I'm looking for new jon boat, any advice?

[Guest]

I have been shopping around for a new jon boat and wondered if anyone could give me their opinions on different brands, sizes, etc...

[Guest]

How many people/dogs will there be? We have an alumacraft 1442 that can hold 3 people and a dog easy.

[Guest]

i haVE A SEA ARCH 17 FOOT AND REALLY NICE AND CHEAP ITS REALLY WIDE WITH LOTS OF ROOM AND THE BOAT IS REALLY LIGHT

[huntnfish]

What did that alumacraft cost you if you don't mind me asking? I too am looking for a jon boat or a 10-12 ft v-hull.

[Lowe]

I'd go with at least a 12' and preferably a 14', deep enough for you and all your gear to handle a good chop.

I had a 10' jonboat once, perfect for small lakes and rivers, easy to hide and easy to load/unload out of the back of a truck.

None of those qualifications made up for the day the motor died and I stood up in back to restart it, only to have the back end fill in with water - in the middle of a big river. Right to the bottom. Lost my new shotgun and almost drowned - not good.

I did several things wrong to get to that point: no lifejacket, standing up, etc., but it's just too easy to overbalance the smaller jon boats if you hunt alone, with no one to distribute the weight. Just my 2 cents worth.