Questions & answers
Everything about bidding, winning, paying and picking up — plus donating a boat. Search or browse below.
One Dollar Boats is a US online auction marketplace for donated boats. Every auction starts at $1 with no reserve, buyers bid online and collect the boat, and owners can donate a boat with free pickup. See About us for more.
Yes. One Dollar Boats has sold donated boats on eBay, and buyer feedback is public on our eBay seller profile. This website is our own auction site, with the same kind of donated boats and the same $1 starting price.
Donated boats of every kind: powerboats such as bowriders, cabin cruisers, pontoons, bass and fishing boats; sailboats; jet skis; and project boats that need work. Many come with a trailer. Each listing says whether the engine runs and what title comes with the boat.
Every boat starts at $1 with no reserve. You place a bid, and the highest bid when the clock runs out wins. There is no hidden reserve price — the boat sells to the top bidder, full stop.
Yes. Placing a bid is a commitment to buy the boat at that price if you win, so only bid what you're prepared to pay. Winning bids and accepted offers are binding.
If a bid lands in the final two minutes, the clock extends by two more minutes. That keeps last-second sniping from stealing a boat and gives everyone a fair chance to respond. It repeats until the bidding truly stops.
Yes. The amount you enter becomes the current bid immediately, and it's shown to everyone. There are no hidden maximums or automatic increments.
New accounts can bid up to $2,500 until their first completed purchase. Once you've bought and paid for a boat, the cap is lifted automatically.
On eligible listings, yes — use “Make an offer” to name a price. Our team can accept, decline, or counter. If we accept, the auction ends and the boat is yours at that price.
There's no buyer's premium. A flat $499 document processing & transfer fee is added to the winning bid — it covers title verification, invoicing, and the transfer paperwork with the boat's owner, including a bill of sale. It's shown on every listing before you bid.
All boats are sold as-is, where-is. Descriptions and photos come from the donor and our intake, in good faith — inspect the details and ask questions on the listing before you bid. Many boats are projects; some run. Each listing says what we know.
Yes — every listing has an “Ask a question” button that opens a message thread with our team tied to that boat. Replies appear in your account and by email.
When you win, you'll get an invoice by email and in your account with payment instructions. Payment is due within 48 hours. We accept Venmo, PayPal, card (via Venmo/PayPal), bank transfer (ACH/wire), and cashier's check or money order.
No. There is no online checkout. You pay externally using the instructions on your invoice, and we mark your order paid once it's received.
Payment is due within 48 hours. If you need more time, contact us and we can extend it once. Unpaid orders may be cancelled and relisted, and repeated non-payment closes the account.
Buyers collect. Once your payment is confirmed, we send the exact pickup address and a contact so you can arrange collection. We don't arrange transport, but most winners bring a trailer or hire a local hauler.
All over the US — each listing shows the city and state, and the full address is shared after payment. Boats stay where they are until you collect them.
It varies by boat and is stated on each listing. Where a title is available we handle the transfer paperwork; where it isn't, the boat is sold on a bill of sale. You're responsible for registration and titling in your state.
Yes — a 30-day money-back guarantee if a boat was not accurately described. If you request refunds repeatedly we may restrict future bidding to keep things fair for everyone.
Yes, registration is free and takes a minute. We may ask you to verify a US mobile number by text before your first bid, to keep the auctions free of fake bidders.
Fill out the short form on the Donate page — two minutes, no photos needed yet. We'll call within one business day to confirm details and schedule a free pickup, running or not, with or without a trailer.
No. Pickup is free and we handle the title paperwork. You clear the yard, and the boat goes to auction starting at $1.
Open any boat you're interested in and use “Ask a question”, or reach us about donating.
More detail in our guides: how boat auctions work, titles and registration and getting a boat home.