Judge Joseph C. Spero has ordered marshals to release Oracle Team USA's foiling AC45 which was seized on March 9 during a dispute with fired grinder Joe Spooner.
Spooner is claiming at least $725,000 in compensation for wrongful dismisal (see Related Content) but Judge Spero concluded that Spooner's contract was not sufficiently tied to a particular boat to support a lien.
The seizure of the catamaran had delayed its shipment to the Oracle base in Bermuda, where America's Cup rivals Ben Ainslie Racing have been training since January.