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Professional Jon to Bass Boat Conversions?
#13300413
10/03/19 12:41 PM
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Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 491
Lee Finlay
OP
Angler
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OP
Angler
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 491 |
I've seen a lot of cool Jon boat conversions lately. I'm toying with the idea of getting one, but I don't have the skills to build it myself.
Is there anyone local who does professional conversions? I'm really only interested in help with a casting deck and extra storage. I'd wire the trolling motors and electronics myself.
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Re: Professional Jon to Bass Boat Conversions?
[Re: Lee Finlay]
#13303161
10/06/19 06:14 PM
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Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 845
IslandJim
Pro Angler
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Pro Angler
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 845 |
Lee: I personally think the aluminum boat/jon boat builders are missing a big market that would be easy for them to fill. The Technical Poling Skiff fishermen pay 10 to 30 Grand for a light, easily poled or powered hull, with a forward fishing deck, an aft deck, with or without a poling tower, and narrow side decks. The Ankona Shadowcraft 16 & 18, the Gladesmen boats, Beavertail Skiffs, and the New Water Willett(250 pounds, in carbon fiber construction), and some East Cape boats are great for skinny water fishing, and could be duplicated in aluminum very easily. All those are great designs, but they're many thousands more than an aluminum copy would cost.
I bought an old 1958 14-foot aluminum runabout and cut it down to make a flats skiff. In this forum, there's a post that says New Boat/Old Boat that shows what I did with my boat. It's a great flats fishing boat. I cut 40 pounds of aluminum off that boat!
I searched a long time for a candidate boat to modify. I didn't want a typical jon boat with a square bow. Too much pounding! Pointy bows cost a bit more to build, but give a much better ride.
A 16-foot vee-bow aluminum hull, no wider than 5 feet, with a simple deck, would be a great fishing platform for lakes, rivers and coastal marshes. Other than custom fabricators, I don't see anyone filling that market.
Good luck! IslandJim
I'm an Eighth Day Adventist. On the Eighth Day, God went fishing!
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Re: Professional Jon to Bass Boat Conversions?
[Re: Lee Finlay]
#13306983
10/10/19 02:22 AM
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Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 491
Lee Finlay
OP
Angler
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OP
Angler
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 491 |
Both builds look great! Way nicer than I'd be able to create.
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Re: Professional Jon to Bass Boat Conversions?
[Re: Lee Finlay]
#13307219
10/10/19 12:32 PM
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 909
Alumacraft 14
Pro Angler
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Pro Angler
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 909 |
Both builds look great! Way nicer than I'd be able to create. You'd be surprised! Necessity is the mother of all inventions. Start simple, draw it out on paper, then use cardboard to make a template. From there build the deck. I started with zero experience long ago and fell in love with it. Nothing better then out fishing 75k rigs in your home made jon boat. That and no huge payment at the beginning of every month! Go for it, it's an addictive blast that pays off big time!
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Re: Professional Jon to Bass Boat Conversions?
[Re: Lee Finlay]
#13308672
10/11/19 06:05 PM
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Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 845
IslandJim
Pro Angler
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Pro Angler
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 845 |
Lee: Follow Alumacraft's instructions. Make some sketches of what you want. Get some aluminum angle, some pop-rivets and build a support for whatever deck you want. Attach the deck and go catching! I got a little more daring in my conversion, but Tommar's build is neat, functional and is probably as good, or better, than what you'd buy at BassPro for many thousands more than he spent. I've got about $500 total invested in my skiff, not counting the outboard! IslandJim
I'm an Eighth Day Adventist. On the Eighth Day, God went fishing!
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Re: Professional Jon to Bass Boat Conversions?
[Re: Lee Finlay]
#13309158
10/12/19 12:15 PM
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Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 491
Lee Finlay
OP
Angler
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OP
Angler
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 491 |
I appreciate the encouragement guys, but I'm not looking to do it myself. I don't have the tools or skills, and I don't want to gain either. I'd rather find a professional that can turn the sketch into reality.
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Re: Professional Jon to Bass Boat Conversions?
[Re: Lee Finlay]
#13309559
10/12/19 08:27 PM
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 4,767
Tommar
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 4,767 |
Too bad I’m so far away. I’d give it a shot. I pretty much threw mine together going super cheap. I can do a whole lot better than this and wouldn’t charge an arm and a leg over expenses.
US Army and TXARNG 1984-2014 Gulf War 90-91 Iraq 2004-05 A'stan 2009 VFW Post Commander 2013-15
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Re: Professional Jon to Bass Boat Conversions?
[Re: Lee Finlay]
#13309966
10/13/19 01:55 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,649
spankyttx
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,649 |
lee, i've been thinking about this prospect for a while now. i have a car to work on in big irv and will be down there sometime this week. if you wanted, i wouldn't mind taking a look to see what you have in mind
LI-SI-WI-NWI
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Re: Professional Jon to Bass Boat Conversions?
[Re: spankyttx]
#13310722
10/14/19 12:51 AM
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Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 491
Lee Finlay
OP
Angler
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OP
Angler
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 491 |
lee, i've been thinking about this prospect for a while now. i have a car to work on in big irv and will be down there sometime this week. if you wanted, i wouldn't mind taking a look to see what you have in mind I appreciate the offer. It's just an idea right now. I haven't bought a boat yet. I'm still using a kayak.
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