"Gould 0738" wrote in message
...
Do you use the boat for business?

There are some new tax laws that permit
certain equipment acquisition costs to be written off as "expenses" rather
than
depreciated over the life of the asset.

Not a new law per se, but a liberalization of section 179, which has been
around for quite some time. Section 179 allows you to accelerate the
depreciation of business assets into the acquisition year, rather than over
the life of the asset. The most obvious manifestation of the new higher
section 179 limits for tax year 2003 could be found in any new car/truck
dealership in the waning days of 2003. Businessmen were buying H2's,
Escalades, Navigators, etc. hand over fist on the advice of their
accountants. 100% of the purchase price of qualifying vehicles (min 6k GVW
as I recall) was deductible in the year of acquisition, up to $100k.
Unfortunately, I don't have any information handy that relates to the
qualification of marine hardware as it relates to section 179. But for
sure, the hardware must have a legitimate business use. There would be no
application of section 179 for a 100% pleasure vessel or any of its gear.
Maybe a sat phone to keep in touch with the office?