Todd Tholke, San Francisco Sailor, Rescues America’s Cup Boat, Demands …

San Francisco sailor Todd Tholke noticed something peculiar in the middle of the night on September 30. The French catamaran Energy, one of the boats competing in the America’s Cup World Series in the San Francisco Bay, had snapped its mooring, drifted out to sea and washed up on the rocks of nearby Treasure Island.

Tholke sprang to action, captained his 14-foot Boston Whaler into the water, towed the racing boat back to the marina and handed it over to the French team.

“We are grateful for the way this ended and for the help of a good samaritan at Treasure Island who spotted the boat and secured it before handing it back to us,” wrote the team in a press release about the incident.

Tholke was hailed a hero and was offered a guest racer spot.

And then he and his attorney demanded an excess of $200,000 from the team.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Tholke and his attorney, John Edgcomb, invoked the Blackwall law that grants “a salvor of imperiled maritime property on navigable waters a monetary award from the owner.”

According to the law, Tholke may be entitled to a handsome sum to be determined by the court, but estimated by Edgcomb to be “in excess of $200,000.”

The French team was thus presented with a warrant from the U.S. District Court to “arrest” the boat. According to the Chronicle, the team was “surprised and disappointed,” and the issue is likely headed to court.

The news couldn’t come at a worse time for the French team, which is already struggling financially. In a post cleverly titled “Welcome to America,” international sailing blog Vsail Info called the claim “absurd” before detailing the team’s financial troubles. Indeed, the French team’s owners were unable to secure necessary sponsorship to build the 72-foot boat necessary to compete in next year’s America’s Cup.

“They are surviving until the end of the 2012-13 America’s Cup World Series on a very tight budget,” wrote Vsail. “I strongly doubt they have the excess cash to pay $200,000 for Tholke’s ‘award.’ I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when I read the story.”

But however seemingly absurd the claim may be, the Chronicle reported that “there’s been virtually no progress in informal negotiations,” and a vigorous legal battle is expected.

Welcome to America, indeed.

Check out photos from the America’s Cup World Series and other recent San Francisco events in our slideshow below:

Loading Slideshow

• Artemis Racing White of Sweden makes its way past the San Francisco skyline while racing against Team Korea during a quarterfinal match race at the America’s Cup World Series sailing event in San Francisco, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012. Racing of the AC45 boats continues though Sunday on San Francisco Bay. Artemis Racing White won their race. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

• Oracle Team USA Spithill crosses the finish line to win the second of two fleet races with Alcatraz Island in the background at the America’s Cup World Series sailing event in San Francisco, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012. Racing of the AC45 boats continues though Sunday on San Francisco Bay. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

• AC45 boats race during the America’s Cup World Series sailing event in San Francisco, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012. The racing continues through Sunday. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

• AC45 boats make their way past Alcatraz Island in the second of two fleet races at the America’s Cup World Series sailing event in San Francisco, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012. Racing of the AC45 boats continues though Sunday in San Francisco Bay. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

• J.P. Morgan BAR, Luna Rossa Piranha, China Team

  J.P. Morgan BAR of England, front right, races Luna Rossa Piranha, left, and China Team, behind right, during the fleet finals of the America’s Cup World Series sailing event in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/George Nikitin)

• AC45 boats stage at the beginning of the fleet finals at the America’s Cup World Series sailing event in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/George Nikitin)

• Oracle Team USA Spithill, Energy Team, Artemis Racing White

  Oracle Team USA Spithill, right, leads Energy Team of France and Artemis Racing White of Sweden during the fleet finals of the America’s Cup World Series sailing event in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/George Nikitin)

• Jimmy Spithill, Kyle Langford

  Oracle Team USA Spithill team skipper Jimmy Spithill, left, celebrates with J.P. Morgan BAR team member Kyle Langford, after Oracle Team USA Spithill won the fleet finals of the America’s Cup World Series sailing event in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/George Nikitin)

• Oracle Team USA Spithill

  Oracle Team USA Spithill competes in front of Artemis Racing Red of Sweden during the fleet finals of the America’s Cup World Series sailing event in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/George Nikitin)

• J.P. Morgan BAR

  With Alcatraz Island as a backdrop, J.P. Morgan BAR, of England, races during the fleet finals of the America’s Cup World Series sailing event in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/George Nikitin)

• A Navy Blue Angels F/A-18 flies past the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012. The Blue Angels were practicing for the annual Fleet Week celebration this weekend. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

• People watch from the waterfront as pair of Navy Blue Angels F/A-18′s come to a near stall above San Francisco Bay off the Marina Green in San Francisco, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012. The Blue Angels were practicing for the annual Fleet Week celebration this weekend. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

• A pair of Navy Blue Angels F/A-18′s fly above San Francisco Bay off the Marina Green in San Francisco, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012. The Blue Angels were practicing for the annual Fleet Week celebration this weekend. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

• In preparation for Fleet Week performances, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels pass Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay, on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

• In preparation for Fleet Week performances, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels fly over the San Francisco Bay on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012. Behind them is the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and Treasure Island. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

