Has anybody noticed the absence new Jon boats under 15ft for sale?

[oleredbeard]

This may have already been asked but has anybody else noticed a complete absence of new aluminum boats under 15ft for sale?
I buy all mine used anyway and usually go through a couple a year fixing up and flipping but recently wanted to build a new project boat and figured what the heck... lets see if I can find a 1542 or a 15ft anything and check some prices. Nothing. I couldn't find anything in stock and just about everybody who used to make them no longer offers or doesn't have them actually in stock anywhere. Just bigger stuff.

 

[Crazyboat]

From what I've been told the major players don't make enough money on smaller aluminum boats to justify their build at this time. If the price of aluminum falls they will restart production again.

 

[Stand Up]

Try searching out a Marlon Jon boat. 12 and 14 foot jons are offered.

https://www.marlonproducts.com/products/boats/jon-boats/

 

[Smokey101]

I put a lot of blame on the popularity of kayaks

 

[pathunter]

Try searching out a Marlon Jon boat. 12 and 14 foot jons are offered.

https://www.marlonproducts.com/products/boats/jon-boats/

For a while, there was a shortage of aluminum available and what was available went into higher profit pontoon boats. You might also have noticed a shortage of 15" 9.9 HP through 20 HP (especially with remotes) outboards also. They were making the 20"'s for the pontoons.

 

[Ray Clark]

From what I've been told the major players don't make enough money on smaller aluminum boats to justify their build at this time. If the price of aluminum falls they will restart production again.

This...although I doubt they'll restart even if the price of aluminum falls. There's a fairly decent YouTube vid on the subject: Wayne the Boat Guy. The video even highlights that many makers still carry the jon boat lines in their catalogs, but they're not likely to ever make them again.

There is a fairly vigorous used market out there for smaller jon boats. There are thousands of of unused jon boats behind people's houses, lying derelict in the woods, or even buried under a bunch of junk in garages. Enough of those make their way onto Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace to keep new boats from ever being very expensive. Since these craft are so simple and relatively easy to rehab, their presence in the boat marketplace will always mean that profit margins on new jon boats will stay so low that boat manufacturers are unlikely to restart production on the smaller jon boats.

 

[sonny1]

Small fishing boat is a perfect match for me. Retired and plan on using the boat about three times a week. Boat ramp that leads to Eufaula lake {Oklahoma} is about 5 miles away from the house. Easy to launch and recover, eight horsepower mercury outboard easy on gas consumption, 14 foot mod V lonestar should run shallow enough to get where the fish are during the spring. Will be fishing solo most of the time so really have no need for a larger boat. The boating industry is no different from others in their market strategy. Big and loaded with fancy equipment with a high price tag is good for profits. They must convince you that is necessary in order to enjoy fishing. While out fishing in my little boat might pop open a coors from the ice chest and think about it.

 

[user 33212]

Try searching out a Marlon Jon boat. 12 and 14 foot jons are offered.

https://www.marlonproducts.com/products/boats/jon-boats/

Lowe still sells smaller ones. I just bought a 12 ft. It was challenging finding it though. If I hadn’t found it in stock 3-1/2 hours away, I would have had to order it and I would have had to wait until September.

 

[Smokey101]

Small fishing boat is a perfect match for me. Retired and plan on using the boat about three times a week. Boat ramp that leads to Eufaula lake {Oklahoma} is about 5 miles away from the house. Easy to launch and recover, eight horsepower mercury outboard easy on gas consumption, 14 foot mod V lonestar should run shallow enough to get where the fish are during the spring. Will be fishing solo most of the time so really have no need for a larger boat. The boating industry is no different from others in their market strategy. Big and loaded with fancy equipment with a high price tag is good for profits. They must convince you that is necessary in order to enjoy fishing. While out fishing in my little boat might pop open a coors from the ice chest and think about it.

Sounds like you have a great plan!

 

[PriceTR24speed]

This...although I doubt they'll restart even if the price of aluminum falls. There's a fairly decent YouTube vid on the subject: Wayne the Boat Guy. The video even highlights that many makers still carry the jon boat lines in their catalogs, but they're not likely to ever make them again.

There is a fairly vigorous used market out there for smaller jon boats. There are thousands of of unused jon boats behind people's houses, lying derelict in the woods, or even buried under a bunch of junk in garages. Enough of those make their way onto Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace to keep new boats from ever being very expensive. Since these craft are so simple and relatively easy to rehab, their presence in the boat marketplace will always mean that profit margins on new jon boats will stay so low that boat manufacturers are unlikely to restart production on the smaller jon boats.

Just went down the used boat rabbit hole. Yes there are 100’s of good used Jon boats out there - problem is maybe 1 out of 100 has a clean title or registration available. In Texas that is a deal killer if you are going to use the boat on any public water. It is a huge PITA to title a boat without clean ownership history and documentation, and same goes for motors & trailers. I assume the reason behind the strict title laws is the rampant theft, but sure leaves a bunch of great boats & motors to rot in backyards…..

 

[RStewart]

Small fishing boat is a perfect match for me. Retired and plan on using the boat about three times a week. Boat ramp that leads to Eufaula lake {Oklahoma} is about 5 miles away from the house. Easy to launch and recover, eight horsepower mercury outboard easy on gas consumption, 14 foot mod V lonestar should run shallow enough to get where the fish are during the spring. Will be fishing solo most of the time so really have no need for a larger boat. The boating industry is no different from others in their market strategy. Big and loaded with fancy equipment with a high price tag is good for profits. They must convince you that is necessary in order to enjoy fishing. While out fishing in my little boat might pop open a coors from the ice chest and think about it.

Love Eufaula. Fished many tournaments on that lake.

 

[sonny.barile]

This may have already been asked but has anybody else noticed a complete absence of new aluminum boats under 15ft for sale?
I buy all mine used anyway and usually go through a couple a year fixing up and flipping but recently wanted to build a new project boat and figured what the heck... lets see if I can find a 1542 or a 15ft anything and check some prices. Nothing. I couldn't find anything in stock and just about everybody who used to make them no longer offers or doesn't have them actually in stock anywhere. Just bigger stuff.

https://www.marathonboat.com/

 

[Still Afloat]

I recently purchased a new 1448M Lowe Jon boat in Spokane (Eastern Washington.) Around here it’s the dealers that don’t want to stock them because of the lower margin on a smaller sale. In the <16 ft category the only brand available was Lowe. Honestly, I would have preferred another brand.

 

[-CN-]

The smallest ones I've seen that you can actually still order are G3 boats. I recently ordered a 15 foot.

 

[ruffhunter]

weldbilt

 

[Al U Minium]

I put a lot of blame on the popularity of kayaks

Yep, and I would add inflation which for everything I seem to spend my money on has either doubled or up to five times or more than pre pandemic.

I gave up wanting a new outboard even though my wife authorized the expenditure. But I could not do it without gasping for air, so I keep fixing the ones I have.

Finally, my 1968 Mirrocraft still looks new and it is built strong.

 

[flatheadsteve]

I just traded in a 1979 1436 polar kraft and the dealer was happy to have it. He said it wouldn't last a week there's a big demand for small affordable tins but with supply shortages and price increases manufactures are only building the bigger boats. I'll miss that old boat but taking the kids out is a lot easier on the new rig.

 

[Rickman]

I just saw this old post. Ive noticed. It was a real pain finding a 1648 Lund last year. I had to go all the way to North Carolina from texas to get it to avoid a $2,000 freight charge. Spent $600 on gas. I have a 2008 1542 Alumacraft with a cracked transom sitting in the backyard now (titled of course). Not gonna let that one go for under a $1,000. No trailer.