Jon Boat

G

Gerald N

Active member
Can not pass up a deal especially when it may suit my needs to get into a new old spot. I can pick up a jon boat for 12' for $85 and no leaks or patches and this will get me up a narrow and shallow stretch of water very slowly where a few logs lay just out of sight. To risky for a fiberglass boat.

Anyway, being a smaller jon and known for instability I was thinking of how to conceal or use it to hunt from. Thought of covering the well between the two seats and then leaving the back well open for a cockpit. After that cover with plastic and grass whole boat with flaps coming down sides that can be pulled up and secured while under power.

Trying to keep light enough so I can pick up end by myself to push into pickup bed.

Thought??

Use to hunt this spot and would love to get back into it but my access has been sealed off by very expensive homes owned by city folk that moved out to waters edge for retirement.

Hope to get boat on Sunday and hope to start in mid May painting and converting.
 
Good morning, Chris~

Lots of ways to do this. I suggest you draw a quick measured sketch and then post it so we can all react.

Key question for me is how you plan to hunt from it - laying down? sitting up? if so, where in the boat? etc.

In any event, I'm sure you'll have fun with this project.

All the best,

SJS
 
I have a 1236 Jon w a scissor blind and a small mud motor,its great for skinny water
 
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Thanks for advise. I am scheduled to pick it up tomorrow and will start to brain storm some ideas. Once I have some idea where I might go with design I will post a schematic.

Jeff- I use to hunt out of one many years ago with same blind and was very effective even on salt marshes for black ducks. I want to keep the design low profile so it is no higher than sides and then figure out how to manage between the benches.
 
Hi Chris:
Back in the late 70's, I owned a 12 ft. Jon Boat. I cut out the center of the middle bench seat, about a 2 ft. opening. I laid beams across the top of the middle seat that were flush with the boats sides. Also ran beams along the top of the rear seat. I decked it leaving a cockpit between the middle and rear seat. A small lid type hatch in the front of the boat allowed me to reach in and get at my decoys. Finished it off with a motor-well in the rear. I made myself a back rest that I wedged up against the rear bench seat. I then laid out placing my feet through the opening in the middle seat. It had all the features of a Barnegat Sneakbox except hull design and history. I hunted it in freshwater impoundments here in Jersey. Grassed up it would disappear when you tucked it in a weed patch. I ran a 9.9 HP outboard on it when I used it along the coast. I made sure I stayed back in the tidal creeks and salt meadows since a 12 ft. Jon is not an open water boat in my mind.


It was sweet little rig that I hunted for about 15 years. The only draw back in your case would be the weight you'd be adding. Might be a buster to get in and out of the back of a pick up.


Best of luck with your project.
Regards,
Dave
 
Spring clamps and burlap. Ultimate versatility, low weight, low cost.

If you want to get fancy, zip tie some real or synthetic vegetation to the burlap and make somewhat of a ghille out of it.
 
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