Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron commodore John Crawford believes common sense needs to prevail in the battle for a piece of the original America's Cup.
The Spirit of Adventure Trust bought a piece of the Auld Mug from the London jeweller who repaired it after it was bashed by Maori activist Benjamin Nathan with a sledgehammer in 1997.
Some parts of the cup were so badly damaged they had to be replaced.
The trust was hoping to auction its piece to raise money for its youth development sailing programme. But the Societe Nautique de Geneve Yacht club - present holder of the cup, won by Alinghi - has objected.
Trust chairman Stephen Fisher asked the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, the guardians of the cup when it got smashed, if it could auction the piece and the squadron said yes.
He then wrote to Emirates Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton, who said "wish I'd thought of it and good luck".
He also wrote to the Societe Nautique de Geneve Yacht club advising it of their plans.
The Geneva Yacht Club responded by instructing its lawyers to ask the trust to drop the idea and return the piece, otherwise it would see the trust in the New York court.
Trust chief executive John Lister said members were taken aback by the Swiss response.
"What the hell are they going to do with it? Are they going to take it back and do the same thing we thought of? We are just a tiny charity in New Zealand," Lister said.
As to who will decide the ownership of the piece, Crawford said "some rational men" are going to have to put their heads together.
"It is not covered by the deed of gift. We are not interested in getting into an expensive legal fight over the thing."
Yachting: Call for calm in storm over smashed America's Cup
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