Wm Watt wrote:
Used rentals are no bargain in this area. Outfitters sell of 10 year
old canoes and kayaks for what they paid for them, ie book value. They
tent to be pretty beat up. Renters don';t take care of them and
employees toss the kayaks around like firewood.

Everybody wants a canoe or kayak but few actually use them. There are
thousands and thousands of these boats lying around on people's docks,
in their back yards, or strung up in their garages. They seldom
advertise them for sale. I've seen some good buys on the bulletin board
at the local supermarket - "Canoe 17 foot ABS used twice. Paid $1200
asking $800" and even "Two kayaks with paddles, $100 each". But the
trick is to convince one of the people to sell you one of these
thousands of neglected kayaks. You can't wait for them to advertise one
for sale. I once placed and ad in the local newspaper "Canoe wanted,
any condition, will pay up to $200" and bought one of the canoes
offered. I used it for a few years and sold it for what I paid for it.
I'd recommend placing an ad in the newspaper to see if you can entice
someone to sell you a neglected boat.

I recommend taking it one step further if you're bold enough and that's
to do what I did about 8 years ago when I was looking for an
inexpensive canoe, I walked around the neighborhood
and took inventory (in my head) of all the canoes just sitting in
peoples yards, carports, etc. I later started knocking on the doors of
those who I felt had not used their canoe in ages (if at all) and on my
third try I had me an dented up 17' Grumman for $100. I let them set
the price with the old "well how much to do want for it" question. I
was going to resell it later, but decided to just keep it chained up at
a local lake where it's always there ready to go.
It looks old and beat up but it floats and gets us out fishing when the
whim arises and we don't have to bother hauling it around.