Bass boat or Jon Boat?

[cusack]

Hi,

I'm trying to get some opinions from everyone on this forum because I value all of everyone's input and advice.

Anyways, I purchased a 1987 15ft Starcraft fiberglass bass boat with a Mercury 90HP oil injection engine about a month ago. It wasn't firing on all cylinders so I replaced the switchbox (bought a used one on ebay for $45) so that got it fixed, drained all the old gas out and put fresh gas in. I've changed the spark plugs and fuel filter. I've cleaned the carbs with spray and seafoam.

It's running but has some hesitation here and there although we have gotten it up to 40MPH with both of us in it but my uncle is thinking I should pay to have the carbs rebuilt ($300). It also has a leak somewhere in the transom and every time we take it out of the water about a gallon or two of water will come out from the drain plug (the plug is new). I can't figure out where the leak is coming from because all the holes and plugs have been sealed with 3M 5200.

I should add this is my very first boat and I don't know a lot about boats at all. I've got close to $1500 tied up into this thing already and am trying to decide and get some advice on if I should just invest more money into it and try to get these things fixed and keep it or sell it for a used Jon boat?

My question really is what would most people prefer as their first boat? Fiberglass or aluminum Jon boat? I really can't decide what to do here.

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Bass boat or Jon Boat?

It depends on where you plan on fishing at (type of water), what you are planning to fish for, how many people you plan on having in the boat, how fast do you wanna go, etc etc.

I've seen some nice aluminum bass boat, and jon boats setup for bass or crappie fishing, but they seem to be more limited on the hp compared to a fiberglass boat. Although fiberglass boats are also limited to what horse power you can have, you take a 15ft aluminum and compare that to a 15ft fiberglass, the 15 ft aluminum will most likely hold a 40hp outboard, when the 15ft fiberglass will most likely hold up to 75 to 85hp.

As for the leak have you checked the keel of the hull? It might be taking in water from there.

What type of motor is it? A mercury?

 

[cusack]

Re: Bass boat or Jon Boat?

Yes it's a Mercury engine. 1988 model 90HP Oil Injected

I'd like to run between 30-35 MPH and really would mostly be just be and sometimes two other people (3 at the most though). Right now with two people my boat will go between 40 -45 MPH.

I'm looking to go fishing in freshwater lakes and rivers and mostly will be fishing for anything that swims.....except alligators. lol

I've looked up and down this boat for any holes/cracks and can't find where the water is coming from to save my life. The water is only staying inside the transom and not getting into the boat itself but about a gallon or two will come out when I pull the drain plug.

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Bass boat or Jon Boat?

I'm looking to go fishing in freshwater lakes and rivers and mostly will be fishing for anything that swims.....except alligators. lol

I've looked up and down this boat for any holes/cracks and can't find where the water is coming from to save my life. The water is only staying inside the transom and not getting into the boat itself but about a gallon or two will come out when I pull the drain plug.

LMAO on the alligators. Have you given the livewell any thought? That could be leaking. Have you lifted the bilge door while the boat was in the water to see if you can see any signs of water coming in from the transom? I also need to mention that I occasionally get water in my bilge area of my fiberglass bass boat, it doesn't happen every outing but it has happened, some boats will take on a little water especially when being in the water for a while.

Another thought on aluminum, the leaks may not be as easy to fix on them compared to fiberglass. One man I know fished with his whole family in a 14ft aluminum boat with a 9.9hp on the back. There was 2 adults and 3 kids. He got rid of the aluminum boat and is now fixing up his fiberglass.

I personally would stick to a fiberglass boat but that's me. There was something else that I was going to mention but my mind just went blank:redface:.

Not a bad looking boat by the way.

 

[cusack]

Re: Bass boat or Jon Boat?

I'm leaning more towards keeping this boat BUT I just hate to spend more money on a boat that is 21 years old. I'm scared to spend $300 to rebuild the carbs and then something else go wrong with it because this still doesn't fix my leak. It needs a new battery for the trolling motor, trailer needs rewiring. Granted all of this is minor repairs but as they say, boats =(B)reak (O)out (A)nother (T)housand.
I just don't know what I would be happier with or what to do.

No we didn't even bother to think about checking the bilge compartment to see if there was any water in there.

How safe would it be if I just turned the bilge pump on every few minutes to get the water out of the transom? Would the transom eventually just rot?

Also, my other question is what kind of speed could I get out of a Jon boat with say a 25hp on it?

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Bass boat or Jon Boat?

I've got a 1981 15 ft fish-n-ski/bass boat with 90 hp Johnson, and that boat is perfect for us. My son and I fish with it every chance we get, and it's also great for family outings pulling a tube or skier. Except for the occasional wishing for a bit larger boat (which would be more difficult to store in my limited space driveway) I can't imagine another boat being more suited to our needs.

