Many possibilities
Due to lack of time, finances or an accident of life, thousands of vessels are no longer sailing and are lying on their berth. Exceeded or judging the situation inextricable, many owners do not know how to manage the burden that their vessel has become. Donating to an association can free them from this constraint, while doing a good deed. But why donate your ship to an association?
Preserving the maritime heritage
Numerous small structures seek above all to maintain and preserve a maritime heritage that would have disappeared long ago without their intervention. The profiles of the vessels concerned are very diverse: fishing boats, lifeboats of the SNSM, or simple sailing boats.
Whether it is "Ty Plate", which, as its name implies, restores flats in the Gulf of Morbihan, or "Les amis du Kurun", which maintains the sailboat of the navigator Jean-Yves le Toumelin: there are many of them working voluntarily to keep alive the witnesses of the French maritime heritage.
Moreover, if your boat has the characteristics, it can claim to acquire the BIP label, whose goal is to inventory, safeguard, preserve and promote the national maritime and river heritage.
Participate in the development of the circular economy
Other associations have an objective combining upcycling and social project. This is the case of Passe-Coque, based in Morbihan, which recovers and restores boats to sailing condition for sailing schools or NGOs. Passe coque has already carried out numerous projects: a refitted JOD 35 for the Océane sailing school in Morbihan, a Cognac is being restored for the Jeunesse et Marine association, and two sailboats are planned for the Merchant Navy officer students of the Abidjan Marine Academy, in order to raise their awareness of sailing.
Passe Coque has developed an important network on the territory, which allows to link donors and initiators of useful projects.
Become a training medium
Training in ship repair trades is also provided by several structures, such as the Pilotine association, based in Marseille. It is in this context that the Marseilles-based association took delivery of the Margilic, a magnificent 15-meter Bermuda cutter built by the Costantini shipyard, which serves as a training base for apprentices
In Finistère, near Aber Wrach, the AJD implements the religion of Michel Jaouen, a Jesuit: mixing people, in difficulty or not, for the benefit of all. The result is a highly effective integration project, which is known by a host of seafarers throughout the world. In fact, the association is regularly solicited for ship donations.
"If we accepted all the boats we were offered, AJD would be the biggest French shipowner!" affirms without pride the office of the association. "If we can repurpose the boat for training or boarding purposes, we take it. If not, we direct to boat-hungry and sailing-hungry sailors who are willing to do anything to sail their own boat."
A potential financial benefit to the donor
If the association is recognized as being in the public interest, it can issue a receipt allowing the donation to be deducted for tax purposes, and allow a financial balance to be found for the donor, who will not feel prejudiced by the donation of his ship.
