My new jon boat, step by step...

[dsuden]

I have pretty much wrapped up the project now. All the accessories are attached/mounted, etc.

Final checklist...

To bare bones Mirrocraft boat...added,

Trolling motor with foot control
9.8 hp Nissan outboard
Anchor light
Nav light
Bilge pump
Switch panel
Wiring, with painted PVC conduit under ribs
Cleats
Rod holders
Cup holders
Casting seat in bow
"Pilot" seat in stern
Removable center seat, free-standing, on spider-legs

Here are some pictures. The clearer-looking shot was taken downstream at a city dock. Where you see it at the L-shaped dock, that's a "finger dock" my son and I built/added this summer so we can land the jon boat "into the current."

I might do a video and add that later too, with a link, at YouTube, so we can do the visual tour.

At some point in the future, I might look at putting a side console into the boat, otherwise we'll consider it a done deal. Thanks for following the action with me and for the good advice as I was working on it.

 

[nick4203]

nice set up simple and clean

 

[Zum]

Nice job,simple and clean.

 

[dahut]

Great work

 

[Gitzet]

Very nice!

I just joined this board and I very much appreciate your sharing your project!

=D>

 

[dahut]

Is there some way to mount the battery beneath the foredeck? With all the work you did to make a CLEAR main deck, well.... the the battery kinda intrudes and spoils the effect.

Regardless, some hellacious fine work.

 

[dsuden]

Would've loved to put the battery under, but it would have required cutting a gaping hole. There's just a small stow-hole in the middle for life jackets.

 

[Gitzet]

dsuden » 09 Aug 2013, 11:06[/url]"]Would've loved to put the battery under, but it would have required cutting a gaping hole. There's just a small stow-hole in the middle for life jackets.

Just curious! Would it be possible the cut a compartment lid on the top of the front deck? So, you could drop a battery? Or, is that major surgery?

Thanks,

 

[dsuden]

Possibly, but there's another gotcha. The hull slopes up toward the bow, so it's doubtful there'd even be enough depth under the casting deck. I'm with you on that, though, that'd be great if it had been doable!

 

[Aswald]

What about doing that in some fashion and just swapping to a series of smaller size equivalent volt batteries? Someone with a little more electrical word savvy may explain it better but I believe there is no reason you couldn't take several smaller 12v or 24v batteries (don't mix the voltage) and wire them together. Done correctly and safely you essentially create one big super battery (a battery RAID if you're familiar with the term).

Or, take the life vests and mount a vertical pole ne of the back corners at a sufficient height and hang them there. It gets them out of your storage space while providing a good marker to others in the area that you'r nearby. And make sure you're not stowing more vests than you need too, lock any extras in the car before you launch. It's smart to have enough vests for the max people you'll ever have, but don't keep 4 or 5 on board when only 2 people are going out.

They aren't cheap, but you could always swap to those fancy CO2 vests you can always wear and inflate by pulling the cord, then you never need to worry storing them anywhere.

Perhaps you could remove the front seat and build a battery box under it and mount the seat on top rather than on a post? Use the area directly under the seat.

You've got a lot of floor space. Move it to the main floor and secure it against the front wall?

 

[Schreff]

Looks good... Almost just like my new 1548 sportsman.