ST. MICHAELS, MD
Get a great deal while supporting a terrific cause by purchasing your next vessel at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s annual Charity Boat Auction on Saturday, August 31, 2024.
Dozens of boats and watercraft, ranging in size and performance, will be auctioned off to the highest bidders. New this year, there will be reserves on several top-quality vessels, while the rest will be offered with no minimum.
The doors open at 8am, providing an opportunity to browse the inventory before the auction begins at 11am. For the official rules, auction details, absentee bidding protocols, and inventory updates, visit cbmm.org/CharityBoatAuction.
A Labor Day weekend staple for more than two decades, the Charity Boat Auction is the flagship event of CBMM’s Charity Boat Donation Program, which accepts and sells gently used boats year-round. Every sale directly supports CBMM’s mission to explore and preserve the history, environment, and culture of the entire Chesapeake Bay region and make this resource available to all.
This year’s featured vessels include a Century 27 with like-new twin Yamaha engines, a Carolina Skiff 19 well-equipped for Bay adventures, a turnkey O’Day 31 sailboat, a Jarvis Newman 46 with liveaboard potential, and a 2014 Sea-Doo personal watercraft with less than 40 hours of runtime.
Beginning at 8:30am, guests can also shop a flea market-style tag sale that features a variety of used boating gear, including ground tackle, electrical equipment, hardware, rope, chain, oars, life jackets, motors, and more. Adding to the festive atmosphere, there will be a variety of local food trucks on hand and beer available for purchase.
Prospective buyers have several different ways to check out the inventory, starting with a preview exclusively for CBMM members on Thursday, Aug. 29, from 5–7pm. To get your Member Night invitation and become a part of the Chesapeake story, visit cbmm.org/memberships or contact Membership Services Coordinator Debbie Ruzicka at 410-745-4991 or druzicka@cbmm.org.
The auction boats will be listed online and available for public view at CBMM on Friday, Aug. 30, from 10am–6pm. Regular admission rates will apply until 3pm that day, and gates will open for free from 3–6pm.
All registration for in-person bidding is handled on the day of the event. Registered bidders pay a $5 paddle fee and receive free admission.
CBMM members receive free admission into the Charity Boat Auction. Otherwise, general admission rates apply.
For safety reasons, non-service dogs are prohibited during CBMM festivals and special events, including the Charity Boat Auction.
If you have additional questions about the auction or available inventory, please contact CBMM’s Charity Boat Donation team at boatdonation@cbmm.org or 410-310-5103.
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PHOTO BY GEORGE SASS
The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum will host its annual Charity Boat Auction on Saturday, Aug. 31, inviting guests to its waterfront campus to bid on dozens of donated vessels in support of its mission.