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AMIkids Yacht Donation Program

6,000 Yachts, 50 years.

Custom Brooklin Yacht Sonny III donated to AMIkids

by Jorge Mahauad | Feb 01, 2021

St. Petersburg, FL
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AMIkids is pleased to announce the donation of 'SONNY III' through Hank Halsted (N&J). Sonny III (2018) is the third sailboat donated to AMIkids by this Owner since 1976.

Sonny III 1024x640@150dpi

SONNY III is a custom cold-molded sloop built for high-performance cruising and designed for daysailing and blue-water passages. She was a larger replacement for the Owner's former 70-foot yacht, built by Brooklin Boat Yard, and donated to AMIkids in 2017.  

Construction on SONNY III took 18 months. Her design by Bruce Johnson and the Brooklin Boat Yard design office saw multiple revisions by the Owner - a retired senior with limited mobility who requested a yacht with more accessibility and was heavily involved in the process.

Dubbed a 'Super Sloop' by Megayacht News, the real achievement in Sonny III wasn't just the overly aggressive 18-month delivery timeline but also pushing the design and building teams towards considering accessibility and mobility as they created a high-performance luxury classic sloop.

SONNY III is also a story about repeat business and philanthropy. The relationship between AMIkids and the donor started in 1976, when Alan Learch — then AMI employee, now yacht broker with Allied Marine, facilitated a Whitby 42' sailboat in favor of AMIkids.   

Sonny I launched in 2000, and was contributed to a charity in Maine in 2010. A twin sister, Sonny II, was delivered in 2013. AMIkids received the contribution of Sonny II in 2017, right as Sonny III's build was underway.   


Hoisting Sales during Sea Trial and Survey



SONNY III Interiors

Additional Reading:

Brooklin Boat Yard launches custom sloop Sonny III - Superyacht Times
SONNY a Brooklin Boat Yard Yacht - Charter World
Super Sloop SONNY III, solving accessibility challenges - Megayacht News


AMIkids is the go-to team for yacht donations. Their program is designed to follow strict protocol to protect the donor following current IRS guidelines all the while utilizing the donated proceeds for youth educational schooling throughout the country. – Lon McCloskey, Yacht Sales Professional       

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In every instance, AMIkids has handled my clients’ donations in a very professional manner and with the donors’ best interest in mind. I recommend AMIkids and nobody else. With AMIkids, my clients come away with the great feeling that they have helped make a difference in troubled kids lives! – Jud Black, Bluewater Yacht Sales Bluewater Yacht Sales
We have been fortunate to have a relationship with AMIkids over several years and to be a part of what they accomplish so well. AMIkids motivates the community to give back and in doing so provides children and adults alike opportunities to share, learn, give and grow. We look forward to a lasting involvement with AMIkids! – Roy Merritt, Merritt’s Boat & Engine Works Brokerage Merritts Boat Brokerage
Thanks to our ongoing partnership with Yachting, AMIkids is able to spread more awareness about our programs and how the yachting community can help youth around the nation achieve a brighter tomorrow. – Michael Thornton, AMIkids, Inc.  -  Visit: Yachting.comYachting_Logo

"We always knew about AMIkids, but in 2019 I became involved in a transaction and took an interest to learn about the work various schools do. It struck me —supporting AMIkids is a way in which I can pay-back.

I got involved in helping kids in rough environments make better choices and get on a better route to success. I was happy to be invited to join the board of trustees and help contribute in the ways that I can."

— Neil Emmott, Partner at Superyacht Sales and Charter

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