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Posts: 145
| I am trying to get together a simple rig to fish out of, I am not too worried about the lay out I know that I can make the intereior into what ever I want but I was wondering about the stability of a jon boat. I have a little flat bottomed row boat right now and I can stand and cast but I am looking for something that is more stable. I am not looking to vest vast amounts of money into a crazy rig I am thinking around $600-800 after I make it to my specs. I just want a good stable platform to start with. I am fishing small streams/rivers and small lakes under 1000 acre. Thanks for the input.
Jacob |
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Posts: 75
Location: Aurora, IL. | Jacob,
For the types of water your fishing you could probably get by with either the jon boat or the v. The problem is stability. Now when you fish alone you can anticipate your boats lean or shift while cast or standing. However, put another angler in the boat and things get dicey. I'd probably say go with a semi-v hull, it's going to be safer and I think more versatile.
Good luck
Gun |
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Posts: 1086
| From a person who has been in a john-boat that has flipped over due to the boats natural instability from the get-go..I have vowed to never, ever, never, ever step foot into another john-boat as long as I live. I can't believe those things are even bothered to still be manufactured and sold and people would spend the money on those things.
Yes, I know there's a time and a place for that type of boat. Just never again for me.
We were on a small lake in Wisconsin back in '91...probably not even more than 100-200 acres, row-trolling the boat from one end of the lake, into the wind, to the other end of the lake. Boat flipped due to an oar breaking, sending my body's rowing momentum backward and to the port side of the boat. My brother in the front seat couldn't stabilize us in that instant. Came to the surface in a sea of floating and sinking baits sending my brother and I to the hospital to have hooks removed. My brother, had one treble hook in one of his fingers in his right hand, that was ALSO attached to one of the shoe string on his LEFT shoe, forcing him to have to tread water for a few minutes with opposite hand and foot till I could get to him to get him to the flipped john-boat to give him something to hold on to until help arrived.
We lost a ton of gear that day. Rods, reels, depth finder, many baits, etc, etc. We were only able to relocate a portion of what baits floated as we couldn't find everything due to the winds that day carrying a lot of it away very quickly. We scoured the shorelines the next morning to get what we could find. I'm sure the rest was picked up by others.
I'm certain had we been in even a semi-v hull that day, had the same thing happened, we might have had a chance of not flipping. But due to the flat bottom nature of the boat, there's no stability. And we were both seated at the time. If you're standing in a johnboat...it's very unstable. Even if you're just standing on the bottom of the boat. If you're standing on one of the seats, raising the center of gravity, watch out. Recepie for disaster. Accidents happen QUICK! If you were to build a casting deck in a johnboat...man...be careful how high you build that deck.
Personally, semi-Vs are the way to go if you're debating between the two. I've fished for several years in a semi-V and have felt 110% more stable in that boat vs. a John-boat. Don't even flirt with disaster. Don't even think about it.
Edited by MACK 7/20/2009 2:46 PM
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Posts: 295
Location: Southern Ontario, Detroit River and Lake StClair | Being the owner of an Lowe 1860 Roughneck, which is a modified-V hull jon, I'll say its one of the the most stable platforms I've every fished out of including the 1850 tournement series Crestliner I used to run. I doesnt take real rough water like some boats but for standing and fishing out it's tough to beat. I can have 4 adults standing along one side while drift fishin walleye and not have a worry about it being unstable at all. On the other hand I will also say I've fished out of some 14' jons and mod-v hull jons that where on the narow side, (called 1436 and 1440 for size) and wasn't comfortable in them at all. The 1436 actually reminded me of fishin out of a canoe. Small jons are usually narrow and very shallow and you really need to be carefull in them. If thats the size and price your looking for I'd personaly be looking at a regular 14' V-hull aluminum.
Good Fishin'
Tim
Edited by Roughneck1860 7/20/2009 3:36 PM
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Posts: 20269
Location: oswego, il | Most jon boats have a much narrower bottom compared to their beam compared to a v-bottom boat. Look at the transom and you can see it clearly. Big jons will naturally have a woder bottom making them more stable. I would suspect in your price range that a 14' boat is what you will be getting and a v-bottom will be the most stable. |
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Posts: 145
| Thank you gentlemen for the input.... I am thinking I will just save up a little more and get a nice wide boat.... I am thinking a smoker craft in the 14' range.......
Thanks again,
Jacob |
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| Look around some of the musky sites and, boats.com and boattrader.com I bet you could find an old lund or tuffy fiberglass cheap, just another option. |
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Posts: 20269
Location: oswego, il | Since tour not afraid of a little work, something like this may suit you. You can say you fish out of a ranger!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/15-foot-Ranger-fishing-boat-with-tra...
or a lund like this
http://www.boats.com/boat-details/indexB/Lund-315-Deluxe/110214401
or a tuffy
http://www.boats.com/boat-details/indexB/Tuffy-Tuffy/106891801
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| I have a Tracker 12 foot jon boat with 32 inch base. It is not the most stable thing in the world. But with 2 medium sized guys, one can for sure stand at a time. on benches... anywhere.
However, V hull takes waves MUCH better than the flat bottom. I take on quiet a bit of water if the waves are bad. If im going into the waves, I just move some weight to the rear of the boat. That usualy takes care of it.
Overall, I like having a flat bottom because when its hunting season, I can go anywhere. With 475 lb (Battery, Trolling motor, 2 men, gear, and a dog) I can boat in 8-10 inches of water. |
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Posts: 113
Location: Northwest Wisconsin | Last year I mostly fished out of a 14ft jon boat that a buddy has. Never tipped it but there were some close calls. This year we decided to throw some money at my 14ft aluminum v-hull. Casting deck , 2 tackle boxes and new floors for around $150. Both of us can't wait for the opener to try it out. I'll try to get pics up. We are hoping this boat will do till one of us convinces the other to get a 16/18ft'er ahah. |
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Jon boat or semi-vee