I can try and get some more later, these are from last summer. I've done some small modifications here and there.

It was sanded bare, primed and I used Herculiner on it. I had to replace like 20 loose rivets, too, before paint. Carpet and adhesive cost me ~$60 but was WELL worth it.

I added some tie-downs since these photos and found a couple custom uses for Kydex (holster/sheath material).


ETA: As others have said, if the intention is to get kids out there I would go wider and deeper if you can afford it. Mine is a solo-mission type of a boat, although I do take my SO out on it and I have been on it with another fishing buddy a handful of times. There just isn't room for a lot of gear or moving around. If I'm by myself there is more room than I need, though.

I also went small because I fucking hate CT govt. and I didn't want to register a trailer (read, give them more money), so this slides right up into the bed of my truck.

ETA2: You can see the red Kydex transom protector I made to extend the life of the transom and paint. To the right where the anchor line is a line-guide for dropping/pulling up the anchor from the rear so it doesn't chaff the line of wear off the bed liner paint. The light on the front (little black bubble on the front right) is mounted on a custom Kydex mount. The wiring was run under the carpeting. The black box on the left rear is for a pole light, the mount is on the top.


Like I said, not bad for ~$500-$600 (not including the motor & battery). Its just a tin shell so it was really fun and easy to work on, too. Could be a fun project for you and the boys.

16' with a 40HP tiller handle in Xpress or War Eagle. At least a 1652.

NICE PIC!..love to see kids grinning about a feesh!!!it seems less and less kids fish now-a-days

They day you get divorced and the day you buy a motorcycle?

I spend lots of time on the water and own multiple boats for multiple applications.

a Jon boat is about the most versatile there is.  I have some ideas on what direction to steer you, but need some questions answered first.


How big of water will you be on?  Mississippi, or small rivers and lakes?

How many people on average in the boat?

How far will you run usually while on the water?

What for gear do you anticipate hauling?

Where are you located?  (lots of custom boat builders in the southern parts of the country, and these are better rigs than anything you can buy at a "dealer".

What is your budget?

What will it be used for primarily?  Hunting, fishing, boat, camping?  etc?

What do you have for a haul vehicle?

What is your experience with outboards?


Without knowing anything yet, I would say a 17 foot jon boat with a 40 HP tiller and bow mount trolling motor will be sufficient probably 90% of what you do.  



Here is what I am currently running for hunting and general running around on the Mississippi.
1848 Uncle J Custom Jon with a MB Hyper 35




My current fishing rig
18 foot Lund Pro-V, 150 Optimax, with all the bells and whistles...  

Lots of fun to be had with a 14-16 ft aluminum boat and a 10-25 hp outboard. 

Buy used, but 4-6 weeks ago. 

Prices will be creeping up as spring gets closer. 

I have a 10 ft Lowe aluminum that I can put in the back of my truck.... It has wheels on the back which fold up, which makes it fanfuckingtastic to launch it anywhere alone, no ramp needed. No trailers to deal with. I drove over 500 miles with it in the bed last weekend and didn't have a problem.

Super light and has been fantastic for my needs, I use a pulley system to store it under the roof of my carport out of the way. Never put a gas motor on it, but one of those tiny Hondas with the self contained gas tank would be nice. I use a 40 lb Minn Kota Maxx and it gets me around decently, I'd have gone with the 55 if I did it over again though. The 40 will last for HOURS and HOURS with a larger deep cycle (whatever the largest size Walmart carries is what I have ~45lbs). I was out for ~5 hours on the river, mostly slow trolling and when I threw it on the charger when I got home it still said 76%. Going up river on a fairly wide slow moving section of the Columbia and I was getting maybe 2mph...

