Shortening a jon boat

Discussion in 'Metal Boat Building' started by CaCondor, Jan 21, 2020.

  1. CaCondor
    Joined: Jan 2020
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    Location: Briceland, Ca

    CaCondor New Member

    I was looking for a 10 ft jon boat. Craigs list gave me a 12 ft one. It really sticks out of my Toyota pick up too far.
    I want to be able to load and unload it by myself into and out of my Small pickup. I want it as light as possible. So, no fancy bass boat conversion therapy on this one.
    Does anyone have any ideas on shortening the boat to ten ft instead of 12?

    Most people want to lengthen their boat. I want a little one. Any suggestions are helpful.

    Willie
     

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  2. kapnD
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    kapnD Senior Member

    If it’s really as parallel as it looks in the picture, it should be easy to shorten from the transom end.
    If the transom is riveted in, you may be able to reuse it.
     
  3. bajansailor
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    bajansailor Marine Surveyor

    Welcome to the Forum Willie.
    It should be fairly straightforward to shorten your boat by 2' - re the photo above, the far end (the bow?) appears to be a bit narrower (or is this just an optical illusion?).
    Is the whole boat of riveted aluminium construction, or are there any parts that are welded?
    If you cut 2' off at the transom, then as Kapn D says above, you might be able to rivet it back on.
    This would be easier (if you can have a simple overlap join) than welding it.
    And re-install the buoyancy seat.
    Maybe move the middle seat a bit further forward if leg room between the seats becomes an issue?
     
  4. Mr Efficiency
    Joined: Oct 2010
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    Mr Efficiency Senior Member

    Acme Products may have something that can shrink it ?
     
  5. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member

    I would cut it in the middle. Use pipe sections inside the rubrail to reinforce the joint. My reason is that the bow and stern are more complicated to fix than the middle.
     
  6. CaCondor
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    Location: Briceland, Ca

    CaCondor New Member

    Gonzo,

    Now that is a great idea. Thanks for not giving me flack about the shortening.
    Willie
     
  7. bajansailor
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    bajansailor Marine Surveyor

    Yes, that would be easier in many ways re cutting a 2' length out from the middle.
    Are those transverse box seats completely independent (I presume for buoyancy as well as seating?) in that they can be taken out as complete units? If they are, how are they attached?
    If you cut say 2' out from the middle, you could leave 2' 'extensions' on the rub rails on one of the halves to function as cantilever beams when you join the two halves together again.
    I presume that you will be able to weld these back on?
    Re joining the two halves of the hull, could one half slide inside the other, over a distance of say 4" - 6" (I wouldn't go less than 4") and you glue them together with say 5200 (and perhaps use some rivets as well)? The glue would also function as a sealant to keep the water from seeping in.
     
  8. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member

    The seats are riveted on.
     
  9. Yellowjacket
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    Yellowjacket Senior Member

    You would do better to do the splice further forward than amidships. If you do the splice amidships you have found the highest bending moment area and that's where you're cutting it. Far better to do the cutting and splicing further forward. Measure carefully and find two places that are essentially the same width and hopefully you can overlap them with the overlapping joint facing aft. Cut back the rub rail so that you get at least two inches of overlap and then rivet with sealer in the joint and you should be good. Overlapping with a double row of rivets is important. If you don't overlap you can use a piece of what you cut out to make a "doubler" on the inside of the hull, but then you'll need to use a double row of rivets on each side of the joint.
     
    Barry and bajansailor like this.
  10. kapnD
    Joined: Jan 2003
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    kapnD Senior Member

    I had a 10’ Jon boat when I was a young teen, and it was painfully small, even for a kid, basically a one-man vessel, so if you’ve goat any big friends that fish with you, they’ll be staying home.
    The good part was that it would go like hell with just a 7.5hp outboard while merely sipping fuel.
     

  11. CaCondor
    Joined: Jan 2020
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    CaCondor New Member

    After considering the ideas put forth here, and considering my wife in the boat and a small outboard instead of only oars, I
    can see that cutting it down is not a good idea. I can actually load and unload it from my truck bed and have come up with a sure fire way to secure it. The forum is a good sounding board and I appreciate it.
     
    TANSL and ondarvr like this.
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