What is the ABOS Blue Book for boats?

The ABOS Blue Book is a marine valuation guide, now published by Price Digests, that estimates boat values by year, make, and model, similar to how Kelley Blue Book works for cars.

It provides retail, high, low, and MSRP figures for a wide range of vessels, including inboards, stern drives, outboards, sailboats, pontoon boats, houseboats, personal watercraft, and trailers. Dealers, surveyors, insurers, and lenders often use it as a starting reference point, and its values are updated quarterly to reflect market shifts.

Why a book value isn't the same as an appraisal

ABOS book values are useful for a quick baseline, but they're generic figures pulled from year, make, and model data. They don't account for your specific boat's actual condition, upgrades, maintenance history, hours on the engine, or regional demand, all of which can move real-world value significantly above or below the book number.

For purposes like insurance coverage, estate settlement, charitable donation, divorce proceedings, or loan collateral, a book value alone typically isn't sufficient documentation. These situations call for a boat appraisal prepared by a credentialed marine appraiser, one that documents the vessel's actual condition and supports a defensible fair market value conclusion in accordance with USPAP.

If you're weighing whether a guide value is enough for your situation, it may also help to see how ABOS compares to similar tools: read about whether there's a NADA guide for boats or whether Kelley Blue Book covers used boats.