What affects value
- Engine hours and type (sterndrive or inboard)
- Cabin condition: leaks, mildew, and upholstery
- Canvas and electronics
- Hull and bottom condition
Pickup
Trailerable cruisers are simple. Larger cruisers in slips are hauled out or moved by water.
Trailerable cruisers and slip-kept cruisers
Cabin cruisers split into two groups for pickup. Cuddy cabins and small cruisers up to about 26 feet usually live on a trailer and are picked up like any runabout. Larger cruisers, often 28 to 40 feet with an 8.5-foot-plus beam, usually live in a slip and need a haul-out or a move by water to a boatyard.
Tell us the length, the beam if you know it, and where the boat sits. That tells us which kind of pickup to plan.
The cabin is where value hides and where problems hide
A dry, clean cabin with working systems adds real value: a head that flushes, a galley stove and fridge that work, air conditioning or heat, and cushions without mildew. Soft decks around deck hardware, leaking windows, and water under the cabin sole are the common problems on older cruisers.
You do not need to fix any of this. Open the hatches for photos so we can see the cabin and bilge, and tell us what works and what does not.
- Photograph the cabin, head, and galley
- Photograph the engine compartment and bilge
- Note anything that leaks when it rains
- List what systems work: generator, AC, heat, fridge, stove
Sterndrives, inboards, and twin engines
Most cabin cruisers run sterndrives (I/O) or inboards, often twins on larger boats. Engine hours, the date of the last outdrive service, and whether the bellows and gimbal bearing have been replaced all matter for value. A cruiser with one good engine and one bad one is still a common donation.
Makes we see often
Sea Ray Sundancer, Bayliner Ciera and Avanti, Chaparral Signature, Four Winns Vista, Rinker Fiesta Vee, Regal Commodore, Cruisers Yachts, Formula, Silverton, Carver, Wellcraft Martinique, Chris-Craft Catalina, Doral, Maxum, Larson Cabrio, Glastron, Marinette, and many more.
Not on the list? It is here to help you find your boat, not to limit what we take. We accept every make and model, listed or not, including rare builders and companies that closed decades ago. A donation depends on the boat's condition and paperwork, never the name on the hull, so enter yours on the form even if you do not see it here.
Questions
The cabin smells musty. Does that matter?
It is common. Tell us about any leaks.
My sterndrive needs service. Is that a problem?
Usually not a dealbreaker.
Is a cuddy cabin a cruiser?
Close enough. Both come through the motorboat form.
My cruiser has a generator that does not run. Is that a problem?
No. Tell us in the form. A nonworking generator lowers the value somewhat but rarely changes whether we can accept the boat.
Can I donate a cruiser that is still in the water in winter?
Yes. We coordinate a haul-out with the marina, or schedule the move when conditions allow.