Quietly built relationships, serious tax expertise, and the right partners — assembled into one program for yacht owners ready for the next chapter.
The Yacht Donation Project is the bridge between yacht owners considering donation and The International SeaKeepers Society — a recognized 501(c)(3) with twenty-five years of operating history. We handle the qualifying conversations, the valuation work, the IRS paperwork, and the disposition pathway. The donor receives the maximum legitimate tax deduction; SeaKeepers receives a vessel to advance ocean research, conservation, and STEM education.
Three reasons, briefly. First, Paul Madden personally handles every inquiry — there is no call center and no junior staff handing donors off. Second, our relationships with The International SeaKeepers Society and Boathouse Auctions give donors disposition pathways that few facilitators can match. Third, our experience inside the highest end of the industry means we know what a vessel is actually worth — the qualified appraisal that supports your deduction is grounded in real comparables, not aspirational pricing.
Globally recognized maritime executive with 25+ years leading luxury and expedition yacht sales, new builds and vessel conversions at the highest level of the industry. Generated $200M+ in first-year shipyard sales and $500M+ in lifetime brokerage transactions across the Americas, Europe, and beyond.
Industry experience. Former North American representative for Blohm+Voss (ThyssenKrupp) and CRN (Ferretti Group). Former Management Consultant to the Board, Camper & Nicholsons. Founder of Xplorer Yachts, advising UHNW clients on commercial-to-expedition conversions and new-build projects.
Credentials. Former Vice President, International Superyacht Society. Member, Royal Thames Yacht Club. Former Board Member, American Sail Training Association. MBA with Honors, Boston University School of Management (Brussels program). BA, University of Colorado, Boulder. FAA Commercial & Instrument-Rated Pilot.
Seamanship. Lifelong competitive sailor; raced in SORC, Newport–Bermuda, and Trans-Atlantic crossings.
Contact: Paul@YachtDonations.net · +1 561-568-3430
Our partner organization. A global leader in ocean conservation and marine research, endorsed by the United Nations, NOAA, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Headquartered in Coral Gables, Florida; international chapters in the UK, South Pacific, and Asia.
SeaKeepers is a recognized 501(c)(3) (EIN 58-2385869), founded in 1998 by yacht owners who recognized the potential of their vessels to support oceanographic research and exploration. The organization has supported 1,140+ researchers, 202+ scientist-led expeditions, and reached 89,000+ students since 2014.
Status: 501(c)(3) nonprofit · seakeepers.org ↗
SeaKeepers provides the nonprofit infrastructure and the mission. Boathouse Auctions provides the disposal pathway when speed matters. Together they give donors the most comprehensive yacht-disposition options available.
The 501(c)(3) recipient. Established research programs, qualified appraiser network, twenty-five-year operating record. Donation receipts that pass IRS scrutiny.
Our auction partner — based in Fairfield, CT. A 30-day sales methodology that combines traditional yacht brokerage with the urgency of a real-time auction. Recent sales include vessels from 54 to 171 feet by builders like Feadship, Trinity, Abeking & Rasmussen, Viking, and Ocean Alexander.