CBMM will host its annual Charity Boat Auction on Saturday, Aug. 30, inviting guests to its waterfront campus to bid on donated vessels of all shapes and sizes in support of its mission.
Dozens of boats and watercraft, ranging in size and performance, will be auctioned off to the highest bidders. 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.
All registration for in-person bidding is handled on the day of the event. Registered bidders pay a $5 paddle fee. CBMM members receive free admission into the Charity Boat Auction. Non-members pay $5 until 11am and then general admission rates apply.
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.
Many of the auction vessels are already listed online at cbmm.org/BDP. This year’s featured vessels include a 2005 Sea Ray Sundancer 300, a 1961 O’Neil Jones wood charter boat named Ruth D, a 1994 Silverton 310 Express, an antique fantail launch built in Delaware in 1900, and a like-new 2023 Compac Legacy 16, plus many more power and sailing vessels and paddlecraft.
Beginning at 8:30am, guests can also shop a flea market-style tag sale that features a variety of used boating gear. Adding to the festive scene, there will be a local food truck on hand and coffee 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. 28, 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. 29, from 10am–6pm. Regular admission rates will apply until 3pm that day, and gates will open for free from 3–6pm.
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.
