Homemade River Jon Boat

[woodman]

I've always wanted one of these..

http://www.woodwatercraft.com/AuSableRiverBoat.html

http://www.guilttrip.com/html/the_au_sable_river_boat.html

My friends John & Jeff, & Steve from MI guide out of them, and they have some really neat features, particularly the fish box under the front seat (works as storage & a cooler), the rod holders on the frames, and the false floor to keep stuff dry...I'll probably incorporate most of them whenever I get around to building a boat. Cheers.

That first link has some beautiful boats...

[lee G.]

what i wanted when i looked at boat plans was a jon boat for ozark streams that would paddle like a canoe.

All the plans are for square boats, paddler of center line, and too much bottom in the water to turn well.

The plans i have seen arent very good paddle jons.

[lee G.]

What i got with a 5 or 6 inch rocker, woodman, was a jon boat that really handeled well with a paddle.

[Troutguy]

Hey Lee...

Since the plans I ordered are pitiful as far as a river jon goes, can you please give me some dimensions that you like on the rest of the boat?

I'll go with 36" wide... what do you like for the bow and transom bottom width?

Thanks

[lee G.]

With a 36 inch width, i would use a 24 inch bow, and a 30 inch stern.

That is what i had on my 32 inch boat, but i think it would work on a 36 incher as well.

Going to 32 inches on the stern wouldnt make much difference, if you wanted, the main thing I wanted was to be closer to the center line.

[gotmuddy]

Have you checked out the plans for the boat from longboat outfitters? I had the link for the plans and lost it.

**edit**

found the plans. It is a beautiful boat:

http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/jim/ozarkian/index.htm

I intend to make mine 36" at the widest point.

[Troutguy]

That's what I was thinking... 24" bow, 36" center and 30" stern.

gotmuddy... I simply don't need a rig that long, 16' will be all I can haul without a trailer.

Thanks

[gotmuddy]

the reason I want 20ft is so 2-3 people can fish in relative comfort. I may beef the transom up enough to run a very small outboard(2-5hp), there are lots of slow places on the lower buffalo.

[lee G.]

Both boats had the same rocker. From the middle to the bow i had six inches and in the stern it was 4 inches.

Look at it this way, its a semi drift boat bottom.

One thing i should mention, the freeboard is little low, using a 12 inch board, but i knew what river i was going to use it on, and how i would use the boat.

For all around use i would certainly think about raising the sides one and half or two inches.

[Troutguy]

Thanks so much for the info, I have all my wood and now ready to start sawing... finally.