15' jon boat

I'm about to build a 15' jon boat that I designed myself. The bought jons don't fit my intended fishing purpose, which is mainly fishing with wood catfish boxes and gill nets. Here's what I want to make: LOA 15', Beam 67-1/4", transom 64" with the bottom widths of 50" and 49-1/2" for beam and transom. The bow will be 48" wide at the sheer. The bow seat will be 24" long, which will be deep enough to set a tub full of net on and play the gill nets out the front. By moving the middle seat forward it'll have and 80" long open center section. My propsed construction method is using wood frames covered with 1/4" plywood (exterior sides and bottom), fiberglassed over on the outside. Then I want to add extra bottom ribs to prevent sagging and install a 3/8" inside floor. The inside floor to side joints I plan on a fillet of epoxy reinforced with biaxial tape. The frames are to be 3/4" thich by 2-3/4" wide with plywood gussets both sides on the joints. All frames will be locked together with a center keelson and a couple each side of that then the chine strip. Has anyone else done this sort of boat? Any suggestions as to to scantling size, etc.? I plan on using a 25 HP Short shank motor. I figure that with an inner floor 2-3/4" higher than the outside bottom it should be pretty much self-bailing which working with boxes is makes for a pretty wet boat at times.

 

Hi Tim,

Heres one about the size your thinking of for comparison.

Garvey

Gary

 

Reply to Duluth

Yes, I've looked at that plan several times and have thought of ordering the plan. I have a few questions first: (1) Will it handle a 25 HP engine? (2) Can the middle seat be moved forward on this design? The one that I have in mind I have designed the center seat moved forward which will give an open aft area of 80" between the center and rear seats. Most of the catfish box traps are 6' long and I want to be able to stack them flat on the floor. Of course moving the center seat forward and making the front bow seat 24" long will only leave about 29" between the rear of the bow seat and and the front of the center seat. A standard bought jon only has about a 12 -13" long bow seat up there; have you ever tried to balance a tub full of gill nets and stand on that little bow to play the nets out? Wear your life jacket! I just returned from the river putting out nets and a 14' jon definitely ain't the best weapon for this type of fishing. Yea, I'm getting picky as to what I want but after too many trips in and out with boxes and nets I sort of know what I'm looking for in a boat. I want stability and a shallow draft and the seats/decks just like my fishing partner and I have decided on. We've been through too many bought boats, one works for this but not the other.

 

Tim,

My reason for having you look at the plans at that site was for a rough comparison to your plan. Here are my thoughts on your plan. Remember that I’m not a professional. Your scantlings for the hull depend a great deal on glass reinforcement. You don’t mention what the layup would be. (type of glass, how much) Most boats of this type have a seat near the center that acts as a bulkhead. If you move it you will need to add stringers as per your plan as well as a longitudinal to the side to increase rigidity. The deck over the stringers, if bonded to them, will give you a very firm bottom. I wouldn’t count on it being self bailing. That depends on your total displacement. A 2 3/4 “ draft for a loaded fishing boat seems shallow.

I looked for plans that met your needs and didn’t find any. But a good designer could work one up. If none speak up here I could give you a list to contact.

Gary

 

Reply to Gary

OK, I'll correct myself on that self bailing, I think that it would require less speed than it does to bail a jon boat out while underway. The frames for the boat I plan on making 2-3/4" wide,with a 3" wide center keelson. Then another long. keelson each side centered between the center and the chine strips which will be 2" wide. I have allowed for inner and outer sheer clamps capped off with a continuous gunwale cap over gunwale logs set between the frame heads. I'm also allowing a middle side stinger between the sheer and the chine. Sound beefed up enough to move that center seat up out of the way? If you think of anything that I may have overlooked, please, fire away. I am no professional designer or builder and have never claimed to be one, I just have a good idea of what I want in a boat. Any and all ideas are appreciated. I left 4 gill nets out night last night and only caught 4 fish. But the 4 weighed over 100 lbs. together so I don't feel totally cheated, hehe. Thanks for the input.

 

Tim,

It seems to me you know what you want and have been around boats enough to know what will work. Your boat might be a little over built, but than it's a work boat. I say go for it and good luck fishing.

We will want to see pictures when your finished.

Gary

 

Maybe overbuilt but considering where we fish a little extra insurance can't hurt. I think that the cost will be around $650.00 whcih is almost 1/3 of what I just priced a 14' aluminum jon for. I've just ordered my epoxy and some more boat nails for this project so now if Mother Nature will send some warm weather to the southeast I'll get started. I'm working on a scaled model (1-1/2" - 1') now to be sure of fairness, dimensions, etc. before jumping in.
Already I've hours in front of a CAD program drawing, refining, refining, & refining. On screen and paper now it looks good. From the rear seat forward there will be nothing to stick up past the gunwales, nothing to hang a net on! Yes, I plan on taking pictures as it's built. I think that this will be a one-of-a-kind special purpose boat. This 40 to 50 deg. weather is killing me as I'm about to chomp bits to get started. I'll keep the board posted of my progress and any problems that I find when it gets started.

 

I build jon boats from wood all the time if you are concerned about the boats ability to handle the 25 hp motor get a trim fin for the motor no big deal. I had a 35 hp on a 13' jon what a ride . Thoes guys in there BassTrackers getting passed by a wood jon boat they could have sh__ .