River Jon Ideas

[Wayne SW/MO]

What were your complaints with the paddle jon?

I don't know that I had complaints, because they are what they are. The weight requires two to handle and, IMO, a trailer. They're all but impossible for one to handle in a trick current. The sharp chine grabs water. They excel with two people and a load of gear or with a small motor. I wouldn't put a 10 hp on the motor board, but an aluminum transom extension could be added for lift and strength.

The Disco is a horse also, but it has its faults. I think they're hard to handle to a degree because of the beam, not to mention slooow. The beam is so wide that the person in front tends to turn the bow and the person in the rear has to compensate. They are light enough to car top and you can stand in them.

[joefish]

I have a canoe and a kayak that i float the grand river with. I also have an 18 ft jon with a 25 yamaha.

I would use the smaller boat(with the 9.9 merc) on the Grand also when it is running a few feet above normal.Just looking for something smaller and lighter. I was thinking about a 13'4 Gheenoe that I could use with or without the motor. Thanks for your thoughts and yea I will check some of the above mentioned boats also.

[joefish]

How shallow can the blazer paddle jon run give or take, and does sand mess with a jet boat outboard motor? rookie questions here.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Depending on the bottom width of your 18', the paddle jon would probably draw more water under power. Its impossible to know how much without having some idea of the weight its carrying. Its always hard to know exactly how much you're drafting, but with two lightweight guys and a little fishing gear, no motor, about 2" possibly a little more.

Sand is going to wear the impeller, no doubt. The new stainless steel units are better, but again, impossible to know a time. Different conditions give different results. I spent a lot of time on the Thompson, known as the Grand then, and I it seemed to me there were always channels that offered a little more depth. You wouldn't be "in the sand" that often I would think?

[grizwilson]

How shallow can the blazer paddle jon run give or take, and does sand mess with a jet boat outboard motor? rookie questions here.

Paddle Jon's (key word Paddle) and Jets do not belong in the same sentence. As the paddle jons are uplifted on both ends to allow handling and floating it does not allow the jet to work under higher power as it dows on the flat bottoms or river jons. The other problem is the smallest jet I am aware of is a 25hp power head resulting in a 18-20 hp jet, most paddle jons that is about double its motor rating. I have tried my 25/20 merc jet on both of my paddle jon's (17 & 21 ft) it did not work well, too much motor weight on the 17, and turned the 21 into a plow because it raised the front too much when it pushed the slope at the back down. I have spent too many hours rasing lowering, jacking etc. if you could run a hydralic jack plate I think it would work excellent, but then too much weight.

g

[Bomberman]

Have you looked at the Shawnee river boats. They run very shallow and you can set them up anyway you wish. You can get one in a 41 inch and 48 inch bottom. They are 20 ft long fiberglass and a 9.9 will work just fine with them. Email me at: Shawneeboats09@gmail.com if you're interested.