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| I am looking for the ultimate float boat for some very hard to reach areas!What are you guys using or some ideas you might have for such a rig?What I want is to be able to carry it on top my truck/or in the box,room for me and handyboy and maybe a transom mount troller or like a 3hp.motor.Oars or paddles?Canoe or Jon?Any set-up tips?All help welcome! Thanx Jeff
P.S-Cheaper is better! |
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| Hey Jeff,
Been too many months since we've talked, hope everything is well with you.
I have a 99 Alumacraft 15' welded hull jon that is kinda a sem-V. I bought it mainly for waterfowl but have ended up using it for float trips. The thing weighs around 170 pounds dry, I installed a 1/2" plywood floor with some of the better grade astro-turf from Menards.
It has a nice deck/seat in back and front and is damn stable with two guys pitching baits. It floats in around 10" of water easy.
I have a 25hp Evinrude on it for waterfowl or some rivers but also have a transom mount 36lb. Minn-kota that I use for float trips when the outboard isn't needed.
Boat and trailer new were around $1,500. Boat alone was about 1/2 of the price. I prefer the welded hull, no rivits to leak and I plan on keeping this one for many years so I purchased what I thought was the best at the time. So far no regrets.
Good luck...and Happy Holidays to you and the family.
Mark
Musky Adventures
Eau Claire, WI |
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| Jeff, the flat bottom Jon is hard to beat...just make sure to get the wide model as Mark said for stability + welded! I had 1 + kept it simple....you can add stuff as you see fit; the lighter it is the more shallow it will draft. I once had a 14' Carolina Skiff that would draft in 4-6" of h2o but is a little pricey plus aluminum will not ding as bad as will a glass boat. You may be able to latch onto a good used one![:sun:] |
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| Thanx guys!Mark,I have been looking for what you are speaking of,BUT THOSE DARN DUCK-HUNTERS buy everything that is used before I can make the first phone call!You and Sponge have said exactly what I was thinking,wide/flat/jon!Will keep looking for that 12'/14'USED and hopefully find one for spring!SB,I did find a carolina 13'er,it was a nice boat but way to heavy,wish in was alum!Mark,been do`in good work`in alot with mon./tue.off!I know!But will be nice for fish`in this spring though.Hope you and yours are good and well and have a great holidays!Hope to see ya at one of the shows,maybe we can see Jason Smith give a little pep talk!Would be intresting!Thanx again guys! Jeff |
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| I have two canoes, and a 12ft. jon boat. I would recommend the jon boat for float trips. I love mine, I have a trolling motor on the back, and use it to fish small streams. I have no problems with it, and it will go anywhere. I also use it for small lakes, which we have many, that are electric motors only. |
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| We have a 10'2" Bass hound that we bought from sam's club last year and this is the perfect boat for your wants! It has a buit in live well, nav. lights,3 rod holders,rod storage and 2 swivel padded seats. Has a 7hp rating! It also comes with min-kota trolling motor and battery storage. All you need is a battery and you are ready to go.
We have had it on Lake Erie on very calm days shore fishing for walleyes and the Algeny. river also. We manly use it for muskie fishing on a creek in are area. Judy and I put it in the back of are ranger pickup and off we go! A little pricee with battery and charger we bought also, around 1200.
We think it is worth every cent! We had a blast in it(AKA The Green Hornet)last summer and we can not wait to get it out in the spring again.
Hope this helps
Matt and Judy
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| Punch
I have a 18 foot flat boat, I haven't used it in the water yet, but when the guy sold it to me the water line was still there and it was only like an inch or two. I was amazed how it barely sat in the water. It is really wide and 18 feet you have plenty of room in the boat and you can still get to those shallow areas. If I were you I would get something wide, because then its more stable and you have a lot more room. I measured my boat its about 70 inches wide at it's widest point or about 5.8 feet. I think that would be the way to go but if you want something that will fit in your truck I would go with the widest 12 or 14 foot flatboat you can find. |
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| I would try and go with a minimum of 14 feet and I was amazed at how nice it was to float with an 18 foot boat. also the ideal size with 3 people. If the river is reasonable in terms of width and no sharp bends I would go with longer particularly if you take people with. by yourself a 12 foot boat will be fine |
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| I have a 12 foot plastic flatbottom I bought for $350 brand new...have a trolling motor on it and it has a 6 hp rating. Its made by K&L industries I think there website is http://www.klindustries.com/ although my boat is not there. It weighs probobly 90 lbs and is very easy to transport. |
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