August 25, 2011
It’s time for an upgrade and all the old audio/video equipment is coming out of that rack, computers are getting replaced, new flat screen monitors are being installed, thinner and lighter LCDs are going up, and the big bulky remote is being replaced.
What do you do with the old equipment that you paid thousands of dollars for?
There are several things you can do to still get some miles out of old equipment.
1. Have the A/V company doing the installation take it all away. This tends to be the fastest way to get the old equipment off the vessel.
2. Offer it to crew, staff or friends. I’ve heard of a few captains who post a list and create a contest for each piece of equipment. This is a fun way to generate some excitement amongst the crew.
3. Donate it to a not-for-profit. This is my favorite way of getting the most out of your older equipment. This also allows for a tax deduction is some cases. There are charitable locations all over the world, so do a little research to see if any of them will accept your old equipment.
Check out www.charitywatch.org/azlist.html for a list of charities. My favorites are Kids in Distress, Make a Wish, and St. Jude.
4. Recycle it. There are many places that will accept the older equipment and recycle the parts and pieces. In some cases, they will even pay you by the pound for it.
5. List it on an auction site and sell it. But note that this is time consuming approach and requires a dedicated person to monitor the auction and handle the shipping after a winner has been declared.
Make the most out of your old equipment and enjoy the new stuff.
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