Now the cons, as a 10 ft it lacks in stability. 2 Person max, I've brought a friend and my gf on it without a problem, but I'd never bring a kid on it unless it was warm and summer and they were old enough they could swim reasonably. I'd never bring it out in overly choppy water, anything ocean is out. A trailer and a 14-16+ minimum to do that. And with water this cold a wet suit under your gear isn't a bad idea, but I didn't have one on. I keep oars mounted on it and an extra paddle, both have come in handy. I small plastic litter pail filled with rocks and water makes a great anchor and you can always dump it out to lighten the load.  My biggest fail with this thing is one time on the beach I was loading it in the truck and I dropped the front and it fell about 4 ft on to a rock and I bent part of the floor :(. No leaks, but it bugs me every time I see it, thinness is the price to pay for lightness I guess. 15hp or less in non-federal waters doesn't need to be licensed in Washington, so no registration numbers on it.

Still a little snow in parts of Eastern WA last weekend, sun was out and I had to take my coat off because it was getting warm though:




Sorry I dont have any pics of it loaded in my truck with the wheels hanging off the back :(...

Details on the fold up wheels, please!

A basic aluminum flat bottom jonboat?  

Welded vs riveted hull is always preferable - riveted hulls tend to leak over time.  

Make sure the transom is solid - tilt the motor up, give it a good shake and watch for movement in the transom.

If it doesn't have one already, put a bilge pump in it.

Make sure you have all the USCG gear required before taking it out.



State law applies.  Can't advise you much on that.



Generally, Mercury is a good safe choice.  Some models better than others.



Depends on how much battery you have.  It'll go as far as you have juice for it.



Again, state specific.

He's probably talking about these.  I have them on my Zodiac, they should fit a jon boat just fine. (they are cheaper on amazon)

boat wheels

2 stroke reliable in general? Besides weed eaters, I've never owned anything 2 Stroke I had to rely on in the middle of a big puddle.

Maybe there's a simple solution, but breaking down a mile from the boat dock seems like it would suck hard.

So I'm little leery of anything not in tip top shape motor wise.

How do you like them? Would you get them again or go a different route?

I'd need them more on "rugged terrain", wooded area set. Not so much on pavement or flat ground.

Not sure who makes them, I bought the boat boated like that with the wheels on. To raise, simply pull the lower pin, rotate then put the pin back in the top. I've taken it over some pretty rocky areas and it goes right over them (granted the boat is pretty light, I'll usually take the battery down after the boat is to the water), waders to launch help.



This is my pulley setup, I raise it up with the pulley, then use the two ratchet straps to secure it once it's lifted.

As far as batteries I'll give you an example, your mileage may vary.  I have the 15 ft Tracker pictured earlier and also this 16ft Alumicraft.  Both run MinnKota 45 trolling motors and both have Walmart Group 29 batteries.  I can troll non-stop for 8 hours plus for crappie pulling crankbaits and the batteries are still strong when I get home.  Never came close to running one down to a point it would damage the battery.  This is varying the speed from 1 to 5 depending on wind conditions and what speed the fish want the bait.  That is an old Johnson trolling motor in this picture.  It has been changed out since this was taken.
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+1

when I was about 11 or so I was in a 14 ft Jon boat in the middle of the Ohio river.  2 minutes later I was floating in the middle of the Ohio and my. Oat was on the Kentucky shoreline burning out it's water pump.

i have my grandpa's 1964 V bottom and a 9.8 Merc my dad bought around 82 or so.  Good times.  

OP, I've got around $2500 in my 17' Bass Tracker... it's been good to our family since the early 90's with minimal upkeep and has changed hands several times.

I say go for it or a Jon Boat, although more than 2 people in a Jon Boat gets tight.

And a kill switch

Get the 16' and extra wide if you can find one.

What year is the motor?

Up stream my 25 hp will go 24 mph and with the current 26, this on a calm day.

At that age they will love finding a beach or bank to play on. Tons of entertainment for them.

Grandkids love mine as well as daughter. It is a great family bonding tool

Jon boats are great for going up on a rock bank

4 stoke outboards were the solution to .gov regulations.
If the .gov didn't force them on us, I doubt they would be around.

I prefer 2-strokes.
My early 90s 15hp Merc starts on the first pull.

This guy posting in a jon boat thread.

That is a mud bank, only a few pieces of rip rap that have been strewn from the nearby boat ramp.  Water is down 4 feet for winter pool so boat dock is unusable currently.

