While Islandstats.com has the footage showing the Oracle Boat and other equipment being off loaded, we can also report that Oracle's desperation to make the struggling America's Cup more competitive now extends to handing their design secrets to cash-strapped newcomer Team France.
Team France boss Franck Cammas made the revelation in an interview with French radio station Europe 1.
The 2017 regatta is reeling from the withdraw by seasoned challenger Luna Rossa with the Italian syndicate angry at a decision to alter the size of the boats from 62-foot foiling catamarans to a smaller 45-50 foot version that features several one-design components, aimed at cost-cutting.
Team New Zealand voiced their support of Luna Rossa and have thrown the regatta into further disarray by taking the decision to deny Auckland the January 2017 challenger series to the Cup's arbitration panel.
Oracle, Team France, Ben Ainslie Racing (Britain) and Artemis Racing (Sweden) controversially formed a majority to rush through the changes.
And it appears those links now run deeper.
Team France are well behind the other challengers, struggling for finances to return to Cup action.
But Cammas, who told the radio station they were still searching for funding to find the "€7 million per year to be in the America's Cup with a chance to win", said they'd been given a helping hand by Oracle.
"We have some very good news: the Americans, Oracle, have decided to share their design and to collaborate with Team France," Cammas said.
"So that lets us make up a lot of time and we'll be sure to have the best boat, if we compete. So that will let us make up a lot of time and give us a certain level of technical credibility."
Oracle and Artemis launched foiling 45-footers this year that turned heads and convinced the majority of teams they would be good enough for America's Cup action while significantly reducing costs.
It appears this is the prototype that Oracle will now share with Team France.
The reduced catamarans – the smallest boats to be used in the history of the America's Cup – have already produced performance results to rival the giant 72-foot versions used at the last America's Cup in San Francisco in 2013 where Oracle beat Team New Zealand 9-8.
SOURCE: DUNCAN JOHNSTONE - STUFF.CO.NZ/SPORT/
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