USPAP Fair Market Yacht & Boat Appraisal in Southeastern Florida
USPAP Fair Market Yacht & Boat Appraisal in Southeastern Florida
USPAP-compliant fair market value appraisals for financing, estate, legal, and donation needs — Treasure Coast to Miami Beach — Veteran Yacht Services, Stuart, FL.
If you need documented fair market value on a boat or yacht — for financing, an estate settlement, a legal matter, or a donation — a USPAP-compliant appraisal is the product built for that job. USPAP is the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice. Owners, attorneys, banks and lenders, and advisors land here for the same reason: they need value documentation, not a purchase walkthrough and not an underwriting checklist.
Veteran Yacht Services provides a USPAP-compliant appraisal that documents your vessel’s fair market value. Appraisals can be prepared for financing, estate settlements, legal cases, and donations.
This is not the same product as an insurance underwriting (C&V) survey. If you need coverage binding or renewal work, see our insurance marine survey page.
Ready to talk about an appraisal? Request a USPAP yacht appraisal quote, call 269-998-6767, or email john@veteranyachtservices.com.
What Is a USPAP-Compliant Fair Market Yacht Appraisal?
A USPAP-compliant fair market appraisal is a professional valuation of the vessel’s fair market value, prepared with USPAP coursework and USPAP context. Veteran Yacht Services offers this work for purposes such as financing, estate settlements, legal cases, and donations. It is a value-documentation product — not a buyer’s pre-purchase inspection, and not an underwriting insurance survey.
It is a USPAP-compliant appraisal backed by completed USPAP coursework. It is not an ASA professional appraisal designation, and it is not a “USPAP-certified appraiser” title.
Fair market value, documented for a purpose
The focus is fair market value documentation for a stated purpose: financing, estate settlements, legal cases, and donations. We don’t publish IRS form numbers, court-acceptance guarantees, or lender checklist templates on this page. Confirm what the requesting party actually needs when you book.
USPAP in plain language
USPAP is the standards framework for credible appraisal practice. John’s published education includes the USPAP 15-hour Course, plus later USPAP update courses listed below. We describe this work as a USPAP-compliant appraisal. That means completed USPAP coursework and an appraisal prepared in that context — not a separate credential titled “USPAP-certified appraiser.”
What this page leaves out
Valuation details belong in the assignment, not here. You won’t find sample comps, fee tables, or filler of the “typical value of a 40-foot…” variety on this page.
Appraisal Purposes — Financing, Estate, Legal, Donations
Veteran Yacht Services conducts fair market appraisals for financing, estate settlements, legal cases, and donations. Name the purpose up front when you request a quote so intake stays clean and this product doesn’t get mixed with an underwriting survey or a buyer’s pre-purchase inspection.
Financing
Lenders may ask for documented value. Confirm with the lender whether they want an appraisal or a survey before you book. We don’t publish named-lender acceptance lists, and we don’t say an appraisal is always accepted.
Estate settlements
Documented fair market value for an estate context. We provide the appraisal documentation. We don’t give legal advice on how an estate should be administered.
Legal cases
Documented value support for legal matters. This page does not promise a litigation outcome, and it does not offer a blanket expert-witness guarantee.
Donations
Fair market value documentation for donation-related needs. Confirm requirements with your tax advisor — we don’t give tax advice or IRS form instructions.
USPAP Appraisal vs. Insurance Survey (C&V) vs. Pre-Purchase
A USPAP appraisal documents fair market value for financing, estate, legal, and donation needs. That is this page. An insurance / C&V survey helps the insurer assess whether the vessel is a reasonable risk, evaluating structural components and general safety for its intended purpose. See insurance marine survey in Florida. A pre-purchase survey is a detailed condition and performance inspection before purchase. See pre-purchase marine survey in Florida. Damage / claim surveys are post-incident documentation — see our marine damage & claim survey in Florida page.
If a third party said “get an appraisal” but meant an underwriting survey — or the reverse — contact us and share the request. Better to clarify than to order the wrong product. For a plain-language overview of survey types, see our types of marine surveys guide.
What to Expect
Appraisal work starts with the stated purpose and the vessel. Where a physical inspection applies, we examine accessible areas: hull and deck, systems as far as they can be reached, non-destructive scope. The focus is fair market value documentation, not a purchase-negotiation toolkit and not an underwriting checklist. Confirm at booking what access, haul-out, and documentation this assignment needs. We don’t publish a fixed comps methodology, database names, or report page counts on this page.
Purpose and assignment clarity
Financing, estate, legal, donation, or another stated purpose — name it. Purpose drives how the assignment is framed.
Vessel access and inspection
Where a physical inspection applies, we work within accessible areas. No destructive testing as normal scope. If disassembly is required for a fair evaluation, we may recommend a qualified marine technician. Logistics — keys, yard, haul-out — get confirmed when you book. Haul-out is not an always-included package.
Written appraisal
You receive professional fair market value documentation for the stated purpose. Sample comps are not published on this page.
Related survey products
If you also need condition survey work — pre-purchase, insurance/C&V, or damage/claim — that may be a separate product. Confirm with us rather than assuming one assignment covers every need.
