16 ft john boat project

Need some advice on how to proceed. 16 ft wooden v jon boat.. boat has been stripped of paint...owner has lost interest in the project and I am thinking of taking it on. So..
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do you glass the bottom and paint..if so what is the process...

or do you just paint it with special paint?

Not sure what it will take to make the boat usable for short rides in the backwaters of the Mississippi.

wood looks to be in good shape.

what would a ballpark of time/investment be in this????? I have the ability to work on this at my leisure....

 

Welcome to the Forum Ambro.
Do you have any photos of the boat that you can post please?
Without some additional info, the ballpark answer of time / investment is the proverbial 'How long is a piece of string?'.

 

I will get a pic to post....

 

1947 wooden boat for sale - boats - by owner - marine sale https://dubuque.craigslist.org/boa/7103418018.html

 

It is difficult to tell if the screws or rivets are firm or loose. Also, if there is any rot on the wood. In general, you would fiberglass a hull that is in poor shape. However, if you are decided on fiberglassing it, you will need to epoxy the inside too. Otherwise, the wood will swell and expand and cause problems with the fiberglass. A 20 oz cloth should be adequate unless you are planning on dragging it on rocks or gravel. You should practice on some random pieces of wood before tackling the boat. Mistakes with fiberglass are costly and very hard to fix.

 

Thanks for the pics, my concept of a Jon boat are very different than what you have now shown!
That is an interesting antique, but unless your interest is in restoration of that, you’d be better off with a plastic or aluminum skiff.
You’re looking at quite an investment in time and materials.