Yep.  I have a 1969 6HP Evinrude that I got about 30 years ago from my great uncle.

I cleaned the carb and put a new water pump impeller in it and haven't had to do anything to it since.  Starts on first pull every year.

I run ethanol free gas in it and run it dry at the end of every season.

Two strokes are simple.  Simple is good.

On the boat, wide and deep is good.   15HP is a good size for fishing, and if you run into the "9.9 HP limit" lakes, a 9.9 and 15HP motors, at least on Evinrude/ Johnson motors, were the same animal other than a different carb.  A 14 ft jon boat with a 9.9 with 15HP carb is the go to boat around here.

This guy has a ton of info about outboards.

http://leeroysramblings.com/

I like them, Ii have a 14' Zodiac with a 15hp Honda 4- stroke, that's around 300lbs all told. It's easy to push around. If you are launching in soft sand like I do the balloon tire version is probably better.

Iirc, mine cost $119.  They have plastic bearings in the hub so there is no rust and they are easy to  remove and clean.

Cute pup, looks comfortable in there.

This.  Growing up, we had a 16" flat bottom aluminum with a 25 horse 2 stroke Evinrude with a tiller.  25 years later, my dad still has that boat same old boat with a 4 stroke  tiller on it.  I have caught hundreds of fish and shot dozens of ducks out of that boat.  It is more than sufficient to just get on the water.  As kids we could ski behind it, but once we got about 140-150 pounds, it would no longer pull us up.

You would not believe the abuse that thing has taken.  One morning, we were heading from the boat ramp to the place we hunt ducks on Richland-Chambers reservoir just south of Dallas.  There is a train track that cuts across the lake on a concrete dike, maybe 8-10 feet above the water, with the occasional bridge so boats can cross under.  One foggy morning, we were struggling to see our hands in front of our faces, and using the spot lights only made matters worse.  We were going along slowly, and my dad said, "I think the tracks are around here somewhere".  ABout 5 seconds later, there is a loud bang, and the bow flies up in the air, and the dog that had been sitting on the front platform was suddenly in my lap... we had found the train tracks.  Nothing but some scratches on the aluminum.

This is sound advise...

Yes same same

Ha ha ha He stalks me

From my experience:  You only need state tags if you will be on state waterways.  Don't buy too small...your boys will grow and little people moving around in a boat need stability.  Get a fair sized trolling motor and battery.  Also a good set of oars for when the motor goes down.  Take enough gas.  Be safe with that gas.  Life vests.  Tell people back home your plans/places/times. 

My boy and I had some really good times in the little boats I had.  He's grown and lives states away, and I would give a lot to be out on the water with him again.

Awesome, thanks.

you are definitely in jon boat country down there.....  you really dont want one smaller than a 16x48  a true 4 foot bottom or 5 ft bottom is best and the highest sides you can get, pass on those low 16" sided boats....

dont be afraid of a old beater riveted hull to fix up if the price right, no big mystery to fixing one up, a newer motor and rebuilt trailer will give you years of happiness.....as you see a bunch of us are old hands at fixing them up... post up any prospects and we can chat about the pros and cons of it.

You and your boys are going to have a lot of fun. The most important advice you have been given here is to look at the manufactures name and weight limit that has to be affixed to the boat. Many jon boats will be dangerous in a hurry when you add the weights of you and your boys and gear. Add up your total weight and some boats will shock you with that simple fact. Usually a less expensive boat will only be rated for at most 400 lbs. Spend enough the first time to be safe.

What is a "jon boat" as per OP's definition... I see a lot of people posting up about things that wouldn't be called jon boats from what my experience in the south is. 

As far as rivets vs welded, nothing wrong with rivet boats, especially ones that haven't been beat up.  My old rivet hull smokercraft as mentioned is old as dirt, and doesn't leak. Reason being it's a quality heavy duty boat, and it's never been over powered (larger engine than rated for) or ran super hard.  So if you're just going to be putting around rivets are fine, and as mentioned an easy fix if you do run into problems. 

