A donated boat is a gift to everyone who sails with us.
Planet-Hope is in need of seaworthy boats for our sailing programs. Because we are a 501(c)3 charitable organization, the value of your generous donation may be tax deductible.
We will pick up boats from anywhere on the Chesapeake Bay or its tributaries. We also accept larger boats from anywhere on the East coast, as long as they are able to make the trip to the Chesapeake Bay.
We know that you probably have several options of where to donate your vessel, so we want you to know all the ways we value the vessels donated to us. The boats are used for sailing instruction, sailing clubs, and apprenticeship programs. In some cases we will improve the value of a vessel, then sell it to obtain funds that will be used to bring the gift of sailing to additional young people in need of new horizons.
How the gift of a 1985 Tayana 37 grew and grew.
We have found that relationships with our young people are strengthened not just by the sailing, but also by the growth and confidence gained by assisting in the repairing, maintaining and upgrading of the boats they sail on. The Tayana 37, Elusive Butterfly, is a great example of how the gift of a donated vessel is maximized at PHLAS.
After many seasons of disuse, she was donated to PHLAS in 2011. Her decks were saturated with water, the engine was not functioning, the gelcoat was badly chipped and cracked, the teak was in sad shape and most of the boat systems were not working. Our staff, adult volunteers and students devoted countless hours to bring this wonderful cruising yacht back to life.
Within the first year we were able to make Elusive Butterfly seaworthy enough to start bringing students out for a day of sailing. A year later, teens were enjoying cruising on her for week-long camps. The teens who had worked on her felt such a sense of accomplishment and ownership when they were able to hoist the main, feel the breeze fill the sails and navigate her to distant shores. Their hard work had paid off.
She was a great project boat for the seven years it took to restore her, but now we need new vessels for a new generation of young sailors in need of focus and challenge.
Elusive Butterfly’s Metamorphosis at PHLAS
- entire deck coring replaced
- Awlgrip paint on all decks and topside
- all through hulls and sea cocks replaced
- new stove and propane stove system
- steering cables and chain replaced
- cabin sole stringers replaced
- cabin sole, repaired and varnished
- floor in head compartment rebuilt
- fuel tank replaced
- new high pressure pump on diesel engine
- new high pressure lines on diesel engine
- starter, alternator replaced
- new fuel injectors on diesel engine
- new counters in galley
- teak cockpit hatches rebuilt
- woodwork repaired
- stack pack and sail cover replaced
- cockpit awning
- new head and plumbing
- new wind/speed/depth gauges and transducers
- new bowsprit
- cabin heater in main salon
- new cushions throughout
- Ttak refinished
- damaged parts of teak rub rail replaced
- extra bunks installed
- boom gallows restored
- dorade boxes restored
- butterfly hatch restored
We recently rebuilt the cabin of a donated 1983 Corbin 39
We received the generous donation of a Corbin 39 pilothouse cutter. Although the pilothouse configuration is perfect for those rainy summer days on the Chesapeake, the Corbin’s original cabin layout was not well suited to accommodate half a dozen teens living aboard during week-long cruising camps. To better serve our youth camps, we rebuilt the Corbin’s interior to provide comfortable accommodations for six campers and two to three staff members.
Gam Zu’s rebuild by PHLAS
- gutted and rebuilt main saloon.
- rebuilt/replaced refrigeration units
- painted and refinished all cabins
- new counters in galley
- fabricated new cushions and cushion covers throughout
- updated plumbing and bilge pumps
- new house 400 amp hour battery bank and new start batter
- refinished exterior teak
