sisko
New member
I wish I could say that I am a longtime reader/lurker of this forum, but to be honest I just found it a week ago. During the last week I have read as much as I can and most nights gone to bed with a headache from reading and looking so much. I am truly amazed at the transformation of all the conversations and modifications of all the boats. There are some extremely talented people on this forum. After a few days of seeing all these amazing Jon boat I got inspired to find myself a Jon boat to modify. Now to be fair I had been wanting a Jon boat for sometime and had been squirreling away some cash to buy one, so I intensified my search. In just a day or two I was able to find a decent deal on a somewhat local (2 hour drive) Jon boat that caught my eye. After several texts back and forth with the seller and myself we agreed to meet today to view the boat and the possible purchase of the boat. The pictures are the pictures the seller send me of the boat. However, the boat looked my better in person. I will add new updated pictures once I take some.
So now that I have a Jon boat it is time to start my project. Of course after seeing all the great looking boats on this forum I have thousands of ideas running through my head. As much as I want to jump in an get started modifying I know that I really need to plan my modifications.
So to start with I need to define the use of the boat. I believe that I will use the boat for fishing 85% of the time, but would like to utilize it for duck hunting 15% of the time. But, as I become a better duck hunter I assume that I will use it more and more for duck hunting.
Here a list of what I believe I want to do or add to the boat:
1 - Live well. I would prefer to add a live well to the boat and not use a portable (modified cooler) live well.
2 - Use aluminum for the modification(s) (plates, tubing, and angle). I am sure that wood would be cheaper and easier to work with, but I work in a huge fabrication shop, and will/can have used of fabrication equipment. I am by no means a fabricator, but to have access with those whom are very skilled in their craft.
3 - Casting decks front and rear and both with pedestal seats.
4 - trolling motor (of course got to have that)
5 - convert from a tiller steer to side remote steer if possible. Not even sure if this can be done.
6 - add aluminum tread plate to the inside bottom of the boat
7 - I do not want carpet added to the boat in any form.
I also would like to use the boat as much as I can during the summer, so it will be a challenging project. I am sure there will be a thousand question I will need to ask in the coming days, weeks, and months. So I would like to think everyone in advance for their help.
So now that I have a Jon boat it is time to start my project. Of course after seeing all the great looking boats on this forum I have thousands of ideas running through my head. As much as I want to jump in an get started modifying I know that I really need to plan my modifications.
So to start with I need to define the use of the boat. I believe that I will use the boat for fishing 85% of the time, but would like to utilize it for duck hunting 15% of the time. But, as I become a better duck hunter I assume that I will use it more and more for duck hunting.
Here a list of what I believe I want to do or add to the boat:
1 - Live well. I would prefer to add a live well to the boat and not use a portable (modified cooler) live well.
2 - Use aluminum for the modification(s) (plates, tubing, and angle). I am sure that wood would be cheaper and easier to work with, but I work in a huge fabrication shop, and will/can have used of fabrication equipment. I am by no means a fabricator, but to have access with those whom are very skilled in their craft.
3 - Casting decks front and rear and both with pedestal seats.
4 - trolling motor (of course got to have that)
5 - convert from a tiller steer to side remote steer if possible. Not even sure if this can be done.
6 - add aluminum tread plate to the inside bottom of the boat
7 - I do not want carpet added to the boat in any form.
I also would like to use the boat as much as I can during the summer, so it will be a challenging project. I am sure there will be a thousand question I will need to ask in the coming days, weeks, and months. So I would like to think everyone in advance for their help.