• In preparation for Fleet Week performances, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels’ C-130 “Fat Albert” flies with Team Oracle stunt pilot Sean D. Tucker over the San Francisco Bay, on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012. Behind them is the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

• In preparation for Fleet Week performances, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and Team Oracle stunt pilot Sean D. Tucker fly over the San Francisco Bay on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

• Blue Angels

  The Blue Angels perform over San Francisco Bay, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012 as part of Fleet Week celebrations in San Francisco. (AP Photo/George Nikitin)

• Blue Angels

  The Blue Angels perform over San Francisco Bay, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012 as part of Fleet Week celebrations in San Francisco. (AP Photo/George Nikitin)

• In preparation for Fleet Week performances, Team Oracle stunt pilot Sean D. Tucker flies over San Francisco on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

• Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival SF

• John C. Reilly and Friends, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

• “When you Live in a Town where there is always someone stranger than you

• Elvis Costello Solo Show

• Cowboy Junkies

• Fleetweek 2012 and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

• Fleetweek-6-2

• Fleetweek-5-2

• Strictly Groovy

• World cup and Blue Angels

  a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Agata_Kaczmarska”img style=”float:left;padding-right:6px !important;” src=”http://graph.facebook.com/693449965/picture?type=square” //aa href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Agata_Kaczmarska”Agata Kaczmarska/a:br /

• Fleet Week San Francisco 2012

  a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/us66bill”img style=”float:left;padding-right:6px !important;” src=”http://images.huffingtonpost.com/google_profile_img/4019289.png” //aa href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/us66bill”us66bill/a:br /USS Preble and escorts.

• Gull in Formation

  a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Joeann_Edmonds”img style=”float:left;padding-right:6px !important;” src=”http://images.huffingtonpost.com/yahoo_profile_img/4019616.png” //aa href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Joeann_Edmonds”Joeann Edmonds/a:br /Gull in Formation

• Blue Angels Onlookers

  a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/akenin”img style=”float:left;padding-right:6px !important;” src=”http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif” //aa href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/akenin”akenin/a:br /It was a full house on top of Eureka Peak this Sunday as the Blue Angels flew over SF

  Photo by Alexandra Kenin @urbanhikersf

• Blue Angels Go Supersonic

  a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Steve_Souza”img style=”float:left;padding-right:6px !important;” src=”http://graph.facebook.com/631036200/picture?type=square” //aa href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Steve_Souza”Steve Souza/a:br /

• Hardly Strictly Sunshine

  a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Myles_Weissleder”img style=”float:left;padding-right:6px !important;” src=”http://graph.facebook.com/665601102/picture?type=square” //aa href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Myles_Weissleder”Myles Weissleder/a:br /

• “America” – The Orginal America’s Cup Victor

  a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/daylenelson”img style=”float:left;padding-right:6px !important;” src=”http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif” //aa href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/daylenelson”daylenelson/a:br /A replica of “America,” winner of the first America’s Cup in 1851, sailing proudly around race course perimeter in San Francisco Bay off Saint Francis Yacht Club, Oct. 5, 2012.

• Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Fans

  a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/daylenelson”img style=”float:left;padding-right:6px !important;” src=”http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif” //aa href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/daylenelson”daylenelson/a:br /Chris Robinson Brotherhood plays a killer set on the Star Stage Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012, to the delight of first time Hardly Strictly Bluegrass attendees Andrew Nelson, Jill Nelson and Laurel Lundgren, who traveled from Tacoma, Washington for the festival.

• Blue Angel Going Fast

• Awesome flying vessels

  a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Kimivo”img style=”float:left;padding-right:6px !important;” src=”http://graph.facebook.com/676359277/picture?type=square” //aa href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Kimivo”Kimivo/a:br /

• Tribute to Hardly Strictly Founder, Warren Hellman

  a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/daylenelson”img style=”float:left;padding-right:6px !important;” src=”http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif” //aa href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/daylenelson”daylenelson/a:br /Heavenly musical assembly on Banjo Stage, Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012 to pay tribute to festival founder, Warren Hellman, who passed away last December. Musicians included Buddy Miller, Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin and Robert Plant, just to name a few.

• Hardly Strictly Entrepreneurial Spirit

  a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/daylenelson”img style=”float:left;padding-right:6px !important;” src=”http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif” //aa href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/daylenelson”daylenelson/a:br /Independent beverage vendor taking a break after a long day of selling refreshments at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012.

• Fleet Week

  a href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/frasercg”img style=”float:left;padding-right:6px !important;” src=”http://s.huffpost.com/images/profile/user_placeholder.gif” //aa href=”http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/frasercg”frasercg/a:br /Fighter jets over the Golden Gate Bridge during the pre-show of the Blue Angels Saturday, October 6

• Floating Tiny Home With Boat Well Makes This The Ultimate Summer House …
• ‘Outback Hunters’: Monster Croc Sinks Boat (VIDEO)
• Oh No! Another One Of Larry Ellison’s $8 Million America’s Cup Yachts Is Wrecked
• Giants, 49ers, yachts, fests: SF braces for crowds
• Giants, 49ers, yachts, fests: SF bracing for big crowds