Lavallette Is Selling One Of Its Retired Classic Lifeguard Boats

A Lavallette lifeguard boat up for sale, Oct. 2025. (Photo: Borough of Lavallette)

Want to own a piece of Lavallette history? The borough has officially put one of its retired lifeguard boats up for sale on a digital auction site, and those looking to snag their own piece of the Jersey Shore have 10 days to place a bid in the eBay-style format.

The lifeguard boat up for grabs is a 1986 Van Duyne model. The Van Duyne lifeguard boats trace their origins to the Prohibition Era in Atlantic City, when Sam Van Duyne began building wooden boats in Gardner’s Basin that were often used by rum runners of the era. Sam Van Duyne’s sons eventually took over the business, legitimizing it in the 1950s in nearby Linwood. The idea to make purpose-built lifeguard boats came after the Garden State Parkway was constructed, ushering in a tourism boom and necessitating a need for guarded beaches. The company went on to manufacture unpowered fiberglass vessels that supplanted the much heavier wooden rowboats of the time that were used by most lifeguard squads.

The company continues to make lifeguard boats to this day and remains under family ownership.

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“This boat has fulfilled its usefulness as a rescue unit,” the advertisement on the auction states. “Hull in good condition, gunnels need some attention (suggest in-person inspection for further evaluation).”

A retired Lavallette lifeguard boat up for sale, Oct. 2025. (Photo: Borough of Lavallette)

A retired Lavallette lifeguard boat up for sale, Oct. 2025. (Photo: Borough of Lavallette)

It is suggested that the boat can be fixed up for a personal use or made into a unique lawn ornament. It does not come with oars. The auction site is the only way to inquire about the vessel or purchase it – those interested are asked to use the forms on the site rather than call borough hall. The starting price is $10, and as of Tuesday morning there were no offers. Inspection is available by appointment only.

The auction can be found here: https://www.govdeals.com/en/asset/171/3187.