What to gather, what to expect, and answers to the questions yacht owners ask most.
Most donations close within 4–8 weeks from first contact to final paperwork. Vessels with complications (liens, foreign flag, joint ownership) take longer.
Normally yes, but we evaluate each situation on its merits. Vessels needing repair can be donated; the path is just longer and the fair-market value lower.
The qualified independent appraisal. By IRS rule the donor engages and pays for it; the recipient charity cannot. Everything else — paperwork, coordination, hand-over — we handle at no cost.
In some cases, yes. The lien must be cleared before title transfer. We assess these on a case-by-case basis; if the math works, we make it happen.
Three pathways: charitable sale through Boathouse Auctions on a 30-day campaign, refit-and-lease for higher-value vessels, or direct placement into the SeaKeepers DISCOVERY research program. The deduction is the same in all three cases.
Yes. Corporate donations are common; the deduction applies against corporate taxable income. The transfer may be the vessel itself or the entity that holds it.
Transfer to a 501(c)(3) for charitable purpose is exempt from sales/use tax in most states. We handle the state-level deregistration and title transfer paperwork.
Yes, with additional steps. Foreign-flagged vessels require deflagging and US registration (or transfer to the US-registered SeaKeepers entity) before the deduction takes effect. We coordinate this with maritime counsel.
Call or email Paul directly. We answer questions before there's any commitment.
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