It’s more than just an excuse to drink beer in the morning on a holiday weekend... the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s (CBMM) 20th annual Charity Boat Auction on Saturday, September 2 is a way to make your boating dreams come true—or at least give you some time to find some treasures and dream a little.
If you want to check the boats out before the big event, you may visit the museum Thursday, August 31, and Friday, September 1, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. You may make an advanced bid by Friday, September 1 at noon by calling (410) 745-4942. On September 2, the gate opens at 8 a.m. There’s a cash-only tag sale at 9 a.m. in which guests are able to purchase a variety of used boating gear, including ground tackle, electrical equipment, hardware, rope or chain, ladders, fishing tackle, motors, and more. They start serving beer at 10:30 a.m... but the real reason you’re there is for the live auction, which begins at 11 a.m. along the museum’s waterfront campus, where more than 100 boats—ranging in size and performance from sailing dinghies to cabin cruisers, and everything in between—will be auctioned off to the highest bidders.
The auctioneers are the real thing at this event, and they’re highly entertaining. CBMM’s Boat Donation Program staff, Todd Taylor and Josh Mills, take donations and resells boats throughout the year, holding aside some of the inventory for the annual auction. Those who’ve attended this lively event, including those who just go to ogle boats rather than buy them, come back year after year. If you love boats and the museum, it’s a must-attend event and CBMM’s top fundraiser. For safety reasons, non-service dogs need to be kept home or on boats during CBMM festivals, including the Charity Boat Auction. Leashed dogs are only permitted on CBMM’s campus during non-festival days.
To donate a boat or items for the tag sale or for a fully updated listing of the boats up for auction, contact (410) 745-4942 or email [email protected]. Visit cbmm.org.