With Dalton takes a legal turn

a messy saga since Dunphy surfaced in late July with claims he could help finance a defence in Auckland after Team New Zealand turned down a government funding package.

‘‘Yes, Emirates Team New Zealand has been served with two legal letters directed at Grant Dalton in what in our opinion is an attempted act of intimidation,’’ Team New Zealand told Stuff.

‘‘While it creates unnecessary cost and distraction for the team, we welcome the opportunity to contest it and to further detail the evidence which lays bare his true intentions and highlights the conflicting behaviour of someone who is masquerading in public as simply wanting to help the ETNZ defence.’’

The battle between Dunphy and Dalton has been personal at times.

Team New Zealand ruled out any further dealings with Dunphy in late September when they accused him of backroom dealings with some of their Cup rivals, describing them as ‘‘underhanded and deceitful attempts to undermine the RNZYS, ETNZ and the RYS with his (Dunphy’s) despicable actions’’.

Dunphy, who is offering $40m of his own money, remains keen to reopen discussions with Team New Zealand and their backing club, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, over his vision.