Following the breakdown of talks in Singapore, BMW Oracle has offered to drop all of its legal disputes in return for a signing of the agreement that been negotiated by both sides last week.

The breakdown in talks was followed by two rather different explanations as to how the process came to fall apart. Incensed by comments that BMW Oracle and the GGYC had withdrawn it’s support for the agreement part way through the process, Golden Gate Yacht Club (GGYC) commodore Marcus Young wrote to the Societe Nautique de Geneve (SNG) asking for an apology. None was forthcoming.

Over the weekend a second letter was sent by the GGYC to the SNG in which commodore Young offers to ‘settle all the remaining issues’ before the match gets under way on Feb 8.

“We hereby renew our commitment to Draft 8 of the Singapore Agreement, but this offer ends at 1900 CET tomorrow, Monday. Be advised we will not rescind that motion unless and until your Club signs the Singapore Agreement.”

But the offer also appeared to come with a health warning.

“SNG/Alinghi’s continued unwillingness to sign the Singapore Agreement … will be a heavy burden for your Club, as Trustee, to bear.” 

Of the legal disputes that are in the wings, the most immediate issue for Alinghi/SNG is that of the status of its sails. BMW Oracle/GGYC claim that the Swiss team’s current North Sails 3DL wardrobe doesn’t satisfy the terms of the Deed of Gift which stipulates that the vessel must be constructed in the yacht club’s country. Alinghi disagrees with the interpretation of this part of the Deed of Gift.

Meanwhile, over the weekend Alinghi made the second of its first two sail training sessions.

“All went well considering the shifty and gusty conditions. We began by sailing in a nice westerly breeze around 15 to 20 knots and were able to evaluate a new gennaker,” said team member Pierre Yves Jorand, “but it was difficult to gauge precisely because the gradient of the wind differed so much from the top of the mast to the water line. We decided to finish sailing as the breeze built quickly to over 30 knots and in fact, that stayed for the rest of the afternoon.” 

CLICK HERE for Alinghi video.

BMW Oracle launched its trimaran BOR 90 on Saturday morning.
“Gusty winds made stepping the mast a tricky proposition for much of the day,” reports Peter Rusch. “But late in the afternoon, the shore team was able to complete their work. Load testing is scheduled for Sunday.”

CLICK HERE for BMW Oracle’s video on the rigging and preparation.