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Post by genesis273 on Feb 24, 2021 8:39:04 GMT -5
I've had the urge to get a kayak the past year or so. My wife definitely hasn't really thrilled about it. She says I'm accident-prone and have a hard enough time walking on dry, flat land. (She's not wrong🤷‍♂️) So she has images of me stranding myself upside down in a kayak and drowning. Truth be told, she hasn't ever wanted to get on a boat so that's why I was thinking kayak.
However, last night I had mentioned a boat and she liked that idea better. I took to facebook marketplace to search for a few just to get an idea of what type of money I'd be spending. I found a few really nice jon boats with trailer and lights and motors. The prices were all surprisingly lower than I expected. I found one that we BOTH like but it's in southern Indiana.
I'm going to let the idea marinate for another day or two and talk to her again to make sure she's on board (pun intended).
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Post by budd on Feb 24, 2021 9:37:58 GMT -5
What size you looking at, length, width, square or V-nose? The small jon boats for me are as flippy as the small kayaks. For someone that only goes fishing a handful of times, on small bodys of water, river fishing, hard to beat a little 14ft deep-v.
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Post by medic22 on Feb 24, 2021 10:14:29 GMT -5
If you're looking for just you, you absolutely cannot go wrong with a flat bottom V nose for stability and maneuverability
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Post by esshup on Feb 24, 2021 10:34:52 GMT -5
Get one with as wide a beam as possible. Wider is more stable. Now if you are going to be fishing bigger water with more waves and wind, the deep-v will cut through the waves better but be more tippy than a jon boat with the flat bottom. Everything is a trade-off.
If used, ask if it leaks at all, rivets tend to loosen up and leak. They can be tightened up to stop the leak, but it takes 2 people and an air hammer with a special head on it. There are riveted jon boats and welded jon boats.
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Post by genesis273 on Feb 24, 2021 14:21:40 GMT -5
I'm going to look at a 1960 StarCraft Sea Scamp this evening. It's 14'. Riveted sides. He says no leaks. This thing looks SUPER clean in general especially for its age.
Is there anything particular that I should look at? Ask?
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Post by sculver7 on Feb 24, 2021 15:54:55 GMT -5
Make sure that the VIN number is on the boat. It will save you a lot of time when registering it. He will also have to give you the title or bill of sale.
Also, I will say that a jon boat can be fairly unstable if that's something your wife is concerned about. I have a 14' flat bottom (3' in width) and it takes some getting used to with the lack of stability.
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Post by genesis273 on Feb 24, 2021 16:02:19 GMT -5
He said he's got titles for the boat and trailer. On the phone he said that the boat rides really well.
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Post by genesis273 on Feb 24, 2021 16:03:57 GMT -5
I don't plan on taking out on big waters. Well, not with Daph anyhow. I'll mainly be using it on larger ponds and a local gravel pit.
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Post by budd on Feb 24, 2021 16:58:10 GMT -5
Make sure the transom is solid and not cracked on the corners, can be replaced if wood is rotten. Can always mount swivel seats on the wooden seat that I believe are in that boat. Older boats like that I have always had a bracket welded up for a front mount trolling motor. Good luck, maybe have to bring it up here this summer on a fishing vacation!!
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Post by treetop on Feb 24, 2021 20:22:58 GMT -5
I would not take a flat bottom boat if you gave to me they maybe ok for a pond but IMO they are unstable don’t handle waves and hard to handle in the wind.
12 foot v bottom boats are great for handling by yourself you can throw them in the bed of a truck by yourself down side they are a bit tight for fishing if you have a cooler two tackle box’s poles anchor I own one and is my go to boat when traveling to different lakes I travel a lot up north it’s easier to throw It on the truck and go and not screw around with a trailer
14 foot is about right down side you pick up some weight and hang out your truck bed aways but the room makes up for it I own two of them but they are on lakes up north and they stay there
They do handle waves and wind better and you can put a bigger motor on them if you are on a big lake
As said wider is better
If you don’t get in a hurry you should be able to find one for a few hundred bucks I just bought another 14 footer for up north for 200 bucks
I only use gas motors trying to carry charge batteries for me would be hard in the remote areas
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Post by genesis273 on Feb 24, 2021 20:36:45 GMT -5
I was a fast and hard no for me. Transom was not what would consider solid. The boat was narrower than I had anticipated too. The trailer didn't look like it had a whole lot of life left in it.
Since Daph says she wants to go, her comfort and sense of security will be important to me. That boat did not seem like it would offer that.