Why Choose Veteran Yacht Services for Your Appraisal
Veteran Yacht Services is a veteran-owned marine surveying company based in Stuart, Florida, serving Southeastern Florida. We are SAMS, ABYC, and NFPA members. Appraisal work is led by John P. DeGoede IV, whose published Education includes the USPAP 15-hour Course, with additional completed USPAP update and ASA machinery/marine appraisal coursework (course certificates — not an ASA designation) and related survey training. He also holds a USCG Master license and instructs the Chapman School of Seamanship Yacht and Small Craft Surveying course.
This is USPAP-compliant appraisal work and USPAP coursework completed. It is not an ASA professional appraisal designation, and it is not a “USPAP-certified appraiser” title. There is no such thing as a USPAP-certified appraiser.
Credentials and standards
- Veteran-owned and operated
- SAMS — Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors (members)
- ABYC — American Boat & Yacht Council
- NFPA — National Fire Protection Association
- Offers USPAP-compliant fair market appraisals; John’s Education includes the USPAP 15-hour Course
- USCG Master License, Near Coastal 50 GRT, with Sailing and Towing endorsements
- Instructor, Chapman School of Seamanship — Yacht and Small Craft Surveying
USPAP and appraisal continuing education
The courses below are John’s USPAP and appraisal continuing education. Every ASA item is a course-completion certificate only. That is continuing education. It is not an ASA professional appraisal designation, and none of it creates a “USPAP-certified appraiser” title.
USPAP coursework completed
- Completed ASA course: 2024 15-Hour USPAP Update for Personal Property, Gems & Jewelry & Machinery & Technical Specialties
- Completed ASA course: 7-Hour USPAP Update for Personal Property, Gems & Jewelry & Machinery & Technical Specialties
American Society of Appraisers (ASA) — machinery, technical, and marine appraisal continuing education
Course completion only. Not an ASA designation.
- Completed ASA course ME101 — Fundamentals of Machinery and Technical Specialties Valuation
- Completed ASA course ME185 — Appraisal 101 for Marine Surveyors, Attorneys, Insurance Underwriters and Adjusters
- Completed ASA course ME186 — Yacht Appraising for the Marine Survey
- Completed ASA course ME201 — Introduction to Machinery & Equipment Valuation & Cost Approach to Value
- Completed ASA course ME202 — Sales Comparison Approach and Basic Appraisal Models (Apr 17, 2026)
- Completed ASA course ME203 — The Income Approach & Advanced Topics
- Completed ASA course ME204 — Report Writing
- Completed ASA course ME208 — Marine Survey
Related marine and legal continuing education
- Chapman Professional Mariner Training; Yacht & Small Craft Surveying; Fundamentals of the Damage and Claims Survey; Advanced Damage and Claim Survey
- ABYC Marine Electrical Advisor; ABYC outboard service, seacocks and thru-hulls, outboard/sterndrive corrosion
- IAAI Marine Fire Investigation; Preparation for the Marine Fire Scene; and related Florida ATC fire-investigation CE
- Boaters University: Diesel Maintenance & Troubleshooting
More on accreditation: marine surveyor accreditation.
Service area
Based in Stuart, we serve Southeastern Florida, including Vero Beach, Ft. Pierce, Port St. Lucie, Jensen Beach, Stuart, Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale, and Miami Beach. Corridor context: small craft and yacht surveying.
How we approach cost
Don’t choose professional marine work mainly because it is the cheapest. Experienced SAMS and/or NAMS members charge a reasonable fee. Appraisal pricing is a custom quote for the vessel and the assignment. This page does not publish fee schedules, per-foot rates, or sample comps. Request a quote.
How to Request a Quote
- Use the contact form, or
- Call 269-998-6767, or
- Email john@veteranyachtservices.com
Helpful details when you reach out: appraisal purpose (financing, estate, legal, donation, or other), vessel type and LOA, location, and any lender, attorney, or advisor instructions you were given. If you’re not sure whether you need an appraisal, an insurance survey, or a pre-purchase survey, say so. We’ll help you sort it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a USPAP-compliant fair market yacht appraisal?
A professional valuation of the vessel’s fair market value prepared with USPAP context. It is a value-documentation product for a stated purpose, not a buyer inspection and not an underwriting survey. “USPAP-compliant” and completed USPAP coursework are not the same thing as a “USPAP-certified appraiser” title, and they are not an ASA designation.
What purposes do you appraise for?
Financing, estate settlements, legal cases, and donations, as listed on our site.
Do donation appraisals meet IRS requirements?
Fair market value documentation for donation-related needs. Confirm requirements with your tax advisor — we don’t give tax advice or IRS form instructions.
How is an appraisal different from an insurance survey?
Insurance / C&V supports underwriting risk for coverage (insurance survey page). A USPAP appraisal documents fair market value for financing, estate, legal, and donation needs.
How is an appraisal different from a pre-purchase survey?
Pre-purchase is a detailed condition and performance inspection before you buy (pre-purchase survey page). An appraisal documents fair market value for a stated purpose. It is not a purchase-negotiation inspection.
Where do you work?
Southeastern Florida, including Vero Beach, Ft. Pierce, Port St. Lucie, Jensen Beach, Stuart, Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale, and Miami Beach. Home base: Stuart, Florida.
Ready for a fair market appraisal quote? Request a USPAP yacht appraisal quote, call 269-998-6767, or email john@veteranyachtservices.com.
