Leasing from us is a “family tradition.”

In 1997, Peter and Alice M. leased a 1982 59′ Hinckley from AMIkids.

They enjoyed “Jennimar” for four years and then donated it back to us in 2001. Avid boaters Peter and Alice then leased “OZ,” a 1980 83′ Thackery, to replace the Hinckley they donated and continued to enjoy yachting for many more years.

In February 2020, Peter and Alice, in partnership with their son Chris, leased their third vessel from the AMIkids Yacht Donation Program.

The 2002 72′ Southern Ocean Trawler NIKITA.

Working with Peter and Alice and chatting about the vessels they’ve leased reminded me about the ‘better half’ of donation. The half we depend on to support our mission is the lease portion.

It is no secret that we can’t afford to hold donated vessels for very long, or we end up bearing the burden we relieve from the donor.

So, we price vessels to lease quickly. We are very thorough in our value analysis to ensure our inventory turnover is optimal, and our pricing is just right. That means if you are in the market for a vessel, AMIkids is probably an excellent place to find recently updated and competitively priced inventory.

Our lease agreement is a three-year operating lease with an option, not a capital lease. We have operated under a similar leasing structure for more than 50 years.

As a result, our payment schedule is not front-loaded, and all payments are interest-free. As an added benefit, if the vessel is registered in Florida, the lease and option payment are free from Florida sales tax.

All these benefits are desirable on their own. In essence, the AMIkids Yacht Donation Program provides qualified individuals with three-year, interest-free lease terms on recently upgraded and attractively priced recreational craft.

All that is required to access this incredible lease program is a credit check, insurance coverage, and a security deposit.

In a typical lease, the lessee makes monthly payments for the 36-month term, and may elect to purchase the vessel at the end of the lease, and may apply the security deposit against that purchase price.

Suppose the lessee does not exercise the purchase option. In that case, the security deposit will be used to correct any lessee damage to the boat. The balance of the security deposit will be returned to the lessee.

People like Peter and Alice, and 46 other current lessees understand the value of our lease program, and its benefits. They are also motivated by knowing that their payments to AMIkids directly support our mission to help at-risk youth become productive members of society.

Few things in life are better than getting a great deal while also serving a noble purpose that makesmakes our communities better and safer.