Members Captain Ron Posted July 9, 2011 Members Posted July 9, 2011 What about aluminum? Any of you guys weld?
gotmuddy Posted July 9, 2011 Posted July 9, 2011 What about aluminum? Any of you guys weld? after your time and materials it will end up costing almost as much to make a aluminum boat as to buy one. Then you will have a boat with the worst characteristics for a river boat: everything is loud in an aluminum boat and aluminum hangs on rocks badly. everything in this post is purely opinion and is said to annoy you.
taxidermist Posted July 9, 2011 Posted July 9, 2011 call weldbilt boat of Arkansas. http://www.s222056501.onlinehome.us/ They build some commercial grade aluminum's. You can get a 20'X48" for under $2000. they are sold through Arts Marine and that was Arts price last year before I bought the Shawnee.
gotmuddy Posted October 9, 2011 Posted October 9, 2011 awesome, cant wait to see it everything in this post is purely opinion and is said to annoy you.
Wayne SW/MO Posted October 10, 2011 Posted October 10, 2011 Troutguy I would get a hold of Larry Dablemont, there isn't much if anything that he doesn't know about river jons. Dablemont FYI, the Lowe River Jon was copied after some Gasconade wooden jons. The Lowes took measurements and then transfered them to what they could press and weld. If you need measurements check with James River Outfitters in Galena, they have some river jons. I had a river jon and it was no light weight in AL and in wood would be even heavier. I would stick with the original measurements if it were me. Today's release is tomorrows gift to another fisherman.
Members Troutguy Posted October 10, 2011 Author Members Posted October 10, 2011 I have the boat building book from Larry... thanks
Members mikefink Posted October 17, 2011 Members Posted October 17, 2011 You guys are a gold mine of the information that I needed... Thanks. Gavin... I have the Larry D. book on building a 14' boat, and had the Bittersweet plan already bookmarked. I want to see the set of River Runner plans before I start building. Lee G... Thanks for all the measurments, the float trip I do is a little over 7-miles in one day. Therefore, a narrow boat would probably cover more water with less effort but a wider boat has more stability. Gotmuddly... My sawmill friend keeps Cypress in 20' lengths cut, but I am several hundred miles away. Fishincricket... Since you have a Lowe Jon, would you build a boat with a 32" bottom, or make it wider? Please keep the boat ideas coming... Thanks
Members mikefink Posted October 17, 2011 Members Posted October 17, 2011 I have both 32" and 36" alum river John boats that I purchased at Sutherlands in Lebanon Mo. They are voyager rivited river john boats that are made like lowe river johns. I believe Voyager(rivited) and Blazer(welded) are the only companies that are making alum. river Johns. Sutherlands stocks both brands. As far as what width is best. If I plan on paddling most of the time and not motoring I like my 32" voyager the best. When I plan on using a motor most of the time I opt for the 36" BOAT. I have been happy with the stability of both widths. I just saw the blazer river John they stock. It is 18' long and 36" bottom with a 54" beam. It would be ideal for small rivers but would work well on the white river. Good luck, I hope when you get through building your boat you will post a picture.
Members Dennis Ely Posted November 4, 2011 Members Posted November 4, 2011 Any more word on your plans to build a jon boat?
Members Troutguy Posted November 5, 2011 Author Members Posted November 5, 2011 I cant get good side boards... tried twice.
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