Crazy thinking?

[Jkern]

Long time lurker, first time post...

I have come acrossed a 1648 Jon for pretty cheap and I have this crazy thought of cutting the boat in half lengthwise and making it a 1660 or wider. With proper bracing is this doable? Or are welds along the bottom of a boat to weak to handle the pounding?

Yes, buying a wider boat is the best way. But finding somebody to sell a wider hull at a reasonable price in these parts is almost impossible and buying a new hull is definitely something I don't want to do.

The boat will primarily be used bowfishing, which needs a wider boat for stability due to standing on elevated platforms.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

It has been done before. I don't remember if it was successful.

 

[bigredxlt]

There is a guy on this forum who chopped a 12 footer and added width, so its possible but its definitely labor intensive. If the wider boats are that much more expensive in your parts, you might as well look elsewhere. Maybe where the demand is lower.

 

[Jkern]

Did a lot of google time and found 2 boats done like this. 1 was welded and they made it into a heck of a nice boat. The other was riveted and they used the 3m marine adhesive, but their was no follow up on how it worked. I could see the riveted option working if the bracing was right. The report from the welded boat was it was a pain in the butt to weld such thin aluminum.

 

[heron2000]

keep looking - you will find what you want - it will just take time - if you see one in a back yard stop and ask