Donate Boat When Boat Ownership Becomes a Hassle
When someone is shopping for a boat, they are most likely optimistic and dreaming about beautiful days spent on the water with close friends and family. After a few years of boat ownership however, many people realize that enjoying a boat is completely dependent on the weather and that reliability issues can ruin any day spent out on the water. On top of that, annual maintenance, storage fees and insurance can make owning a boat a huge expense. When a person decides that owning a boat is no longer worth it, they may find that trying to sell a used boat just adds to their frustration levels. If the boat is in decent condition, a good way to get it off your hands while helping others is to find a vehicle donation charity and donate boat to them.
Donate boat to charity and feel good
Then first step when donating your boat is to choose a vehicle donation charity. There are likely many of these close to you, and it can be a more satisfying experience if you choose one that has a good reputation and has a mission statement that is meaningful to you. You will then need to contact your boat donation charity to give them some information about your donation. Be aware that although most vehicle donation charities accept cars in any condition, they are usually more selective with boats.
Vehicle donations are useful to charities because they can be sold and the charity can use the money. A boat that cannot be sold will be of no use to a vehicle donation charity, so the charity will most likely refuse the donation. Before they can accept your vehicle donation, charities will need your name and contact information, as well as information about the type of boat and its condition. In some special cases, the vehicle donation charity may need to inspect the boat before it can be donated.
Transporting your boat donation
Once your boat donation is accepted it needs to be transported. Most charities offer free towing and some offer a location where donors can bring their donations personally. For a boat donation to be transported safely, it needs a trailer that is in decent condition and most vehicle donation charities will require that this trailer is included with the donation. If you live in a state where boats are required to have titles, you will need that to make your boat donation, too. The title must show that there is no lien on the vehicle and if there is more than one owner listed, they both must sign in order to make the transfer legally binding.
Another requirement is to list the name of the boat donation charity as the buyer, and a good rule of thumb is to make a copy of the title when giving it to charity. When the representative from the vehicle donation charity takes your boat, they should give you a receipt that lists the following:
date
your name and contact information
the name and contact information of the charity
details about the boat
Vehicle donation tax deduction applies to boat donation, too
After the vehicle donation charity sells your boat, you will receive a document stating the amount of the sale. If you itemize on your taxes, you can claim this amount as your boat donation tax deduction. You can get started and learn more about boat donation by visiting http://www.rawhide.org.












