Where Can A 10 Ft Jon Boat Take You?

[Jack Jones]

My banger is a 2000 Ford Focus with 212k on it. For those who read the auto post recently, thankfully there were no transmission issues, just a really worn clutch. I hadn't figured it would be worn since it only had about 50k on it. That's fixed now. It supposedly has a towing capacity of 1000lbs so a small boat, trailer, and trolling motor/mini outboard shouldn't be a problem.

fishbait --- I've looked at those. I'd have to have a trailer since I don't have a truck bed to put it in. And probably a dolly.

My other thought is to just motorize my kayak with a simple trolling motor. I've been taking measurements on how I would fit a battery, a mount, and what kind of trolling motor to get. It's a Perception Prodigy 10 sit in. I'd just hate to pay for trolling motor and find out it doesn't do what I want. I keep browsing the used ones on Craigslist for a cheapo one. Has anyone ever done that? If so, what was your experience?

[exiledguide]

I had a Coleman Crawdad that I used on strip mines and farm ponds and floated the Saline river in cenral Arkansas. If you could find one of those those that would be my choice, if I could find one of those I would buy it to use on Lake Springfield and the James River. The RamX hull material was great for getting through riffles where aluminum jon boats would get stuck if there was any water I would pretty slide on over. I used a 50 lb thrust trolling motor and that would get me upstream pretty easy. The dumbest thing I did was to sell it when I moved up here, it would have been perfect for the James River.

[FishinCricket]

A ford focus should have a 1000 towing capacity and a 100 lb tongue weight capacity.. This is pertinent because a longer boat puts more weight on the tongue unless counterweighted properly.. (keep in mind that your hitch weighs something too)

I'd be careful about backing it down steep and/or slippery ramps too. And remember not all ramps are perfect, most of the concrete ramps on the Niangua have a 6 inch to 1 foot lip off the end of the ramp, sometimes my little tracker would really have to tug hard to get the trailer tires to roll over it.. If the ramp is slippery and youve got a street tread tire on the Ol banger it may prove to be a nerve wracking experience..

Frankly it used to scare me to back into a direct current cause the water would grab the boat and drag it and the back end of that light little tracker sideways and downstream... But a 16x36 is friggin HEAVY!! Especially if you've got any gear in it.. (paddles and/or oars, poles and tackle, motor and battery, seats, net, anchor and miscellaneous gear)

[FishinCricket]

Sorry, just some random thoughts pertaining to your quandary..

Another:

I have seen cheap trolling motors online.. Be careful to not but one that has no option for replacing the propeller, usually that's the first thing to break if it has been sitting around for a while.. I bought and old junk one from a yard sale once and the company had went out of business or something so when I broke the prop I basically just had to throw it away...

[gotmuddy]

Wonder how a TDI's braking system would compare? lol (really, GotMuddy, you should include some kind of disclaimer with your advice, something like " I won't cover your expenses if my advice costs you a set of rotors or the rear bumper of a 92 Buick that was tooling along slower than you anticipated"... Seriously.

Of course I am not liable if someone does something stupid, however my tdi bug has HUGE brake rotors and it stops the boat and the vehicle just fine. I am willing to bet that the brakes on that car rival the brakes of all the mini trucks for stopping force.

[junkman]

My nephew is a TDI mechanic, and we use his jetta to pule my heavy duty 12 with a 9.8 mercury and 5 gallon of gas plus battery and trolling motor plus all our other gear. don't really know it's back there. Does cut him back from 52MPG to 40 MPG though.

[gotmuddy]

I only get 25mpg towing

[junkman]

do you have a automatic? His is a standard with a few changed gears in it. plus he has the computer set for optimum fuel economy. Makes allot of difference how the fuel/air mixture is set. I don't know how many intake manifolds I have cleaned for him that were as much as 90% blocked when run on the factory settings. Actually didn't see how they ran. Enough, this isn't a car forum LOL.

[Gavin]

Ford Focus....forgetabout the jon....canoe or kayak...and car top it...cost is about the same..might be able to car top a 10' jon with a good rack...but it wont be pretty on you paint. Good luck.

[frozennortherner]

perhaps we are daredevils up in MA but I have seen small jon boats (including mine) used on Nauset Marsh on Cape Cod, a saltwater marsh with just about nothing to block the wind and therefore chop. Some unwisely even leave them moored out there for weeks. The only time one ever swamped or sunk was when a 10 or 12 footer was left unattended at its mooring in a storm that we were unable to drive safely, much less boat in. the boat in question swamped partly from waves but in large part to three days of pouring rain, it remained upright.