What jon boat equipment to budget for?

Here is how I'd set-up a boat your describing:

#1. Definitely a 14 FT. (16 FT would be even better!) Why??

12FT Jon boats are so unstable and (generally) take so little weight to be almost useless to most fisherman, (esp a BASS fisherman who typically stands when fishing AND usually brings extra rods, tackle, a friend /family member and gear).

When buying a boat think "long-term"- meaning - You may not need the extra weight allowance or space right NOW, but, what if further down the road you DO..........??? The "what if's" tend to add up quick.......

Don't be hesitant to DRIVE quite a distance to get a good boat! The current boat I own I drove 2 hours (one way)! SO, drive (up to) 6-8 hours to get a good boat! Check this out- http://fortcollins.craigslist.org/boa/4297731854.h...

- http://cosprings.craigslist.org/boa/4311732262.htm...

NEVER buy new! New boats depreciate IMMED once they are driven off the lot. Used is the best deal 98% of the time.

#2. Motor??? You should have a small gas motor on the transom, (period). Why???

Ever been far from the ramp and a storm rolled up on you? In other words, the fish were biting hard and you decided to stay "just a couple more minutes" before the storm hit...???? Having a gas motor will allow you that "few extra minutes", (or hour) to SAFELY get back to the ramp without mishap. A 14FT Jon/V-Jon will (generally) take a 9 HP motor with absolutely NO problem, (AND they are easy to remove from the transom and physically carry, if need be...)

If your mainly Bass fishing go with a Bow mount trolling motor. Why?? It's MUCH easier to manipulate and steer a bow mount motor than a stern mount.

Brands?? Minn Kota and Motorguide are totally different. Each have their own Pro's & Con's. (Personally, I like Motorguide. Why?? They actually have the LB thrust they advertize. What does that mean??? Minn kota motors are typically LESS powerful than Motoroguide motors of the same LB thrust. BUT, Minn Kota's have other "bells & whistles" that can make up for this...choose carefully...)

#3. Get a Finder with a GPS unit! Sidefinding and fancy depth finding features are nice, but, knowing the exact location of Offshore structure is MUCH more important. Humminbird and/or Lowrance.

#4. You can go with a 24 Volt OR 12. BUT, speed can be important on certain days- esp if you only get 1-2 days per week to go fishing and want to get in a few hours before the (hypothetical) storm arrives! 50 LB thrust (at least) for a 14 FT WIDE. (Speaking of WIDE- DON'T buy a "Skinny" Jon- they are more unstable than a canoe!)

Hope this helps?

UPDATE: Bummer!

If you MUST car-top AND carry in, instead of a Jon I'd suggest a wide squareback canoe. Why???

#1. Loading and unloading a 12-14 FT Jon off the top of your SUV/car will RUIN the paint job and be extremely difficult to do, (by yourself).

(Heck getting a 14 Jon in/out of the back of a pick-up can be a workout!- esp at the end of the day!)

And it's almost always the loading that stinks- (esp when your trying to load in the dark after a long day of fishing!).

Loading (even a heavy) canoe is much easier, and generally won't ruin your cars paint job because the gunwales of the canoe are made of plastic.

The Old Town Squareback Sportsman series is an excellent boat- http://www.gearbuyer.com/products/old_town_canoe_o... and has the weight allowance and stability to easily fish 2 people WITH a large (180-200 reserve minute) 12 Volt battery and a 50 LB thrust trolling motor.

(Because it's a canoe, you would then mount the trolling motor on the stern and use a paddle as your trolling motor....)

The Con???????- Even though the Sportsman is designed for standing- I would not suggest it..........any canoe (without stabilizers) is going to be a sit-down affair only......

Why does this matter?? Some people have a tough time adjusting to sitting while fishing- esp if they are a Bass fisherman and want to Flip!

The Pro's??????-

#1. Loading/Unloading

#2. Increased stealth

#3. Increased mobility

I had a tricked-out 16FT SQB Canoe years ago and it was a fish catching MONSTER. (I caught MANY a 8LB Bass out of that boat) Why was it so good?

