Jon boats

I am shopping for a new jon boat so I thought I would try to get some ideas on what is liked and disliked out there. I run a shallow, norrow 14′ alumcraft right now, but need something with more room for the family and more horse’s. So I am going to start with either a larger 14′ or 16′ boat with a nice 4 stroke to match. Pedistal seat, livewell/storage,
Any ideas on what brand of boat I should be looking at? What about the tunnel hulls? I do run alot of shallow water.
4 stroke motor is a must on the new on. I will have to decided on the boat before I figure out what I want for a motor.
Rod holders, Trolling motor, Lights. Rope grippers. Wackers
Sorry. Starting to drule.
I will be posting the old one in the class. if anyone is interisted. Need to work on a photo before I list it. I bought it from there last winter. Hope to be in the new in the next couple of months.

Mike,
I would lean towards the 16′ length. room is always good.
i have a 55lb thrust MinnKota Powerdrive bow mount tolling motor, but am thinking of putting another troller on back.
I put some Scotty rod holders on this year and love them.
I’ve been impressed with my Crestliner and would recommend that brand.
Lookin’ forward to hittin’ the water in the Spring with you. swap you a Lower ‘Croix trip for an Upper?
good luck

I used to run a 14′ wide and deep Lowe. Real nice boat but I wish it would have been a 16′ . You cant have enough room.

One of my catfishing buddies inherited a 16′ flat-bottom a few years back. His old man is a hard-core trotliner and bought a used commercial fishing boat (19 ft flat-bottom).

The sixteen is a nice, roomy boat that seems to do really well with a 30 Yamaha – that motor drives it almost as fast as my glass boat with the 50 merc. He had problems early with the hull flexing and having to steer to correct, but he had some diamond-plate left over from one of his homemade truck-box projects and put a complete diamond-plate floor in the boat. It’s heavy, but the boat is solid as a brick you-know-whathouse. I’m thinking the boat itself is a Lowe.

I have a 2001 Crestliner 1448 jon boat with a 2002 Merc 25hp 2-stroke. (14 foot long, 48 inch wide floor…about 6 feet wide at the rails) This boat is deep and wide for a 14 footer. It has a 20 inch transom so you can run a long shaft motor. It does not have pedestal seats, but does have a livewell in the middle bench. Performs very well for 2 guys and a lot of gear. I get into the upper 20’s loaded.

I added 2 bolt on swivel seats, RAM rod holders, Berkely rod racks, a carpeted wood floor, transom mount trolling motor, running lights and …. It’s my winter boat that I run on the river after I put my summer boat away. Also a great boat to run smaller water. I have gone places this last year I have never gone before! I agree that if this will be your main boat, go to the 16… bigger the better.

I liked the Crestliners for a couple reasons. The hull thickness of the aluminum was thicker and the boat is all welded. Warrantee was solid.

I’ll post some pics of how it’s rigged next time I have it out. Might give you some ideas.

J

I think the one I am leaving behind is the same size as the one you have jon but is a alumcraft. Revited hull and the metal does not seem to be real thick. The side walls I think are a little lower than the crestliner. I know alumacraft makes about 30 different jon to look at. Some welded some riveted. I think I need to get a crestliner catolog. Lowe looks pretty simular to the crestliners.

This will be the main boat for a couple of years so the 16 is sounding good. I dont think the price on the boat is that much between a 14 or 16. The price of the motor might be anouther story. I am looking forward to rigging up the new boat.

Mike…
trust me…. Jons Jon boat (man.. thats kind of redundant huh?)…… is lots WIDER and DEEPER than yours…. fished in his AND yours…. but I also say go for the 16… you WONT be sorry…

Anyone running a tunnel hull or have any experiance with one.

you know, there are two shows going on this weekend. Boat Show in Minneapolis and Sportsman Show in St Paul. good spot to start. won’t have to run to a bunch of different dealers. I’m going Friday afternoon. give me a call

Mike,
I bought a rock hopper, oops Crestliner Jon this fall. It’s great for guiding on the Miss around St. Cloud. The boat is 14′ long with a 70″ beam and it’s extra deep and very stable. I should be able to glide through some skinny water with this boat. Now if they didn’t make jet drives SO expensive! What a combination, my Ranger will probably do some sitting this coming year because of my purchase. Jon

Wish I had time to hit the shows this weekend but am heading south of the border for a week of marlin and sailfish chasing.

You may see one or two jon’s at the shows. Most dealers don’t keep an inventory. A few of the best selling are usually laying around. Most better suited for shooting ducks in swamp!

Here is a link to Crestliner’s web site and the page you can select the type of jon you want to look at. (Also called Utility Boats)

http://www.crestliner.com/boat_info/default.asp?ID=4

If I had it to do again, I’d take a hard look at the Modified V’s.. More money but if it’s your main boat, you won’t regret it.

Good Luck,

J.

do they fight harder than pool 2 eyes?
how can you give this up man!!??

I will try to post some pictures when I am down there. Will let you decide for yourself.

I forgot you were heading to Me-hico.
those saltwater fish pull HARD!!
good luck

I would have to agree with Jon J. Go for the modified v and go with the 16 ft. I had a polarcraft 16ft modified that I used for a duck boat back in the eighties. You could load it to the hilt and still not worry about rough water,(within reason of course).

A 16ft modified jon with a 30to40hp outboard will fit almost any river situation perfectly, better than most rigs in alot of cases. Happy Shopping…..B