The repairs you're talking about are very much within the realm of the do-it-yourself. As for the leaks, there are a few common but not so obvious things to check. It's common for water to come in under the rub rails, which was happening with my boat. Some 3M sealant took care of that. Another is the bilge pump outlet. Since there's not (or shouldn't be) a check valve, it's possible for water to backflow in through the bilge pump if the outlet is momentarily submerged (like in maneuvering through large wakes). Make sure that the hose from the bilge pump goes up as high as possible bofore going down to the outlet.

Also, you may need to spend some time on the water just lifting hatch covers and what not looking around with a flashlight. Sometimes a livewell drain hose comes loose from a fitting etc. I just leave plugs in my livewell drains (but NOT the overflow) to preclude such problems.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Bass boat or Jon Boat?

spraying carb cleaner into a 2 stroke carb, does nothing. waste of the carb cleaner. seafoam does not clean a dirty carb, only helps keep a clean on clean. if the carbs have not been removed and disassembled, soaked, blown out, and reassembled with rebuild kits, you have wasted your time. then you will need to do a link n sinc.

there are only 2 things, you spray into a 2 stroke carb, premixed oil/fuel, and seafoam when decarbing.


http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=168855

or engine problems really need to be discussed in the Mercury outboard forum.

$1,200 in that boat, you have not been hurt.

 

[marquette]

Re: Bass boat or Jon Boat?

check to make sure that the mounting bolts for the outboard are tight and have been sealed well. the bottom bolts are sometimes below the water on low boats like a bass boat when the boat is sitting still or when someone is on the rear casting deck. it's amazing how much water can leak around a badly sealed bolt.

 

[BigJ08]

Re: Bass boat or Jon Boat?

If you only have 1500 in the thing right now, I'd say ur not doing too bad. As everyone has said get it in the water and look around with a flashlight to see if you can find a leak. Have you gotten on a creeper and completely checked the underside of the boat? You could have a hairline crack or something that is hard to see but when under pressure while in the water is leaking. You said a couple of gallons of water come out of the bilge? Thats a lot in my book. How long do your trips normally last? Is the boat in the water for hours or days? As for the motor, don't pay someone to do it. Buy a service manual for your engine and a carb rebuild kit. It can be a little daunting but if you follow the manual closely, you'll get it right, and you just might learn something along the way. I know u don't want to spend a lot of money, but owning a boat and doing it right normally isn't cheap.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: Bass boat or Jon Boat?

Your livewell could be leaking. Most older bass boat will automatically let some water into the livewell when the boat is in the water. That way when you go to put a fish in it, there are some water to start with and then you turn the livewell pump on to fill the rest of the livewell. Did the back of the boat, the bilge hatch door or right in front of the motor, get wet when you came off plane real quick? The backwash would put a couple gallons over the transom and into the bilge. One major disadvantage of alum. jon boat is that it's not very stable. You won't be able to stand up to cast as well as fiberglass. It's lighter so your tow rig won't use as much gas but you won't be able to keep your foot off the trolling motor on windy day. You will get blown off of your spot as soon as you take your foot off the trolling motor.

 

[Tacklewasher]

Re: Bass boat or Jon Boat?

How safe would it be if I just turned the bilge pump on every few minutes to get the water out of the transom? Would the transom eventually just rot?

Get a pump with a float and leave it on.

As to finding the leak, if you are really confused where the water is getting in and you know you've already had water in the boat (your foam is already wet) then with the boat on your trailer as level as possible, put some water in it and see if you can see where it leaks out.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Bass boat or Jon Boat?

i assume you have the rubber drain plug, this is the best type to use, as you can tighten them, better than the flip type plug.

http://www.iboats.com/Turn_Tite_Dra...28750038--**********.904914288--view_id.39186

 

[haskindm]

Re: Bass boat or Jon Boat?

In my opinion the two words, speed and Jon-Boat, should not be used in the same sentence. A Jon-Boat is not built for speed, thus the flat front and flat bottom. If you do get one going fast and attempt to turn, you will find yourself sliding across the surface of the water, as there is no "V" to catch the water and allow the boat to turn. If you are at all interested in speed, keep the boat you have. Try putting some water in the bilge while the boat is on the trailer - if the water leaks out, and you can see where it leaks out, you have found your problem. Plan to spend several hundred dollars per year in maintaining your boat, even if you do most of the work yourself. If you are not able or willing to invest that much in maintenance, perhaps you should not be in boating. Sounds harsh, but I hope nobody told you that boating was cheap.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Bass boat or Jon Boat?

The carbs ain't that hard to do. Get an OEM manual and do em yourself, probably less than 50 bucks in parts, and a few hours work. I consider a carb tuneup a maintainance item, about every 3 years.

I get water in the bilge of the bass boat if I come off plane too fast, if someone wakes me bad when I'm sitting still, and sometimes if a livewell overfills. I've had a lot of water in the bilge at times from leaking livewell hoses. If you're doing 40's with a 90, you probably aren't too waterlogged.

The idea of putting it on a trailer and seeing if it leaks from the inside out is a good one.

