Chesapeake Bay Boaters Brave Sweltering Temperatures To Bid on Classic Boats at the Charity Boat Auction
Despite temperatures that threatened to hit the high 90s, more than 800 sailors, powerboaters, lookie-loos, and wannabes braved the heat and humidity last weekend for a chance to bring home a nautical bargain as the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Maryland, staged its annual Charity Boat auction under clear skies and a blazing sun August 27.
Crowd favorites were a classic 20-foot Nimble catboat, a vintage wooden Lyman 15-foot run about; a Nick Shade strip kayak, a 1936 Lowell Winnabout, and a J/24 ready to hit the racing circuit.
Sixty-four boats of all sizes, shapes, and condition were sold at this, the 24th edition of the Charity auction. Total boat sales were approximately $55,000. Doug Marshall with Marshall Auctions was the auctioneer.
Organizers bill the event as an “as is” auction. Written descriptions are filled with “buyer beware” language such as “unknown condition; untitled boat and trailer; needs a little work; cables seized up etc.” As such prospective bidders can be seen prowling the auction site, camera and tape measure in hand as they attempt to put a value on some of these craft that have not seen a paintbrush or a mechanic’s touch in many a year. Bargains galore await the bold bidder!
The most expensive boat sold was a 1946 Penn Yan fully restored runabout. It went for $8500.
CBMM Charity Boat Donation Program Director Wes Williams termed the event a success: “It was great to see so many interested boaters and community members come out to see and buy boats in support of CBMM. Like all of our special events, the annual boat auction is a team effort among museum staff and many volunteers. It takes a lot of coordination and collaboration to sell 68 boats in under three hours! All of our staff and volunteers did a great job planning, setting up, working, taking down, and cleaning up to make it all possible.”
The Charity Boat Auction supports CBMM’s programs. Learn more at the CBMM website. ~By Craig Ligibel, find photos here
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