I was able to get into waters NOBODY could get into!- Old ponds & digs along the Hwy's, backwater creeks and ponds OFF the main lake systems, ETC- places that the fish had NEVER seen a lure! (Ever caught 100 fish in one day?- smile!)

Not to mention how stealthy it was compared to (say) a Bass Boat or even a Jon boat.

I ended up eventually getting a small trailer, adding cush swivel seats, a fish finder, and (of course) a trolling motor. It was the "Cadillac of Canoes"! My car could easily pull that canoe/trailer- and when I needed to load/unload at a un-improved ramp I just took the trailer OFF the car and rolled it to where I needed to unload/load- it was very versatile. (Heck I took it up flowing rivers and streams wher a Jon would have bottomed out!)

Bottom-line??? If you get a 12 FT Jon you will absolutely hate the load AND how "tippy" it feels in the water (compared to a wide Canoe).

1

12 Foot Jon Boat

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What jon boat equipment to budget for?

So I asked this (mostly)in the boating section and wanted to run it by the Fishing people as well,, to add a couple things. It's time to get a boat to go fishing instead of my pontoon. I'm figuring on a 12-14' riveted jon boat. There's only 2 main lakes I'll be fishing. One...

12ft Jon Boat

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the only one i found is a sheriff We’re not trying to set up an armada,” Assistant Sheriff Carter Weaver said. Despite that disclaimer, the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office asked for and received approval last Tuesday to spend $192,000 on five new boats, refurbishing another and adding them to its already-existing four boats. Other items add $110,000 to the spending request, for a total of $302,000. Georgetown County Council members approved Weaver’s request for Sheriff Lane Cribb to spend the money from the Sheriff’s Office fund balance of a little more than $500,000. Funds are currently available and none of the items have a recurring cost associated with them, a statement from Cribb said. “The purpose of the Sheriff’s request is to use the fund balance for law enforcement purposes,” Weaver said. “We waited until we learned that homeland security funding will be zero dollars for local law enforcement,” Weaver said. No one made any mention of past budget battles where the Sheriff’s Office had a perennial shortfall and County Council had to add money to the law enforcement budget in other years. The four jon boats, with 15 h.p. motors and trailers, will cost about $24,000. Another $68,000 will be used to refurbish a 25-foot Boston Whaler boat and provide it with two new 200 h.p. motors. Adding to the fleet will be a 27-foot marine patrol boat, motor, trailer and equipment for $80,000. Along with the various watercraft, Weaver asked for $18,000 to buy two 4-wheelers and trailers for beach patrol purposes. There are already several ATVs in the department’s inventory. Someone previously donated a motor home to the Sheriff’s Office, Weaver said. It’s in superb condition, but he estimates it will take $20,000 to make it into a mobile command post. That would apparently be the second mobile command post for the department. To secure all of these items, Weaver included $30,000 for a metal building to be erected on the property behind the Sheriff’s Office on North Fraser Street at the old Bynum Center. The building would be approximately 60 by 40 feet by 14 feet high. The Sheriff’s Office has about 8,000 items of evidence, and that inventory needs to be computerized. The inventory would also include existing desks, chairs, computers and other items. Weaver estimated the cost for an evidence control system at $10,000. Another $16,000 would be used to purchase two computer servers. When the Sheriff’s Office got its first Tazers in 2005, they were designed as a non-lethal means of subduing subjects. That has turned out to be the case, Weaver said. His budget request includes $20,000 to purchase 20 more Tazers. “Since their issuance, we have had zero officers injured and zero bad guys injured,” he said. There’s also $10,000 in the request to fund the application process for the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). Another $10,000 is in the supplemental budget item for training and enrichment. “We have leadership issues and management issues,” Weaver said. “We put in the training (funding) to instill in our officers and deputies the importance of leadership, doing the right thing, and making good decisions

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Good question, I have no idea.