Check the transom out real well. Tap on it and be sure it sounds solid, and not hollow, especially near the top, the bottom, and near holes in it.

hope it helps
John

 

[steelespike]

Re: Bass boat or Jon Boat?

Your bass boat probably rides a little rough but handles pretty good.A Jon
rides awful and handles poorly.If you are really getting water only in the transom that is a problem could get rot.I have to wonder how water would be in the transom and run out when the plug is pulled but not run into the bilge with the plug in place.

 

[mickjetblue]

Re: Bass boat or Jon Boat?

To answer your main question, people prefer different boats for different reasons.
You really didn't state what your wants in a boat are, other than speed. Aside from speed,
what else do you want to do with your boat?

Is water splashing into the boat when you are moving at higher speeds, or maybe at
most planing speeds depending on waves?

The speed you will get from a jon boat depends on the boat size and load, but with a 25hp
motor, look for a 20 to 25mph range. That's fine for fishing, but if you want to speed the boat,
there's no comparison to what you already have.

I'd try Seafoam for a couple outings, might help. If you're getting good speed from your
outfit, you have a good motor. I had the same 90hp Merc, and it ran great with fantastic
torque and power.

If you want the best of both worlds, you can have 2 boats. Lots of folks have 2, or more.

 

[bassboy1]

Re: Bass boat or Jon Boat?

In my opinion the two words, speed and Jon-Boat, should not be used in the same sentence. A Jon-Boat is not built for speed, thus the flat front and flat bottom. If you do get one going fast and attempt to turn, you will find yourself sliding across the surface of the water, as there is no "V" to catch the water and allow the boat to turn. If you are at all interested in speed, keep the boat you have.

Hey, I have a jon that runs 30, and doesn't try to slide around much. With two people in it, I can turn as far as the motor does (it banks real hard) but with just one, I can do almost everything. Mine is a 1542 (42 is bottom width, top is about 67), with a '75 'Rude 40, which is about the equivalent of a modern 35. And, mine is one heavy sumgun. Check it out in the completed project section.

 

[junkyardwarrior]

Re: Bass boat or Jon Boat?

Keep what you have unless you find something that SUPER cheap! I just went through this. I had (still have) a 1542 aluminum boat. It does a good job but it's slow with the 25 Yamaha, handles like poo and rides even worse-especially if there's any chop in the water. It will literally beat you to death. It's HOT in summer, ice cold in winter. The main thing about the aluminum boat is that if I run it up on the ramp, it doesn't hurt it too badly. Or if I hit a rock, stump, miss the trailer, etc. It does, however, do a better job in shallow areas.

Last July I picked up an '88 Tidecraft V15 bass boat. 15'6" length and it's got an '87 model Mariner 90 oil injected outboard (same as your Merc 90). I had to rework the interior, carpet, seats, etc and had to rebuild the transom. It was not that hard. The transom was rotted. The first time at the lake I noticed I was taking on water--one of the motor bolts was leaking. Automotive silicone doesn't work! Marine sealant does though.

After a few trips to the lakes, I will probably just sell my aluminum boat. I won't use it any more. The bass boat is SO much more stable, rides a million times better when the water isn't smooth, it's got livewells, radio, room to move around, and it's a LOT faster than the ol' 25...and uses about the same amount of fuel. The 'glass boat runs about 55 (GPS). 54.7 last time out. I have raised the motor one hole but haven't been back to the lake yet to try it. I also picked up another prop-a Merc 23" pitch 3 blade stainless prop, which will replace the 21" that's on it now (I'm at 5300 WOT, with JUST me in the boat-I am only 160 lbs). I also picked up a 17" pitch 4 blade Solas al prop for when everyone is going with me (3 of us). Haven't run it yet with the Solas. Plus I can run it in the stumpy lakes with less fear of damaging the gearcase when a stump encounter comes about. The only downside to the 'glass boat is that it's heavier, harder to maintain/repair (generally speaking) BUT on the flip side, it's resale value is quite a bit higher than the 1542 is.

Doesn't matter whether you have aluminum or 'glass. Both are going to cost you. Probalby the only way that you'd get a maintenance free boat would be to buy a new one with warranty, but then you're talking about spending upwards of $20,000 or more. There are some really nice aluminum boats out there (Triton is a good one) but they aren't cheap!

BTW, your boat is pretty nice! Keep it. Repair it as you can afford to. You will thank yourself later.

 

[cusack]

Re: Bass boat or Jon Boat?

Guys thanks so much to everyone that has posted their advice and knowledge. I was kinda leaning towards selling it but now after reading all these posts have decided that I'm not going to give up and try to fix these repairs and keep my boat. Right now that transom leak is my main concern and what I plan on tackling further soon.

Thanks again.

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Bass boat or Jon Boat?

Guys thanks so much to everyone that has posted their advice and knowledge. I was kinda leaning towards selling it but now after reading all these posts have decided that I'm not going to give up and try to fix these repairs and keep my boat. Right now that transom leak is my main concern and what I plan on tackling further soon.

Thanks again.

Good to hear. Great dicision I say.