Welded is great too, especially if you're going to be treating it rougher. Up where I live it's pretty common to weld up the old rivet boats, reinforce them, and build giant jet outboards on them (jet boats need more HP to go the same speed as prop boats more or less). Once you start adding speed, weight, and slamming into wakes or hitting stuff like rocks or logs with any significant shock, then rivets are not the best choice. 

Haha you CANNOT leave home without her.  SHE KNOWS when you're going fishing.  If it floats she's riding in it.
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These above questions are very important in deciding on an aluminum boat.

I have a 1542 semi v, welded Waco with a 25hp evinrude.  It's been a great little boat for getting into shallow back waters for duck hunting and fishing. I feel you personally might want something a little wider and longer if you're gonna have 3 people slinging rods around.  If your main purpose is fishing,  you might look into the aluminum bass boat style with casting decks and a side console for comfort.

OP I don't know how old you are or for certain what state you're in, but many states now require you to take a. Boater course if you are born after a certain year.  Something you need to check into if you are completely new to boats.

The GD hates all boats, but I love them. Most of the best days of my life have been on a boat. Yeah, they cost money, but so does a bay at the range.

I grew up in an 8 foot with a 5hp Evinrude on the back.

Riveted.

We beat that thing senseless.

If we stopped to fish you just had to crank the motor, yank the drain plug, and get on plane long enough to drain the boat every 30 minutes or so.

No. They are anemic. I have a 20 jet, which is a 25 with a prop on tunnel hull. It goes way faster and actually gets out the water with a 9.9 regular prop motor compared to hardly moving with the 20 jet.
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Mine is on the left. Love it.

That's a you problem, not a boat problem. 

Jon Boats are awesome, super easy to build it the way you want. I did mine with scrap aluminium and EVA foam mat.

my $.02 if we are talking 16' jon boats......

Riveted are better, much lighter weight.

As has been mentioned with kids get the extra wide extra deep if you can. They will fall out of it at some point.

Consoles suck on a 16', eat up deck space. Stick with a tiller, much better steering response in tight spots, less weight, less mechanical linkages to break.

Get a 24V trolling motor, GPS even better. I don't even carry an anchor on mine anymore. Worth every penny if you fish, Xi5 is awesome.

Used outboards can be a royal PITA. Be careful. Id save and buy new with a warranty. I think evinrude's is 10 years now.

Get the biggest outboard the boat is rated for.

Gunna have to put some kind of floor in it. Bare aluminum gets stupid hot in the sun. I like the EVA foam mats as they are grippy, don't get hot, and quiet movement well. Cheap and easy to replace also. Cut with a scissors and glue em down.

LED lights are your friend. They are cheap and use no power. I get mine on ebay for dirt cheap.

Unless you are keeping a bunch of livebait in the boat, skip the livewell. Eats up more space and lots of weight when full.  I'm guessing you won't be fishing bass tournaments with it either. I use a cooler if I'm taking livebait out in mine. I prefer my fish on ice if I'm keeping some for supper, not stuck in a 90deg livewell

@perch_44
I'm in the same situation, interested to hear your assessment based on his responses.

If you are mechanically inclined, the old 2 strokes can be bought and refurbished for a song, and are super reliable.

I have a 1976 Johnson 9.9 that starts up on the 1st or 2nd pull every single time, and is light enough for me to carry around with one hand.

I found it on Craigslist 6 years ago for $200. I'm sure I've spent less than $1k total on that motor in 6 years.

Don't be afraid of riveted boats. We have 10, 16ft Mirrocrafts in our rental fleet that are going on their 9th season and none of them leak. They all have Mercury 8hp 4-strokes on them and don't go very fast at all. In fact they won't get on plane with a full load out but are practically bullet (rental customer) proof.

IM me if you have any questions on outboards.
<----Boat mechanic.

I think I could figure it out. Especially if you're available for trouble shooting.

You guys with boats on trailers, what length do you have and does it fit in your garage?

I have a standard two car garage in a subdivision so it will have to be stored inside the garage to keep my pee pee from getting smacked by the HOA.

Aside from going out and measuring them to see what boat + traielr length is I have no idea if I need to limit myself to 12-14ft or if I have plenty of room to spare.