By JOSIE CLARKE
A wealthy American and an Auckland boatbuilder are scrapping over the multimillion-dollar yacht Mea Culpa.
Tony Marnell, the chairman and chief executive of Nevada-based construction company Marnell Corrao and Associates, has seized the hull of his 40m motor yacht from Sensation Yachts of Auckland after a dispute over payments
and delays.
Mr Marnell contracted Sensation to build his $18.5 million dream boat in June last year, but the deal turned sour and ended up in the High Court at Auckland.
Justice John Wild heard that Sensation Yachts, run by Ivan Erceg, had cut up Mea Culpa's superstructure moulds on July 16 this year, two weeks after the contract collapsed.
Justice Wild slashed Sensation Yachts' $5.4 million lien claim over Mea Culpa to $2 million, and ordered Mr Marnell to give Mr Erceg $2 million security over the hull while the dispute goes to arbitration.
He also ordered Sensation Yachts to give Mr Marnell access to the boat to move it to another yard.
Justice Wild said he took an "exceedingly dim view" of Sensation Yachts cutting up the moulds, and said the company had "snubbed its nose" at Mr Marnell and at the court.
Sensation's Mr Erceg said yesterday that he terminated the contract with Mr Marnell in June this year after he twice failed to meet payments. Mr Erceg said he was not disappointed about the failed contract.
"We are in the fortunate position of having a great deal of work. In the scheme of things it's not a vast amount."
The hull of Mea Culpa, and the mould it was sitting in, travelled by barge to boatbuilding company McMullen and Wing yesterday.
McMullen and Wing managing director David Porter said the hull was 95 per cent finished. Projects like this would normally take up to two years to complete, he said.
"As a result of them being in dispute, the owner found another boatyard in New Zealand to finish his boat for him, and that is McMullen and Wing.
"The boat is at a very early stage. There is a long way to go yet."
Mr Porter said he did not know how much the boat would be worth when finished.
Mea Culpa is Latin for "my fault."
