Advice Needed For First Time Jon Buyer

[Mozart7]

Hello people, nice forum you have here

OK, I'm in the market to buy a new, inexpensive jon boat. The boat will be used strictly for going down the Chicago river. (or Chicago open sewer which we've called it in the past). The "river" is basically totally calm except for the occasional boat wake

I'm thinking of buying a Pelican Scorpio 10.5' or KL Water Tender 9.4', both made from some "new technology" plastic. The reason for plastic is the weight issue, as I intend on hauling it in the back of my pickup truck. I also intend on using a 5 HP motor on the boat, which I already have. The Scorpio can handle up to a 7 HP & the KL a 5 HP

I've read some reviews on these two boats, some good, some bad. The one thing that causes me to hesitate is a few people stated that you can't sit at the back of these boats & use the motor because the back of the boat will sink below the water line

So, my questions are...

Does anyone have experience with these boats or ones similar? How can they make a boat that doesn't allow you to sit at the back & run the motor? Granted, the few that brought up this problem said they weighed around 180 pounds, but so what? I weigh around 220 & now I'm not sure about buying one

Are some jon boat manufacturers really that incompetent? Is this a problem with plastic boats & not metal?

I simply can't believe they could make boats where the person at the back has to be 140 pounds (or whatever) or under

Any advice would be great

Thank you

 

[Lyle29464]

Re: Advice Needed For First Time Jon Buyer

you should be able to rig your truck for a 12 footer. That opens the door for safe boating.

 

[lncoop]

Re: Advice Needed For First Time Jon Buyer

you should be able to rig your truck for a 12 footer. That opens the door for safe boating.

Yep, and you should have no problem manhandling a 12' jon. Another option might be an inflatable.

 

[wifisher]

Re: Advice Needed For First Time Jon Buyer

Aren't there some fairly big passenger ferries that run up that sewer? I think I would want at least a 12' steel jon. They don't weigh much more, and either one is hard to load by yourself but easy with two people.

 

[Mozart7]

Re: Advice Needed For First Time Jon Buyer

Thanks for the replies so far

First off, the reason for the 9 or 10 foot boats is my pickup bed is 6.5'. I figured a smaller boat would be a lot easier to haul & store. I live in Chicago, have no room in my garage & have to store it in my tiny backyard. Plus my petite wife will be the one helping me move it

Incoop, I have a 10' inflatable & I'm sick of it. That's why I'm going with a solid

wifisher, yeah, they have ferries but those travel on the "sewer" downtown only. We travel the northside & venture out into the suburban branches

Anyway, does anyone know about these kind of boats? I need to find out if it's true that a person over 150 lbs. actually will push the boat to the water line when sitting at the back

I really don't want a 12 footer

Again, thanks for the replies