Flat bottom boats

  • Dink buster
    Posts: 109
    February 16, 2020 at 4:32 pm #1915761

    What’s a good flat bottom boat for small shallow rivers? What’s everyone’s favorite make or model?

    ClownColor
    Inactive
    The Back 40
    Posts: 1955
    February 16, 2020 at 4:56 pm #1915764

    Are you portaging or carrying the boat at all? How many people?

    We carry our Jon boats so we opt for the smallest lightest weight we can find. But, we lose out on weight capacity and HP…

    From the small amount of research I’ve done, most Jon boat weren’t too much different between brands. However, scanoes and sport boats are another option.

    dbright
    Cambridge
    Posts: 1871
    February 16, 2020 at 5:05 pm #1915768

    My alweld has held up great since 2012.

    Dink buster
    Posts: 109
    February 16, 2020 at 5:50 pm #1915774

    Small boat for me and wife. Maybe me and a couple kids at a time. We have a family boat for big water. Just want to go on smaller river near us. Thinking about kayaks too but 3000 plus for nice ones.

    catmando
    wis
    Posts: 1811
    February 16, 2020 at 8:57 pm #1915801

    Light weight fishing hunting boat, Alumacraft 14-48, riveted.Many miles on that boat no leaks, put a 25 on it and she scoots, Great bowhunting, cat, walleye river boat.

    disco bobber
    Posts: 294
    February 17, 2020 at 4:34 am #1915815

    I am thinking of something similar. There are not many around me. Any recommended websites or dealers for finding one on-line?

    tim hurley
    Posts: 5831
    February 17, 2020 at 6:19 am #1915820

    I have a 14L the ‘L’ is for light-have always enjoyed fishing out of it more than a canoe or kayak. The lighter gauge does mean I have to be careful not to drag it on rocks too much. I would not go shorter than 14 for 2 people. (they can be hard to find in this state)

    dbright
    Cambridge
    Posts: 1871
    February 17, 2020 at 7:25 am #1915827
    Dink buster wrote:

    Small boat for me and wife. Maybe me and a couple kids at a time. We have a family boat for big water. Just want to go on smaller river near us. Thinking about kayaks too but 3000 plus for nice ones.

    If you decide to go with kayaks or a canoe cheaper plastic ones are great for small rivers. They slide over rocks.

    gimruis
    Plymouth, MN
    Posts: 17424
    February 17, 2020 at 7:54 am #1915836

    I use a 12 foot aluminum Lowe Jon boat to float small rivers in the summer and on small ponds/marshes in the fall to hunt ducks. Some of the areas I get into are only inches deep and it drafts through that with 2 people and some gear. I used to have a 10 footer but that just wasn’t big enough for 2 hunters, decoys, guns, and a big clumsy hunting dog.

    Drizzy Musky
    Duluth
    Posts: 258
    February 17, 2020 at 8:27 am #1915844
    dbright wrote:

    My alweld has held up great since 2012.

    My SeaArk MVT has held up great, had some harry situations and left with just a few dents and scratches. No rivets is nice.

    Jon Jordan
    Keymaster
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 6019
    February 17, 2020 at 8:38 am #1915849

    Go with at least a 48 inch wide floor. 36 gets tippy. May as well just get a canoe if under 48.

    -J.

    catmando
    wis
    Posts: 1811
    February 17, 2020 at 9:34 am #1915870
    Jon Jordan wrote:

    Go with at least a 48 inch wide floor. 36 gets tippy. May as well just get a canoe if under 48.

    -J.

    Ditto!

    pass0047
    Pool4
    Posts: 492
    February 17, 2020 at 4:18 pm #1915981

    48 inch most definitely. Have 48 and pretty stable. Cousins 36 seemed more wobbly and drafted more water.

    Drizzy Musky
    Duluth
    Posts: 258
    February 17, 2020 at 4:22 pm #1915982

    Mines a 72, can take a leak while standing on the gunnels and she won’t even move.

    tim hurley
    Posts: 5831
    February 18, 2020 at 12:59 pm #1916191

    Don’t assume the 12′ will draft shallower than the 14, the opposite could be true. (did I open a can of worms?)

    milemark_714
    Posts: 1287
    February 18, 2020 at 3:11 pm #1916251
    tim hurley wrote:

    Don’t assume the 12′ will draft shallower than the 14, the opposite could be true. (did I open a can of worms?)

    Wider bottom will draft less.

    MagicManMn
    SE MN
    Posts: 7
    February 18, 2020 at 9:17 pm #1916320

    Agree with all here. 14′ Lowe, it’s a mid 70’s, 48″ width. Doesn’t leak a drop and have a 25 Johnson on the back and a front troller. I won’t be portaging that beast anywhere though but stable and bullet proof and runs shallow water well. Fins and feathers rig.

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