Homemade River Jon Boat

[Hopper]

I'm waiting on the plans to arrive, they should be here later this week.

The cost is in the marine plywood, I have a friend with a sawmill and my cypress and oak lumber was really cheap.

Forgot in the above post, when I said "row" I meant... steer (guide) the boat down river with the oars.

I haven't thought much about the fiberglass yet...

I have built 2 canoes and a driftboat and used epoxy 5050 system, excellent system and the least expensive. I used two layers of 6 oz. fiberglass on the bottom of my drift boat and one layer on my canoes. I took 2 gallons of epoxy for the canoes and 3 for the drift boat. Epoxy5050.com is the web site. (solo was built for my dad)

Gregg

[Troutguy]

I have the plans to build a wooden drift boat, but the river I fish is about 7-miles of slow water. I simply don't care to row that distance. I need a boat that will cover some distance in slow water without rowing my brains out all day.

A canoe would be perfect for this float... but if a canoe see's me getting close, it flips over!

Honestly, I'm never comfortable in a canoe and never will be.

[Zack Hoyt]

Have you ever rowed a drift boat on slower water? Much easier than a canoe IMO. I have had mine on all kinds of water w/o any trouble. Plus I am msure you intend on taking it on other water than that 7mi stretch. Just some stuff to think about. Looking forward to watching the progress.

[Troutguy]

Well, I'm surely not into rowing anymore but guiding a boat with oars is ok.

Now, back to boat building... sorry I changed the subject.

[lee G.]

Troutguy,do this, get a couple of 16ft lengths of moulding {1/4 round} and use some spreaders to bend them into the shape of the bottom. You will be surprised at the difference between 32 and 40 inches when you can see it.

Remember the gunnels are going to be 6 or 8 inches wider, and the bottom of a jon boat has more surface area on the water for its length than a canoe. My 40 inch was like a rock, but it sounds like you would like a 34 or 36 incher.

With a 36 lb thrust motor my 32 incher would hit 6 or 8 mph.

[Troutguy]

My last jonboat was 42" wide and it had great stability, but I would not use it on a class II river either.

[FishinCricket]

Fishincricket... Since you have a Lowe Jon, would you build a boat with a 32" bottom, or make it wider?

Spose if I was gonna build a boat I might consider going to a 40 inch wide bottom..

[lee G.]

Oh!! Troutguy, you do have 80 or 100 C-clamps, dont you????

[woodman]

yea... another wood boat builder...Here are plans for a 15'X44'' wide dingy that takes 4 sheets of ply.

http://www.jemwatercraft.com/proddetail.php?prod=DKDingy15

Like the multi chine hulls.

[lee G.]

yeah, wood man, i been following your builds , really nice work there!!