Pre-Owned Boats in Highlands County

Used Boats for Sale in Sebring, FL

Bass boats, pontoons, deck boats, bay boats and aluminum fishing rigs taken in on trade, on our lot on US 27 South with a service shop on site.

McKibben Boating Center of Sebring is a new and used boat dealer at 7500 US Hwy 27 S, Sebring, FL 33876, and our used boats for sale sit on the same lot as the new packages. That pre-owned stock comes mostly from trade-ins by customers moving up to a new package, which means a steady mix of brands, sizes and hull types, many of them boats that have spent their lives on the lakes around Sebring and Lake Placid.

Buying used is a sensible way into boating, and plenty of people who could buy new still choose a good used boat. It is also where the most expensive mistakes happen, because a boat can look clean at the dock and hide a wet transom, a tired outboard or a trailer that will not survive the tow home.

This page explains what comes in on trade, what a proper used boat inspection covers, how buying used compares with new, what you should check yourself, and how financing and trade-ins work.

Pre-Owned Boats for Sale in Sebring

Used inventory changes weekly and each boat is one of a kind. Here is what typically comes through, then check live listings or call for what is on the lot today.

Buying Used or New: The Straight Comparison

We sell both, so we have no reason to steer you either way.

A used boat costs less on the day, and the steepest part of depreciation has already happened to someone else. You may get a bigger boat or better electronics for the same money. The trade-off is uncertainty. You inherit the previous owner's habits, and a used boat is sold as it is, so any factory warranty depends on the age of the boat and motor and the manufacturer's own terms. Ask us what, if anything, still applies to a particular unit.

A new package from our TRACKER®, SUN TRACKER®, TAHOE®, NITRO® or MAKO® lines comes with a new Mercury outboard, a matched trailer and manufacturer warranty coverage, and marine lenders often offer longer terms on new boats. You pay more up front for that certainty.

Private sale versus dealer is the other comparison people make. A private seller may ask less, but you do all the checking yourself, you sort out the title and registration transfer, and if the trailer has problems you find out on the drive home. Buying from a dealer with a service shop on site means you can ask what was checked and have a technician answer.

Our rule of thumb: if you are new to boating, unsure how often you will use it, or buying a second boat for a specific job, used makes a lot of sense. If you plan to keep the boat for many years and want to set it up exactly your way, compare the numbers on new before you decide.

What a Proper Used Boat Inspection Covers

A used boat is only as good as the parts you cannot see at the dock. A proper inspection works through the items that cost the most to fix, and it is worth knowing what those are before you shop anywhere.

Hull and structure: the hull should be checked for cracks, soft spots, previous repairs and, on aluminum boats, loose or weeping rivets. The transom around the motor mount should show no movement or moisture, and the floor should not flex in a way that points to tired stringers or decking.

Outboard: a compression test on each cylinder, a look at the lower unit gear lube for water or metal, a check of the water pump output and the tell-tale, and a run to confirm it starts, shifts and trims as it should.

Pontoons: the tubes should be looked over for dents, patched leaks and corrosion, and the deck for soft plywood under the vinyl, which shows up as a spongy step. The bimini frame, canvas and upholstery matter too, since they are costly to replace.

Trailer: bearings, tires and their age, lights, brakes if fitted, bunks or rollers, winch strap and the frame where it sits in the water. Ask us what was checked and replaced on any boat you are considering.

Financing a Used Boat and Trading In

Used boats can be financed, and you can start the application online before you visit. Lenders look at the age of the boat as well as your credit, so terms on an older boat can differ from a new one. Rate, term and approval depend on credit and are not guaranteed in advance.

We take trades on boats of any brand. Bring the titles for the boat and the trailer, the outboard hours, service records and the keys to everything. A boat with records, a covered storage history and a clean motor is worth more at appraisal than the same boat without them.

If you are moving up from a used boat to new, the trade can go straight into the new package deal.

What to Check Yourself on a Used Boat

Walk the deck and press the transom

Step all over the deck and feel for flex or soft spots. With the motor trimmed down, push and pull on the lower unit and watch the transom. Any movement at the mounting bolts is a reason to stop and ask questions.

Ask for hours and records

An hour meter tells you how the outboard was used. Service receipts tell you how it was looked after. A motor with modest hours and no records can be a worse buy than one with more hours and a full history.

Open every hatch

Look for standing water, corrosion on wiring and battery terminals, and mildew in the storage. Run the bilge pump, the livewell pumps, the navigation lights and every switch on the console.

Insist on a sea trial

Run the boat on the water with the load you usually carry. It should start cleanly, idle steadily, plane without struggling and reach its expected rpm at wide open throttle. Listen for noise from the lower unit and watch the gauges. Ask us to set up a water test on any used boat you are serious about.

Check the paperwork and the rules

Make sure the hull identification number matches the title and registration, and that the trailer has its own title where required. Anyone born on or after January 1, 1988 must complete a boating safety course and carry the Boating Safety Education ID Card from FWC to operate a vessel of 10 hp or more.

Serving Used Boat Buyers Across Highlands County

Our lot is on US 27 South in Sebring, close to Lake Jackson and a short tow from Lake Istokpoga, Lake June-in-Winter, the Lake Placid chain and Lake Okeechobee. Buyers looking for used boats near Avon Park, Lake Placid and Lorida shop with us, along with customers from Frostproof, Wauchula, Arcadia, Okeechobee, Moore Haven, Lake Wales and Winter Haven.

Once your boat is home, our boat repair and service department can keep it running, and our Mercury outboard team can quote a repower if the hull outlasts the motor.

Call 863.465.2814 before you drive in and we will confirm the boat is still here.

Used Boat Questions We Get Asked

Written and reviewed by the sales and service team at McKibben Boating Center of Sebring.

Used inventory, condition, pricing and any remaining manufacturer coverage vary by unit. Contact us at 863.465.2814 for current availability, and confirm boating regulations with FWC. Last reviewed: September 2026.

Find the right used boat, then run it

Come by the lot on US 27 South in Sebring, tell us where you boat and what you want to spend, and we will line up the used boats worth your time.