Anyone using a 14 jon boat w/folding blind?
- Thread starter GaryRI
- Start date
Paul Meisenheimer
Well-known member
I run a 16' jon (mod V 48") with an Avery Quick Set blind. It has a mud motor on it and it works well in a marsh and It is fine in a chop on open water. You do not want to run far with a long tail mud motor as it is a bit of a work out.
I would rather have an Estuary!
I would rather have an Estuary!
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Gary,
In the past I have used a 14ft jon boat with an Avery quickset blind. The blind worked well as long as I could tuck up against a taller backdrop. This was a good choice for me at the time because with the blind all collapsed and rolled up, it traveled extremely well down the highway for longer trips. The boat was just a tad narrow, so I made stabilizer poles and brackets to deploy when setting up to hunt.
View attachment blind end view.jpg
View attachment boat blind 1.jpg
View attachment jacks area in boat.jpg
The jon boat worked well enough, but I have since went to a solo sneak box type setup.
In the past I have used a 14ft jon boat with an Avery quickset blind. The blind worked well as long as I could tuck up against a taller backdrop. This was a good choice for me at the time because with the blind all collapsed and rolled up, it traveled extremely well down the highway for longer trips. The boat was just a tad narrow, so I made stabilizer poles and brackets to deploy when setting up to hunt.
View attachment blind end view.jpg
View attachment boat blind 1.jpg
View attachment jacks area in boat.jpg
The jon boat worked well enough, but I have since went to a solo sneak box type setup.
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I'm in Rhode Island and do not have a spec of interest in big (cold deep) water hunting. I hunt STRICKLY marshes & switch to field hunting for geese in late season.
I used the Avon in skim ice a couple weeks ago & basically scraped all the patches off & have decided it is too marginal, and certainly too short for a 2 man blind.
I want to stay light weight to be able to tow easily, muscle a boat on/off trailers & perhaps off around a sand bar/reef.
My sense is a 14' (square bow) jon has the same useable space as a 15-16 V bowed boat. I don't care about speed/high HP but noting 15 & 20" transom models I am concerned about freeboard for that odd inevitable day with a 18" - 2' chop.
I used the Avon in skim ice a couple weeks ago & basically scraped all the patches off & have decided it is too marginal, and certainly too short for a 2 man blind.
I want to stay light weight to be able to tow easily, muscle a boat on/off trailers & perhaps off around a sand bar/reef.
My sense is a 14' (square bow) jon has the same useable space as a 15-16 V bowed boat. I don't care about speed/high HP but noting 15 & 20" transom models I am concerned about freeboard for that odd inevitable day with a 18" - 2' chop.
I have used a SeaNymph 1440 mv jon since 1998 (now made by Lowe: http://www.loweboats.com/showroom/rivited-jon/lowe-jon/l1440m.php).
It has been a good boat, handles rough water better than I ever thought it would, hunts 1 person great and 2 guys OK. Hunting 3 is not recommended, I tried it once.
I hunt (& fish) everything from small creeks and pothole to the big open water of Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound. On the big stuff, I have to watch the weather, pick my days and spots and use common sense.
If I could do over would I get this hull for marsh hunting only: No. I would have gotten a 1448 mv without the center bench seat. The extra 8" in width adds a lot more room and stability than you think it would. And the center bench is a pain in the butt to walk over.
So my advice, based on 10 years in a jon boat, for marsh hunting: If you are going to get a 14' jon , get a 1448. You will thank yourself later for the extra room, capacity and stability. I also recommend an mv hull and no center seat.
That said, since I am hunting & fishing big water more often, I am switching to a 15-16' semi-v (probably along the lines of the Smokercraft 15 Alaskan DLX) this summer to get a little better rough water handling, a walk-thru floor plan and a little more floor room. All the semi-v's I've looked at draw only an inch or so more water than the mv jons but have better rough water handling.
As far as blinds, I cant see paying $400-600 for a commercial pop-up. I built mine for less than $150.
It works great and can be adapted to just about any material ( I use military netting from Barre ARmy/Navy).
It will also work with a semi-v, m or flat jon.
Here is a diagram and some pics:
View attachment NettingBlind2.jpg
[inline BoatBlindTrailering2.jpg ]
View attachment BoatBlindTrailering1.jpg
[inline BoatBlind1.jpg ]
[inline BoatBlind2.jpg ]
View attachment BoatBlind1.jpg
View attachment BoatBlind2.jpg
View attachment BoatBlindTrailering2.jpg
It has been a good boat, handles rough water better than I ever thought it would, hunts 1 person great and 2 guys OK. Hunting 3 is not recommended, I tried it once.
I hunt (& fish) everything from small creeks and pothole to the big open water of Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound. On the big stuff, I have to watch the weather, pick my days and spots and use common sense.
If I could do over would I get this hull for marsh hunting only: No. I would have gotten a 1448 mv without the center bench seat. The extra 8" in width adds a lot more room and stability than you think it would. And the center bench is a pain in the butt to walk over.
