia Barlow, of San Francisco, said more filings are pending.

Oracle Team USA declined to comment when contacted by The Royal Gazette.

According to the lawsuit, Spooner is taking the action now because Oracle is moving their AC45 to their Bermuda base at the Royal Naval Dockyard in the spring. Bermuda will host the America’s Cup in 2017 and also the America’s Cup World Series in October.

The 45-foot catamaran Spooner is asking to have confiscated was built to foil, or ride up on hydrofoils once it reaches a certain speed. Oracle is testing the boat as it prepares to build a 62-foot catamaran that will be used to defend the America’s Cup in 2017. Foiling 72-foot catamarans were used in the America’s Cup in 2013, when Oracle Team USA rallied from an 8-1 deficit to win eight straight races and defeat Emirates Team New Zealand.

Spooner’s contract was to pay him from July 1, 2014, until seven days after the 35th America’s Cup in June 2017. He also was to have received a bonus of not less than six months’ salary if Oracle Team USA successfully defended the America’s Cup in 2017.

Listed as defendants are Oracle Racing Inc., owned by billionaire Larry Ellison, and the multihull foiling AC45 known as 4 Oracle Team USA, along with all of its systems and wing sail.

Ellison is not named in the suit.

Spooner was a grinder with Oracle Team USA during its America’s Cup victories in 2010 and 2013.

This is the second suit filed against Oracle Racing in two months.

In mid-December, Kiwi grinder Matt Mitchell sued for the $68,000 he has spent on legal fees fighting accusations he helped illegally alter a catamaran used in a warm-up regatta before the 2013 America’s Cup.

Oracle were docked two points and fined $250,000 after an international jury found the team guilty of wrongdoings during the America’s Cup World Series in 2012.

During the regatta a handful of Oracle members hid bags of lead pellets in the forward posts of their smaller AC45.