New or Used? – The Cash Flow Conundrum con't

The process of buying a new squirt boat can be as much fun as actually paddling the finished product; dreaming up a sweet graphics scheme, consulting with your builder through the various steps of getting the boat laid up, cut, etc. is a LOT of fun! The people who build squirt boats today are generally super people to deal with, and they will make every effort to make sure you get the ride you desire.

Buying Used

If the money just isn’t there for a brand-new custom ride, there is another option…buying a used boat. The used squirt market isn’t exactly huge, but there are boats out there to be had – you just need to know what you’re looking for, and to be patient. Some guidelines to follow when looking for a used squirt boat:

Do your research. Figure out what model you want, and know what its capabilities and limitations are before you start your search. There are a lot of resources out there that you can use in your search; fellow squirt boaters, manufacturers’ websites/catalogues, internet-based discussion boards, etc. are all great sources of information and feedback that can help you narrow your search down to one or two specific boats that meet your criteria.

Try to see the boat before you buy it, if not in person, then in pictures. If you’re buying over the internet, it’s not at all unreasonable to ask for some digital pics of your potential new (used) ride. An honest seller will do his/her best to get these for you; it pays to be on the up and up when selling a squirt, as it’s a small enough community that it’s pretty easy to develop a reputation as a rip-off artist. Meeting the seller in person is the best (if not always the most practical) method of determining if the boat is for you.