Boat donations
Donate a boat and end the slip fees, the yard bill and the winter storage
A boat costs money every month whether it leaves the dock or not. When the season stops being worth the expense, donating ends it on a date you choose, with the haul-out and the transport arranged for you rather than added to your bill.
- Haul-out, yard coordination and trailering arranged by Giving Center.
- Sail and power, on a trailer, on a lift or in the water.
- Registration, title and documented-vessel paperwork handled.
Know the length, year and where she sits? Call (888) 228-7320.
What we accept here
The form above covers any boat. For marine-specific depth on surveys, documented vessels, yard liens and appraisals, our marine site goes further than this page can.
Also accepted: runabouts and bowriders, center consoles, cabin cruisers, pontoons and deck boats, bass and aluminum fishing boats, sailboats from dinghies to cruising yachts, catamarans, trawlers, houseboats, personal watercraft, dinghies and tenders, project hulls and boats with blown engines or wet cores. Related: donate a boat trailer, yacht donations, tax benefits.
This page accepts your boat. Our marine site explains it in depth
You can start here and we will handle everything: the form above reaches the same team, and nothing about the process changes. If you want the longer version, with detail on surveys, documented vessels, hurricane-damaged hulls, yard liens and marine appraisals, our dedicated marine site covers it at length.
Boats with Causes is Giving Center's marine donation program. Same charity, same EIN, same phone number, written specifically for boat owners. Use whichever page you prefer.
Getting her out of the water is our problem, not yours
Boats on a trailer are the simplest: we hitch and tow. A boat on a lift or on stands in a yard is loaded by a hauler, with a crane or a travelift where the yard requires one. A boat in the water is hauled out by a yard we coordinate with, then transported by road. Giving Center arranges and pays for the haul-out and the transport.
Tell us the length, beam and draft, whether the trailer comes with her, and the name of the marina or yard. If there is an outstanding yard bill or a storage lien, say so early, because a lien has to be cleared before a vessel can be sold and it changes whether the donation makes sense.
What you can deduct for a donated boat
The same IRS rules apply as for any vehicle, and above $5,000 boats almost always need an appraisal.
| Your situation | What you deduct | Paperwork |
|---|---|---|
| Giving Center sells the boat, as is typical | The gross sale proceeds | Form 1098-C from Giving Center |
| Proceeds exceed $5,000, common for most serviceable boats | Gross proceeds, and the IRS requires a qualified appraisal you obtain | Form 1098-C plus Form 8283 Section B, signed by your appraiser and by Giving Center |
| Proceeds are $500 to $5,000, common for small boats and PWC | Gross proceeds | Form 1098-C plus Form 8283 Section A |
| The boat sells for under $500, seen with project hulls | The lesser of fair market value or $500 | Written acknowledgment from Giving Center |
| Giving Center makes significant use of the vessel or materially improves it | Fair market value, supported by a qualified appraisal above $5,000 | Form 1098-C with the use or improvement certified |
Giving Center does not provide tax, legal or financial advice. Donations are deductible to the extent allowed by law. See IRS Publication 526, Publication 561 and Publication 4303, and consult a tax professional.
Boat donation questions
Our full marine guidance, including surveys and documented vessels, is on boatswithcauses.org.
Do you take boats that do not run?
Yes. A blown engine, a wet core or a neglected hull all still have a market, usually to a rebuilder or a parts buyer. Long hauls on a low-value hull can consume the proceeds, and we will tell you when that is the case.
What if I owe the marina or the yard?
Tell us at the start. A yard or storage lien has to be cleared before the boat can be sold, and it comes out of the proceeds. If the bill exceeds what she will bring, we will be honest about that rather than move her.
Is the trailer included?
Include it if you have it. A serviceable trailer adds meaningfully to the sale and makes transport simpler. You can also donate a boat trailer on its own.
Do you handle Coast Guard documented vessels?
Yes. Documented vessels have their own transfer process, which we handle, and it is covered in more detail on our marine site.
Should I use this page or boatswithcauses.org?
Either. This form reaches the same team. The marine site simply has more depth for boat-specific questions.
Do you take personal watercraft?
Yes, with or without a trailer. PWC usually sell in the few hundred to few thousand dollar range depending on hours and whether they run.
Tell us about the boat
Length, year, make, where she sits and whether the trailer comes with her. We will arrange the rest.
Part of vehicle donations. Related: yacht donations · boat trailers · boatswithcauses.org