A great preponderance of squirt boating history happened before the digital age of cameras in every pocket and the ubiquity of the internet acting as a giant recording device of history. Much of the legacy of squirt boating's first few decades will soon be lost or forgotten as vhs tapes disintegrate and print media disappears. Even this messageboard that has served the squirt community since the early 2000's is at risk of getting lost to time. There are countless ways to engage each other in communication and this board is just one sliver of that. Traffic has declined considerably in the last few years but that is something that perhaps we can change together.
Announcing: Throwback Thursdays
Here is how this will work. Every Thursday someone will post something retro or nostalgic related to the world of squirt boating. I will make an effort as the administrator to make the posts for the first few weeks, but anyone can make the post for that Thursday. Just put “Throwback Thursday” in the subject line along with a few words describing what you are posting so folks can find it in a search later. Be sure to thank the poster if whatever is posted brings back memories and discuss.
Start searching your closets and attics for gems. Somewhere out there is the old New Wave catalog, the first AW magazine article mentioning squirt boating, or video tapes of the first rodeos.
I will start things off and submit this weeks Throwback Thursday with a couple book covers.
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File comment: This is a 1987 edition of the Squirt Book by Jimmy Snyder (with illustrations by William Nealy). The first chapter summarizes the progression of the first boats. I am looking forward to reading it again this evening. I can recall much time in my youth studying this pivotal manual and trying to learn the tricks. Many of which I had never seen in real life. the.squirt.book.jpg [ 268.87 KiB | Viewed 14219 times ] |
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File comment: This is the cover of Charles Walbridge's Boatbuilders manual (6th edition 3rd printing) . First published in 1982. At the time some fiberglassing knowledge was almost essential to being a boater but good techniques were often closely guarded secrets that skilled builders were not interested in sharing. The cover depicts some early squirt boats. I am not sure which but perhaps you can identify. It looks like perhaps an Ark or Vulcan or Pro Jet on there. boat.builders.manual.jpg [ 301.36 KiB | Viewed 14219 times ] |