About Us
Douglass Marine Company LLC began in April 1994 and celebrated 30 years of marine surveying and consulting services in 2024. Owners Captains Keith and Diane Douglass created the firm with the intention of bring the highest quality marine inspections, damage claim and consulting services to clients from across the country having marine interests in South Florida and in particular the Florida Keys. In addition to both being Accredited Marine Surveyors® Keith and Diane are also certified appraisers by the Appraisal Foundation following the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice USPAP.
Capt. Keith Douglass, an Accredited Marine Surveyor® with the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors® (SAMS®) holds a current USCG 100-ton Master’s License with Auxiliary Sail Endorsement. He began sailing small vessels on the Chesapeake Bay in his early teens. After marrying his wife Diane, who also attained a 100-ton Master’s license with Auxiliary Sail Endorsement, cruised extensively for many years aboard their 24 ft. Pilot Cutter “Ginny”.
The couple eventually cruised with their two daughters on the Chesapeake and later had the vessel shipped to Watkins Glen on Seneca Lake one of the Finger Lakes of New York. Keith, Diane and their then 4 and 8 year olds, made a passage from Watkins Glen, sailing up Seneca Lake, connected with the Erie Barge Canal with its dozens of locks. They proceeded down the Hudson River past New York City, then along the east coast eventually arriving and settling in Islamorada in the Florida Keys, after a 52-day voyage, as the result of an employment transfer. The family also cruised extensively in the Bahamas.
Capt. Douglass retired on September 1, 2020 after a 30-year career as an executive with the Boy Scouts of America, most recently serving on the National Council staff as the Director of Facilities for the Florida National High Adventure Sea Base in the Florida Keys. He was responsible for purchasing and maintaining their fleet of a 45 ft. multihull and five 36 and 46 ft. monohull dive vessels in addition to more than 20 power and sailing vessels from ranging from 20-33 feet.
Douglass Marine Company LLC was born April 1, 1994 specializing in yachts and small commercial craft. Over the years the firm has inspected hundreds of vessels ranging in size from small skiffs to large commercial fishing vessels and luxury sail and motor yachts up to 100 feet. Douglass Marine Company LLC has Marine Surveys by Douglass Marine LLC, Keith L. Douglass, SAMS® AMS®, Diane Douglass,SAMS® AMS® Islamorada, Florida, USAinspected vessels for the federal government specifically patrol and research vessels for the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Douglass Marine Company LLC coordinates damage claim investigation for insurance companies and consults with law firms on maritime related cases.
Capt. Keith Douglass has given presentations and written articles on marine issues and serves as the coordinator of the Florida Keys Marine Surveyor’s Guild, which he helped to found and the first of several guilds now recognized by the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors® (SAMS®). As a former county commissioner and Mayor of Monroe County (the Florida Keys and portion of the mainland), he has been very active in civic issues related to water quality, harbor improvements, waterway safety and navigational issues. He was appointed by the Islamorada Village council to the Workforce Affordable Housing Citizens Advisory Council where he currently serves and is the former chairman, is also a member of the Pastoral Council and is the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) catechist for those wishing to convert to Catholicism and serves as chair of his parish’s Art Under the Oaks Fine Arts and Crafts Festival, which raised approximately $40,000 annually in support of the parish’s ministries, a lector, and Eucharistic Minister of San Pedro Catholic Church and a member of the Knights of Malta (official name: Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta).
Capt. Diane Douglass received notification from the headquarters of the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors® (SAMS®) that she successfully completed the examination to become an Accredited Marine Surveyor® (AMS®). Diane joins her husband Keith who received his AMS® designation in 2001, as one of the few couples who both conduct survey inspections together but are both accredited marine surveyors®. Diane becomes the first female Accredited Marine Surveyor® in the Florida Keys and the second of only three in the State of Florida.
Diane was accepted for membership in SAMS® in August 2016 and became an Accredited Marine Surveyor in September 2018.
Diane retired as a registered nurse with her Bachelor of Science Nursing (BSN) degree after a 40-year career in many different disciplines to become a full time marine surveyor in March 2018.
Accredited Marine Surveyors® must continue their education to maintain their accreditation. The accreditation must be renewed every five years and requires obtaining (60) continuing education (CE) credits and attending a minimum of one national meeting within the five year period.
She also earned a USCG 100-ton Master with Auxiliary Sail endorsement license. She began sailing on the Chesapeake Bay when dating her future husband Keith while attending college. Diane graduated with a Bachelor of Science Nursing degree from Bloomsburg State University, Bloomsburg, PA. Following her honeymoon with Keith aboard their new auxiliary sailing vessel a Pilot Cutter 24 named Ginny two daughters soon joined her crew. With infants aboard Diane used to scrub cloth diapers in a bucket using a small wash board now a family heirloom. Diapers were often seen clipped to their double lifelines while circumnavigating the inside of the Chesapeake Bay.
At that time Diane couldn’t swim and after receiving a SCUBA certification course from Keith as a Christmas present, is now a SCUBA Rescue Diver. Diane, who owned a seamstress business in the past, enjoys tying freshwater and saltwater fishing flies.
Diane delivered vessels from the northeast to the South Florida and is an excellent navigator and helmswoman.
DIANE DOUGLASS RECEIVES ROTARY INTERNATIONAL AWARD
Diane Douglass was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship from Rotary International recently. The award represents significant involvement at the local and Rotary District level and financial support. Husband Keith is a former Rotary Club of Marathon president and Rotary District 6990 Assistant Governor. The award was presented by past Rotary District Governor, Roy Gonas, Esq., a longtime friend of the Douglass family. Also pictured with Keith and Diane and PDG Roy is the Rotary Club of Marathon club president George Garrett.
Douglass Marine Company LLC takes pride in the quality and promptness of the services it provides and looks forward to continuing its proud tradition of helping the marine community.
Here are Diane and Keith at the IBEX (International Boat Builders Exposition) in Tampa Convention Center where they helped to man the SAMS® booth.
Douglass Marine Company LLC takes pride in the quality and promptness of the services it provides and looks forward to continuing its proud tradition of helping the marine community.
