Selling items no longer using

@lg2688 May I ask why they need to be gone right now? If the reason is financial, you will need to talk to his doctors about someone in the family getting a durable power of attorney to do it. Be prepared for lasting anger about it.
If the reason is space, can you store them somewhere, either on land someone in the family has, or in rental space? Then if he needs to see/touch them to make sure they are still his, take him there.
Another thought - can you offer a reward for letting them go? Use some of the money to take a short trip, go to see a favorite team play or buy a big screen TV for watching his favorite shows?

PS Years ago, when my Mom was no longer safe to drive, it fell to me to get her evaluated, take her driver's license, and sell her car. I then became one of her main caregivers for over 5 years. A few days before she died in hospice, she told me "I never forgave you for taking my car away." So the anger may be long lasting.

@sueinmn

Are they titled in both your names?

No

Ig2688,
It would be wise to get a durable Power of Attorney while your husband can still sign. It's best if you sign one for him and he signs one for you, otherwise he might think you are trying to get permission to sell his things. I never think it wise to get children involved or to give them POA.
The boat and the RV while probably costing money is maintenance or storage may be something he's earned in his lifetime of working. Clearly they are valuable to him if to no one else. He may be holding on to them as a vestige of health or pride. It would be better if you could change course and just be on his side. The time will come. unfortunately.

@gently You are so right about the boat and his things being a vestige of health and pride. We have a 41 foot boat - that I now call the money anchor - that is just sitting there, birds on it, continued washings, etc., continued paying for it, while my husband refuses to let it go. I have just decided it's not worth the fight and I will have to deal with it, when he no longer knows it's there. It's all so confusing, knowing what to do and when, and then being up against, anger when you try to change something that is just going to be easier for me to change down the long one. I fear by the time, I do have to let it go, it will be scrap metal. Oh well, so be it. In the grand scheme of things, I guess it's really not that important, other than it's so costly, and just sits there. We move in 8 or so months, and at that time, I'll have to deal with it, as finding someplace on water is just another expense. You're smart to say, "it would be better if you could change course and just be on his side....the time will come."
Even if it's not easier for the caregiver at that time. Best,

My husband used to say "Is this a hill you want to die on?" when I would be battling with one of my teenagers back in the day. I agree with the previous post. You will have to get rid of the boat at some point but perhaps it is not worth the angst to try to do it now especially because it seems to be very important to him. I am for not "rocking the boat" (pun) during this dementia journey. There are more important issues on the care plan right now. Though I can appreciate wanting to downsize and simplify our lives with all the other challenges we are dealing with. Right now I am sorting through my husband's skiwear and gear, cabinet making tools. We spoke about how we will likely never go skiing again or pick up his woodworking hobby and would it be ok if I sold/donated these items. He thought about it and said ok. I think it's important to give him the right to refuse.

If it upsets him, don't sell the items. There will be opportunities in the future to do this. With dementia and other memory loss issues, logic is out the window so reasoning with him is all but impossible. Good luck.

@ocdogmom I am handling my husband’s tractor and equipment the same way. We talked it over and he agreed he could no longer do the things he used to do with them so he has agreed to sell it all. We are also selling the zero turn mower. I don’t want him on it and I can’t leave him alone to do it myself. I told him it would be less for him to worry over. He actually seemed relieved.

@labrown I am glad that you and your husband could agree on the issue of selling the things you no longer use/need. At our ages 76 and 79 my husband and I have been fortunate enough to have tried and enjoyed many different activities like hiking, river rafting, skiing, scuba diving, trying to learn to fly an airplane, world travel. I don't feel like I have missed out on anything really important. Up until the dementia challenge came into our lives, we have always tried to save money by fixing things ourselves. But my thinking has matured. We don't need to save every cent. It is time to enjoy the place we are in as much as possible. For me it is time to change the paradigm from collecting, growing hobbies and acquiring things to downsizing the contents of the house. I can already see the advantage of not having so much "stuff". My goal now is to keep it simple.