How big of a jon boat?

moonfish

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Nov 1, 2003
Messages
128
How big a Jon do I need to be stable when walking around? I've got a 14' semi-v that is fine while I'm sitting but something like walking up front to pull anchor is quite wobbly. I can stand in place just fine mut moving around is the thing that gets me. My inner ears give me problems at times. I get sea sick easy and car sick in a back seat. I weigh 220. I don't want to swim in a dark, cold, angry river. The rivers I fish are too narrow to have real waves on them. I might venture out on a 5k acre lake a bit when it's calm but the lake is maybe a mile wide and long. Mostly I want to scoot through 2' of water and find a nice hole on the river.

Thanks.
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: How big of a jon boat?

the widest one you can find. wider is more stable.
 

mickjetblue

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 23, 2007
Messages
509
Re: How big of a jon boat?

1756 or 1860 neighborhood.
I'm thinking about an 1860, and I have an 1848 now.

The 1848 is ok, but still has some tilting when moving around,
whereas the 1860 is more solid on the level.

Good luck!
 

Knightgang

Lieutenant
Joined
Oct 6, 2003
Messages
1,428
Re: How big of a jon boat?

1756 or 1860 neighborhood.
I'm thinking about an 1860, and I have an 1848 now.

The 1848 is ok, but still has some tilting when moving around,
whereas the 1860 is more solid on the level.

Good luck!

SOunds like you are talking model numbers. What make boat are you refering to. I am confused...
 

wilkboater

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jun 19, 2009
Messages
95
Re: How big of a jon boat?

I've gigged alot of suckers out of a 17 x 42, you have to pay attention to sudden movementsespecially if there are others in the boat), but you can walk around. I have a 16 x 50, and it's WAY more stable. You can pretty much stand and walk around without thinking about it. 48 wide is about the minimum for what you're wanting but a 52 would be really stable. All the boats I've mentioned have been flat bottom, no V.
 

mickjetblue

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 23, 2007
Messages
509
Re: How big of a jon boat?

1756 means 17' long, and 56" wide.

1860 means 18' long, and 60" wide.

Those numbers are kind of standard for jon boats.
 

moonfish

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Nov 1, 2003
Messages
128
Re: How big of a jon boat?

Thank you guys. I haven't been in any of these boats to compare them. I think my little boat might just suffer from lack of weight in addition to its small size.

I like to catfish. What's fine in the daylight doesn't always work that good at night.
 

Knightgang

Lieutenant
Joined
Oct 6, 2003
Messages
1,428
Re: How big of a jon boat?

1756 means 17' long, and 56" wide.

1860 means 18' long, and 60" wide.

Those numbers are kind of standard for jon boats.

Never thought of it that way, thank you for clarifying. I have a Jon Boat, more like a canoe with an outboard motor... so I never hear of them in dimensional measurements...
 

dg512055

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jul 9, 2009
Messages
92
Re: How big of a jon boat?

Just to clarify a bit, the width number is generally considered the width at the bottom of the boat. I have a 16x52 F&F boat and I can stand on the corner of the transom with no problem. It is a flat bottom boat. Even with a load of hunting equipment on board and 2 people, you can walk around at will anywhere in the boat with no trouble. I can actually stand on the gunwale anywhere and not worry about getting water over the side. If you use the boat in rough water, the flat bottom will beat you up.

DG
 
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