Two weeks before the 2025 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, Norma Trease stood on the dock staring at a lost cause. “You have never seen a dirtier or nastier boat than this one,” recalls Trease, CEO of Yacht Knowledge and board member of The International SeaKeepers Society. The 120-foot M/Y Serenity, built in 1993 by award-winning Designer Jon Overing, had been sitting idle in Florida without power or A/C. Mold crept across surfaces, dirty water pooled in the bilge, and the engine room looked as though it hadn’t been cleaned in years. “We take possession of this vessel that stunk to high holy hell,” said Chief Steward James Stravinos, who emptied out and cleaned everything. Despite the condition — and looming deadline — SeaKeepers accepted the yacht as its 68th donation. The not-for-profit uses donated yachts as platforms for ocean research, leasing them to end users who support marine science initiatives before taking ownership. Turning a Wreck Into a Showpiece Mold abatement crews treated the interior while Engineer Fred Wennberg inspected the vessel. Although he discovered air-conditioning leaks, he determined the yacht would remain safe once the bilge and engine room were cleaned. Capt. Brandon Freeland recruited friends to clean the hull rather than spend $30,000 on professionals, while Trease and SeaKeepers colleague Mary Moore purchased décor and supplies — often using personal credit cards while the yacht’s accounts were being established. Beneath the grime was a well-designed yacht with mahogany joinery, a full-beam salon, and four spacious cabins. Stravinos led the interior overhaul, washing uniforms, bedding, linens, and napkins. “I washed and ironed everything and wiped out all the cabinets and we put everything back in,” he said. Trease refreshed the décor while Stravinos filled the yacht with fresh flowers before Serenity moved to Las Olas Marina. Showings began immediately — more than 30 in total — as brokers and prospective buyers toured the newly refreshed yacht. A Hidden Pedigree Revealed During a cocktail party aboard Serenity at FLIBS, designer Jon Overing arrived. “We found out why this boat was able to survive so successfully and cross oceans,” Trease said. “Because that boat was built like a freaking tank.” Overing began his career designing commercial and military vessels — Serenity was his first yacht design. “Turns out she's not a dog at all. She just needed a good clean, she needed TLC, she needed people to pay attention to it,” Trease said. By Monday of the boat show, Serenity had found a buyer. All Hands on Deck The SeaKeepers donation ultimately led to a deal brokered through Mark Elliott of IYC and Reel Deal, representing the end user, in a three-year lease arrangement that allows the yacht to participate in ocean research initiatives before ownership transfers. “There wasn’t any, ‘Well, that’s not my job. You need to do that.’ Everybody rolled up their sleeves,” Stravinos said. “This is such a great story of teamwork makes the dream work,” Trease said. “But it was nonstop work from the minute we accepted that donation.”