I'm in no hurry so I'll keep looking. I think I may need to spend a little more than I wanted to. Maybe something in a late 80's or early-mid 90's bass tracker would be more what I'm looking for. 16' perhaps? 🤔
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Post by esshup on Feb 24, 2021 21:19:07 GMT -5
If the boat has a carpeted floor, take an ice pick with you and poke it into the floor all over. if it goes through in any area be prepared to replace the whole wood floor and the carpeting.......
If buying one like the bass tracker, I would wait and hit a marina that sells them and see if you can test drive one with the exact same HP motor that you think you'd be purchasing. BIG differences in the basic motor and a bigger one that would have been an upgrade for the original purchaser. If you are looking for one with a motor, go to the local repair shop and ask them if they will work on it if you can't and get info from them what you should look for in regards to the motor.
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Post by genesis273 on Feb 24, 2021 21:39:26 GMT -5
I really appreciate all the advice folks. I truly do!
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Post by duff on Feb 24, 2021 21:52:58 GMT -5
Decent boats at a good price are tough to find. They go fast.
I have a 16ft jon with a trailer. It all needs spruced up then plan to sell it. I doubt it is what you want. Been a great boat just like many of us the years add up. 1972 polarcraft
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Post by genesis273 on Feb 24, 2021 22:39:04 GMT -5
I honestly don't know what I want. I know I forsee a lot of research the next few days
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Post by duff on Feb 25, 2021 8:36:35 GMT -5
Jon boat is versatile and comfortable IMO. If you are going to the bigger reservoirs or great lakes probably better suited with a 16 ft deep v or larger.
I fish Monroe every weekend at least 1 day of it. Get on early and exit by 10 or 11 and you are fine. There are exceptions.
I would start with what kind of fishing or boating. Will you take the boat out for just fishing or will it be for boating and swimming.
What is your normal water body river, big lakes or pits/ponds?
What kind of fishing do you normally do? Bass, panfish, trolling, casting, live bait.
What kind of tow vehicle?
For comfort, versatility on the water it is hard to beat a good pontoon. But they suck to store and haul around and not really able to launch in most pits.
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Post by sculver7 on Feb 25, 2021 9:12:17 GMT -5
I would not take a flat bottom boat if you gave to me they maybe ok for a pond but IMO they are unstable don’t handle waves and hard to handle in the wind. 12 foot v bottom boats are great for handling by yourself you can throw them in the bed of a truck by yourself down side they are a bit tight for fishing if you have a cooler two tackle box’s poles anchor I own one and is my go to boat when traveling to different lakes I travel a lot up north it’s easier to throw It on the truck and go and not screw around with a trailer 14 foot is about right down side you pick up some weight and hang out your truck bed aways but the room makes up for it I own two of them but they are on lakes up north and they stay there They do handle waves and wind better and you can put a bigger motor on them if you are on a big lake As said wider is better If you don’t get in a hurry you should be able to find one for a few hundred bucks I just bought another 14 footer for up north for 200 bucks I only use gas motors trying to carry charge batteries for me would be hard in the remote areas I built an "extension support" that goes into my hitch receiver and extends out then comes up to a T an supports the back end of my jon boat. I can put my 14' jon boat in my 5.5' bed and with that support, it is still legal to drive on the road. It looks a bit ridiculous, but it works. Picked the boat up at an auction for $105 and then bought a 1973 Sears 3 HP air cooled outboard on craigslist for $100. Motor fires up on the first pull every year. Only really use it for duck hunting now since I got my big boat. |
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Post by sculver7 on Feb 25, 2021 9:36:03 GMT -5
 Here’s a pic. Lol |
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Post by marshallco on Feb 25, 2021 10:18:06 GMT -5
Here's my 2 cents, for what it's worth. I currently have a 1976 Lowes flat bottom John boat with side console. it's narrow, tipsy and leaks like a sieve. Most of my fishing is standing and casting, while running a trolling motor. I'm almost always on smaller lakes, only a few hundred acres in size. A friend used to have a 18' Polar Craft that was at least 5 feet wide. You could stand on the side rail of that thing and have no worries about getting tipsy. My dream boat is a Tracker Grizzly 1860 with no console, no anything in the way. For standing, casting and running a trolling motor, it's hard to beat a wide flat bottom boat. Of course, as others have said, a deep v may be better for bigger water, and do just fine for sitting and watching a bobber.
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Post by deadeer on Feb 25, 2021 11:09:18 GMT -5
Here’s a pic. Lol Your right, that looks ridiculous! Lol. But heck, if it works. Good job improvising! Looks like you could back that baby in the water and launch it right off. Another reason I hate those super short beds... |
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