Hello,

I am operating on a pretty tight budget from the Mrs. I am looking to buy an inexpensive 14' Jon Boat. I understand the difference between a welded hull and a riveted hull. However, is the riveted so much less because they will leak??? I want a small boat I can take up creeks and keep close to shore. I like the alumacraft and tracker jons, but I do not want to buy something that I will end up swimming in. Can someone please tell me what the maintenance difference is between the welded and riveted jon. Thanks.
Robert

The rivets are strong and will last for years in FRESH water. In SALT water, the rivets get corroded where they seal and will leak after a few years. Generally, the welded hulls are slightly thicker aluminum, thus weigh more. For your useage and budget, sounds like a riveted boat may be the way to go.

I personally owned about 20 aluminum boats and would not waste the money on a riveted boat.

Welded will last a lifetime! Plus it will re-sale better.

Look at a 14' length x 40" bottom, this is a stable size that two pepole can fish comfortable out of without rocking much.

Check out Alumweld, Alweld, Tracker, War Eagle, or G3.

Have to agree with catt951. Rivets will loosen up when the boat flexs from movement or twisting, which will result in a leak. Get a welded boat, well worth the money.

Razopp,
I have owned a 14' riveted jon bought used and I now have a 17'cc all welded Tracker Grizzly. The all welded boat is your better buy but is going to cost you more too. I put a lot of fish in that old 14' rivited boat and I've been from one end of Lake Lavon to the other and never worried about that getting me home.

A good riveted boat will last you 20 years if you just take care of it and don't abuse it. I have 1984 12' Alumacraft that has been used 15-20 times a year for the past 20 years and it still does'nt leak. Although, I do agree that a All-Welded boat is a better investment. But if you are just looking for small boat to use in small lakes, or rivers, a riveted boat will do just fine.

Why do these welded jon boat companies give you between 3-5 year warranty on the hull and Lund will give you a lifetime warranty on their riveted boats

If you owned a leaky riveted boat it was probably a Tracker.

Thanks for all the information. I still have not made up my mind, but I am looking at the names listed above. I will have to look into the Lund and Lowe brands. Is there a dealer that carries more than one brand of these in DFW so I may compare them side-by-side. I know BPS only carries the Tracker, but who might carry the other brands? Thanks for the help and opinions.

Robert

Duracraft has a 5 year "stumpbuster" warantee. They fix it even if u run over a stump. And a 50 year defect warantee. Does any other brand beat that?

I would certainly go with the riveted, I really like a lighter jon boat, they are faster and easier to handle, I have a a 16' jon boat that is over 25 years old and let me tell you that thing has been used, I would say close to 100 days a year up untill a few years back when I got a bass boat, now its river boat and hunting boat, in all those years I have replaced 1 rivot, its a starcraft and im not real sure that they even make them anymore. Plus in my case I would rather spend alot less money and buy 10 cent rivots in 20 years.