The team had two yachts to move. I was in the second yacht, trailing the lead you see in the photo.
One of the great things about my job is the people I meet. Like the patron at a Miami auction who invited me to join his crew as they moved yachts from Miami to Fort Lauderdale after the Miami Boat Show.
We left before sunrise, navigated up the intercoastal waterway, and arrived in Fort Lauderdale a few hours later to enjoy lunch. What a nice way to spend the morning!
Boating activities are a good silent or live auction item, though I typically sell them in the live auction.
Here’s one of the many beautiful homes we navigated by on the waterway.
Regardless of whether you live near an ocean, lake, reservoir, or river, there’s likely someone in your community who has a boat. Think about how you might incorporate a boating item into your auction fundraiser.
To get your creativity flowing, here are three live auction items (edited for space) I’ve sold recently which involved boats.
1. Private Cruise to Eclectic Stiltsville for 6 people (in Miami, FL)
Take a 33′ Gradywhite out to Stiltsville and enjoy a catered lunch in one of the seven remaining homes known from the days of Al Capone. These homes are literally built on stilts in shallow water in Biscayne National Park, one mile from shore. Fish, swim, snorkel, and party the day away while getting to experience a home with a vivid past.
2. Murder on the High Seas (in Norfolk, VA)
Set sail from Virginia Beach aboard a 68′ yacht. During the 4-hour evening excursion, four couples will investigate Archibald Frath’s murder in this murder mystery game. Enjoy cocktails as the plot unfolds, dinner in a private room at a local waterfront restaurant while the boat is docked, and sip on dinner drinks aboard the boat afterwards when the murder mystery is solved.
3. A Day on the Bay (in Washington, DC)
Join our favorite conductor of the chorus and her friends aboard this 46′ yacht. Drop anchor in a secluded cove for a gourmet meal with wine. Good for 8 adults.
I sell many boating packages, and they are always popular! Some including fishing; other times it’s simply time spent on the water. If you haven’t investigated this option for your own live auction, consider adding a boating-related package to your solicitation list.
About Sherry Truhlar
