Donate a yacht
Motor yachts, trawlers, sportfishers, and large cruisers take more coordination than a trailer boat, and a donation should not add work for you. We arrange the captain or transport, work with your marina, and handle the Coast Guard documentation.
Yachts we accept
Superyachts over 80 feet
We work with your captain, broker, and advisors on survey, documentation, and the move, and keep the process confidential.
Is my yacht worth donating?
Most yachts that come to us have clear resale value. The real question is usually what it will take to sell well: whether systems work, whether the engines have been maintained, and what a buyer's survey is likely to find.
Helpful information for the review: engine and generator hours, maintenance records, the date and findings of any recent survey, and anything you know needs attention. Honest detail helps; a yacht with known issues can still be a strong donation.
Where it gets harder: yachts with major structural problems, flooded engine rooms, or costs to move and store that are larger than the likely sale price. We will say so plainly before anything is scheduled.
Not sure? Call (888) 228-7320 and describe it. That is often the fastest answer.
How moving a yacht works
A yacht is rarely trailered away from a driveway. These are the pieces we coordinate. Pickup is free, and timing depends on both sides' availability: sometimes a couple of days, sometimes a couple of weeks.
Paperwork for a yacht
Most yachts are documented with the U.S. Coast Guard rather than titled by a state. We prepare the bill of sale and the documentation transfer through the National Vessel Documentation Center. If the yacht has a preferred ship mortgage recorded against it, that needs to be satisfied and released first.
Some yachts are state titled instead, and some are both documented and registered with the state for use there. We sort out which applies to yours.
State-by-state rules are in our state guides. Lost the title? Read donating a boat without a title.
The tax deduction
Yacht donations usually involve larger numbers, so the rules matter more. In most cases the deduction is the gross proceeds from the sale, shown on Form 1098-C. If you claim more than $5,000 under one of the exceptions, a qualified appraisal is generally required.
Read the full tax guide and talk with your own tax advisor before you donate.
We do not provide tax or legal advice. Consult your own advisor.
Read the tax guideYacht builders we see often
Sea Ray, Carver, Bayliner, Silverton, Hatteras, Bertram, Viking, Chris-Craft, Grand Banks, Mainship, Marine Trader, Meridian, Cruisers Yachts, Tiara, Ocean Yachts, Egg Harbor, Post, Californian, and others.
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 of yacht, 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.
Yacht donation questions
Do I need a new survey before I donate my yacht?
No. A recent survey helps us move faster, but it is not a requirement. If a survey would meaningfully change the plan, we will talk it through with you before anyone pays for one.
Who pays the captain or the transport?
We arrange and cover moving the yacht after the donation is agreed. Slip fees and bills that were already owed before the transfer date stay with the owner.
My yacht has a preferred ship mortgage. Can I still donate it?
Often, yes, if the loan can be paid off and the mortgage released as part of the transfer. We need the lender's payoff figure early to see whether the numbers work.
Can I leave electronics and gear aboard?
Yes, and it usually helps the sale. Take anything personal, and tell us about anything valuable you plan to remove so our listing is accurate.
Start your yacht donation
Takes about three minutes. Your best guesses are fine, or call (888) 228-7320.
Free pickup by our trusted transport team · We handle title transfer and tax paperwork · No cost to you