So my advice, based on 10 years in a jon boat, for marsh hunting: If you are going to get a 14' jon , get a 1448. You will thank yourself later for the extra room, capacity and stability. I also recommend an mv hull and no center seat.
That said, since I am hunting & fishing big water more often, I am switching to a 15-16' semi-v (probably along the lines of the Smokercraft 15 Alaskan DLX) this summer to get a little better rough water handling, a walk-thru floor plan and a little more floor room. All the semi-v's I've looked at draw only an inch or so more water than the mv jons but have better rough water handling.
As far as blinds, I cant see paying $400-600 for a commercial pop-up. I built mine for less than $150.
It works great and can be adapted to just about any material ( I use military netting from Barre ARmy/Navy).
It will also work with a semi-v, m or flat jon.
Here is a diagram and some pics:
View attachment NettingBlind2.jpg
[inline BoatBlindTrailering2.jpg ]
View attachment BoatBlindTrailering1.jpg
[inline BoatBlind1.jpg ]
[inline BoatBlind2.jpg ]
View attachment BoatBlind1.jpg
View attachment BoatBlind2.jpg
View attachment BoatBlindTrailering2.jpg
Dave M
Well-known member
Gary ,
If you want a Jon boat i would go with a semi V style , friend of mine had one at 14 foot and it rode great in the narragansett chop we get , i have the 14 foot Cackler i built a few years back and love it for the type of hunting we do close to shore no real big water hunting in so far , great experience to build it but it all depends if you want to do that or purchase one . Good luck with your selection , how has your season been so far ? Ours has been marginal at best we will see the next few dyas should be real ducky .
Dave M
If you want a Jon boat i would go with a semi V style , friend of mine had one at 14 foot and it rode great in the narragansett chop we get , i have the 14 foot Cackler i built a few years back and love it for the type of hunting we do close to shore no real big water hunting in so far , great experience to build it but it all depends if you want to do that or purchase one . Good luck with your selection , how has your season been so far ? Ours has been marginal at best we will see the next few dyas should be real ducky .
Dave M
Gary,
Based on the possibility of 1-2' chop, get a mod-v instead of a straight flat bottom, it will ride and handle the chop much better. I know, I have been in both in that size chop and the mod-v, while not as good as a semi-v, handles much better than a flat bottom. The mod-v will pound less and be a lot drier. And you dont loose much floor space between the mod-v & flat bottom.
Also, I've never had an issue with the 15" transom on my boat. But if you are concerned, then about the only 14' boats you will find with a 20" transom will most likely be the wider 1448's.
Lowe makes one in both mod-v and flat bottom:
http://www.loweboats.com/showroom/rivited-jon/lowe-jon/l1448mt.php
http://www.loweboats.com/showroom/rivited-jon/lowe-jon/l1448t.php
Carl -thanks for the pictures. I sort of agree that it makes more financial sense to build ablind, but I'm going into this 50:50 with a buddy for a dedicated marsh boat so my costs are half for everything. It will live in my yard during the season. His yard off season.
Dave M - Aside from early season my production has been terrible, but I've spent most of my season scouting the W Branch of the Westport River. I'm pretty familiar with the Sapowett Marsh & I've never seen anyone in it with a blind/duckboat. Goose hunting a field in Portsmouth this week my buddy dropped a mallardthat was banded in 8/08 in Maine so there are some migratory birds around.
In addition to the Avon I've got a 23' w/175 OB and a 16 foot dory wirh a motor well so no shortage of gear.
Studying the Lowe website looks like a 1448 w/20" sides 20" transome is the right boat. We are looking around for a deal on a 9.9 or 15 hp OB. If we can find one a larger V hull becomes an option. If we can't we'll wait until summer and just buy a 1448;& use my 3 HP OB and the trailer I use for the dory.
Hunting solo with just my Boykin I can still use my Avon & the one man blind I fashioned for it dressed up with bamboo tops. It is put away now. Next year I'll post some pictures.
Dave M - Aside from early season my production has been terrible, but I've spent most of my season scouting the W Branch of the Westport River. I'm pretty familiar with the Sapowett Marsh & I've never seen anyone in it with a blind/duckboat. Goose hunting a field in Portsmouth this week my buddy dropped a mallardthat was banded in 8/08 in Maine so there are some migratory birds around.
In addition to the Avon I've got a 23' w/175 OB and a 16 foot dory wirh a motor well so no shortage of gear.
Studying the Lowe website looks like a 1448 w/20" sides 20" transome is the right boat. We are looking around for a deal on a 9.9 or 15 hp OB. If we can find one a larger V hull becomes an option. If we can't we'll wait until summer and just buy a 1448;& use my 3 HP OB and the trailer I use for the dory.
Hunting solo with just my Boykin I can still use my Avon & the one man blind I fashioned for it dressed up with bamboo tops. It is put away now. Next year I'll post some pictures.