Meet AMIkids, the Boat Donation Details Nobody Tells You, and 34 Days to Go/NoGo
July 6, 2026
Week six. We’re in July. 95 days to launch, 34 days to our August 10th Go/NoGo. Last week was a big one—here’s what happened.
Partner Feature: AMIkids
Last week we had a significant conversation with Jorge Mahauad and Sarah Jolly at AMIkids—and I want to properly introduce this organization because most people don’t know who they are, and they absolutely should.
AMIkids has been around since 1969—over 55 years. They’ve served more than 172,000 young people and currently serve about 5,000 youth annually with an 80% success rate. These are at-risk and underserved kids. Residential programs, community-based programs, education, workforce development, behavior and skills training. Their mantra: I Can.
The Marine Connection
Here’s where it gets genuinely exciting for us. Marine Education is a core program pillar at AMIkids. They run marine apprenticeship programs. They do seagrass restoration. They use water and boats as an educational platform for youth development.
Both of our organizations are youth-focused nonprofits working through marine environments. There’s something to build here that goes way beyond the boat conversation.
And they run one of the most respected yacht donation programs in the country—over 6,000 donated vessels processed, working with top brokers including Northrop & Johnson, Allied Marine, United Yacht Sales, and Luke Brown Yachts. About 72% of AMIkids’ program funding comes through these yacht donations. Vessels are refitted and then leased or sold; there’s also an active lease inventory if you’re in the market for a boat right now.
What We Learned About Boat Donations
Jorge and Sarah shared some IRS details that are genuinely useful for anyone considering a boat donation—including us as a potential receiving nonprofit. Key point: if a nonprofit receives a donated vessel but doesn’t either demonstrate a strong mission use for it or keep it for three years, the donor doesn’t receive the full tax deduction. That’s the kind of thing that matters when you’re building this kind of arrangement. We’re doing our homework.
The visibility package we can offer a vessel donor is real: logo placement on the boat (including alongside the NOAA PMN logo—we have permission), website recognition, social media presence across all our channels, and 6,000 miles of documented expedition content.
AMIkids Tampa Bay—A Confirmed Stop
Big news: AMIkids’ Tampa Bay facility is now a confirmed dock partner for the expedition. We’ll be stopping there in December 2026—likely our first maintenance window—with educational programming planned. Jorge even promised some docktails in the evenings, which I wholeheartedly accept.
→ Learn more about AMIkids at amikids.org
→ AMIkids Yacht Donation Program at yachtdonations.org
International SeaKeepers Society—A New Vessel Path
Jorge pointed us toward the International SeaKeepers Society—an organization that connects scientists and educators with DISCOVERY yacht owners for in-kind vessel use. They’re NOAA-endorsed, which means our existing NOAA partnerships are a strong alignment signal. We’re actively pursuing this conversation and watching it closely.
→ International SeaKeepers Society: seakeepers.org
Vessel Search—34 Days to August 10th
Our updated vessel ask: a trawler, catamaran, tug, or liveaboard in the 40–55 foot range with three staterooms, in good condition, that fits the loop specs. A donated vessel qualifies for a full IRS tax deduction. We’ll work with the broker on the sales commission structure. And your name and logo go on the boat next to NOAA’s.
Would It Work for the Loop?—our short-form boat review series—launches this week. We’ll be walking through specific listings and assessing them against our specs. Send us your suggestions.
→ Full vessel specs & in-kind support
Water is Place—Re-Recording Thursday
We got out to the Laramie River last week, recorded three takes of Episode 1, came home, and discovered a technical error. So Teal’c and I are heading back Thursday. Deep Woods Off is packed. Camera settings are double-checked. The series is written and ready—we just need a clean recording.
Teal’c Has Webbed Feet (Practically)
On the bright side—Teal’c had a great week. Training sessions, river playtime, and a discovery: his feet are practically webbed all the way to the toenails. He loves the water. This is either great news for a dog about to spend 16+ months on a boat, or it means we’ll be fitting him for a life jacket for when he inevitably jumps overboard. We’re getting him one either way.
Follow along on YouTube Shorts and TikTok—links in the description.
Coming Soon: Live Book Readings
I wrote a book—Brilliant But Struggling: Empowering Your Teen Beyond Conventional Schooling. It’s a short, practical read for parents of teens who are smart but struggling in conventional school settings. It debunks myths about alternative education—microschools, homeschooling, self-directed learning—and offers parents permission to try something different.
I’m going to start reading it chapter by chapter, live on YouTube, with Q&A. If that sounds useful for you or someone you know, subscribe to this channel—it’ll be right here.
Coming Up
NOAA Marine Debris Program group coordination call on July 9th—ambassador kit logistics, MDMap protocol integration, summer planning for Segments 1 and 2.
Later this summer: a group meeting with Vincent Encomio’s Indian River Lagoon partner network—the organizations actively working to restore and protect the IRL. We’ll be traversing 156 miles of it in Segment 2 and these are the partners who know it best.
Ambassador Program: still July, still real, still coming. If you have a teen near any waterway that drains to the Gulf, the Atlantic, or the Great Lakes—stay tuned.