Are jon boats unstable?

rpavich · June 12, 2005, 02:22:55 PM

Hi,
I was planning on buying a buddy of mine's boat and took it out and tried it..it was a 10 ft jon boat with a 5 hp motor...

I thought it felt "tippy" and unstable especially with 2 people in it...is this "just the way jon boats are"? or was it the short length?

I'm going to look at a boat this week..I've got a choice of either a 14' jon boat or a 14' v hull...the v hull is significantly more expensive..would it be worth the extra money for the stability or am I just being to cautious?

thanks,
bob

Darkmind · June 12, 2005, 02:36:43 PM

A lot of it really depends on what kind of water you plan on fishing. My 14 foot jon boat does great just about anywhere. The only time I feel really unstable is when I get into a high traffic area with lots of waves. On a calm lake me and a buddy can stand and fish without any problems. It also depends on how boat worthy your buddys are. A question that you should ask yourself before going out is, can my passengers act and react with weight shifting on this boat? If you don't think so just give them a quick class on actions and reactions of shifting weight. Otherwise just make sure they sit in one spot.

If you go with a jon boat just make sure to stay away from very high traffic areas and you'll do just fine. Another plus with a jon boat is that you can go a lot more places than you can with a V bottom.

Bassfshr4e · June 12, 2005, 03:36:24 PM

i just fished a tourney this morning in a jon boat it was my freinds that i fished with! he had a deck and carpet put on it so it was just like a ranger boat if you know what i mean!! there was a few times i thought i was gunna fall but i caught myself

its not bad at all though im gunna buy one once i get older and get the deck put in it and carpeted and stuff

Kal-Kevin · June 12, 2005, 04:31:19 PM

as for being unstable that is some thing that you will get use to real fast. They are right about the high traffic areas but with it you can get to spots in the lake that the bigger boats can not get to. if you fish lake that are smaller this is the great way to go. as for fish tournaments in one that is the nice part you go to the fish and not set out side of them. I have been in both v bottom and non and see very little difference.

Good luck at your fishing

blake711 · June 12, 2005, 11:12:54 PM

I don't think you will see much diffrence in a v and a flat bottom jon boat.. The main problems are one they are very light and two they are not very wide.. The main thing to making a boat stable is the width and then the weight. Just be careful like was said above and make sure your buddy knows not to make any sudden movements.. Oh and the longer boat will be more stable as its covering more water.. But really it always goes back to width.. A bigger stance and you have don't wable side to side as much..

BIG PAPA · June 13, 2005, 10:44:21 PM

You will find there is a lot of difference in a 10 ft. jon boat and a 14 ft. jon boat.
Most if not all of us old guys spent many years fishing from a 14 ft. jon boat before we ever saw a fiberglass boat. They make fine fishing boats, just not for rough water.
papa

Pferox · June 14, 2005, 04:12:29 AM

There are also two classes of jon boats, they are rated as standard and heavy duty.
I don't know all the differences in em but I have noticed that width is one, the heavy duty being a little wider, it also effects the load bearing capacity.
A heavy duty jon boat in 14 or 16 feet is a pretty good all around fishin boat for the lakes down here, heck we even see em in the salt flats and sometimes even on the bay (of course there are nuts in this world

).
For some reason, 10 feet or smaller jon boats are pretty unstable compared to the other ones.
As stated earlier, I am pretty sure it is due to it's length and width.
If you are planning on buying one, I strongly suggest a 14 foot heavy duty boat, or larger.

Steve_W · June 14, 2005, 08:43:54 AM

I love my 14 ft commercial width john boat,but I grew up fishing every size of john boat on the Mississippi river.It all depends on what you are wanting to do with it.Look into semi-v bottom johns if you are going onto bigger lakes they will be easier to handle (wider is better) I would also stick with 14 ft unless you fish alone,their just isn't enough room in something smaller to move around a lot,once you put everything in it,also spend a little extra and get a welded boat (no rivits ) they will last longer.hitting big (12in and bigger)waves, over time will get you leaks around the rivits.
I have been researching new john boats for 2 years as mine is a 1976(OLD) boat,as soon as my wife gets on board with the idea(and I get a job

) I'll be getting a new one. P.M. me and I'll hook you up with what I have found out

bassmaster135 · June 14, 2005, 09:33:53 AM

Can you use jon boats in tournaments? just wanted to know if so ill sell my fiberglass boat and get cheap jon boat i like how you can get anywere with them.

rpavich · June 14, 2005, 10:48:32 AM

Guys,
thanks for the great info...I guess what I've been calling a "jon boat" was really a "small, flat bottom jon boat"

I thought that the definition of a jon boat WAS narrow, flat bottom.

I didn't realize that a jon boat could have a v shape...

bob

Pferox · June 14, 2005, 04:16:10 PM

Yea I thought all jon boats were flat bottomed, and kinda oblong in shape.
They were the hulls for early airboats.
Just a little usless info there sorry.