For Brokers

Yacht Donation for Brokers — A New Path on Stale Listings

If you have a listing that's been sitting on the market for months — or years — with no serious offers, yacht donation is a strategy that closes the deal, protects your full commission, and strengthens your client relationship.

The Challenge: Stale Listings

You know the scenario. A yacht on your books that isn't moving. Maybe the owner's asking price is above market. Maybe the vessel needs work. Maybe the market just isn't there right now.

The owner is getting frustrated. Carrying costs keep piling up — slip fees, insurance, crew, depreciation. The only offers coming in are lowball numbers that insult the owner and waste your time. And your relationship with the client is under strain.

There is a better way. A yacht donation through The Yacht Donation Project gives your client a powerful exit — significant tax benefits, fast resolution, and an outcome that supports ocean conservation. You bring the donor. We handle the rest. Your full brokerage commission is paid on closing of the 3-year lease.

The Mechanism

How It Works for You

Simple, by design. You make the introduction. We handle everything from there.

You Bring the Donor

Share the listing details and the situation. We assess the opportunity and come back within 24–48 hours with an honest read.

We Evaluate

Independent evaluation of condition, documentation, location, and fair-market value. Indicative tax-benefit range provided to your client.

Owner Donates

Title transfers to SeaKeepers (501(c)(3)). We handle all IRS documentation and legal paperwork. Your role ends at the introduction; we do not need you to manage the buyer side.

Disposition

Boathouse Auctions runs the 30-day campaign or refit-and-lease pathway, depending on the vessel. The lease off-taker is sourced by Boathouse, not by you.

Commission Paid

Your full brokerage commission is paid on closing of the 3-year lease — based on the donation value to SeaKeepers. Your client receives their tax deduction. The ocean benefits from the proceeds.

Why It Works for You

The Broker's Payoff

You Earn Your Full Commission

Full brokerage commission paid on closing of the 3-year lease. Calculated on the donation value to SeaKeepers. No reduction.

You Bring the Donor — Nothing Else

You introduce the owner. We do the qualifying, the paperwork, the appraisal coordination, the title transfer. The lease off-taker is sourced by Boathouse Auctions. You have no role and no risk on the buyer side.

You Deliver a Real Solution

Instead of a frustrated owner watching their yacht depreciate, you've delivered a clean exit — tax benefits, fast closure, conservation outcome. The kind of result that brings the next listing to your door.

You're Protected

The donation is handled by a recognized 501(c)(3) (EIN 58-2385869) with twenty-five years of operating history. Legally sound, IRS-compliant, managed by professionals with 25+ years of industry experience.

The Numbers

Days on Market vs Net Outcome

The longer a yacht remains unsold, the more carrying costs silently chip away at your client's net proceeds.

0–60 days: Highest return. Brokerage window. Maximum competition.
60–120 days: Reduced return. Carrying costs eating in.
120+ days: Danger zone. Depreciation accelerates. Owner frustration peaks.

The donation pathway eliminates this problem. A transparent process with a finite end compresses everything — delivering a better net outcome than a stale listing every time.

Talk to Paul Directly

Your Next Commission May Be Sitting on a Listing You Thought Was Dead.

Email or call confidentially with the vessel, asking price, and days on market. I come back within 24 hours with an honest read on whether donation is the right play.

Email Paul Madden

Paul@YachtDonations.net · +1 561-568-3430