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Old 08-14-2020, 08:20 PM
Bob A Bob A is offline
 
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Default Need some advice about boats

Was wondering about a 16’ tracker Jon boat with a 40 hp motor. Would it be suitable for Cold Lake and the surrounding smaller lakes. I know very little about boats. Except canoes. Thanks
Bob
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Old 08-14-2020, 09:09 PM
Yukongold Yukongold is offline
 
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Boats with scowl fronts are river boats and do not perform well in heavy afternoon chop. It is very difficult to get a boat that will perform well in a variety of applications. Deep V lake boats perform well with prop drive outboards and Jon boats perform well on rivers with jet drives because of their flat bottoms and scowl fronts. Determine what you want to do with the boat before you purchase the machine.
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Old 08-15-2020, 04:35 AM
Fishwhere Fishwhere is offline
 
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Do not get a john boat for what your planning.

Im biased towards crestliner, welded hulls, lifetime warranty.
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Old 08-15-2020, 07:39 AM
Poppa Poppa is offline
 
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I just can't imagine owning a Jon boat anywhere other than a dead calm bass lake in the States. For lakes with any kind of wind, it would be terrifying. Deep V all the way....
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Old 08-15-2020, 07:47 AM
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sns2 sns2 is offline
 
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I'd call Europa Canopy and Marine. They sell everything you may be thinking of. Inflatables too. He will give you straight answers to any questions you may have, but I don't see a jon boat being good on a rough lake.

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Old 08-16-2020, 10:28 AM
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SamSteele SamSteele is offline
 
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Jon boat has a flat bottom. Good for small ponds with no real waves. Stable in those waters and nice to stand in if you are fly casting. Downside is that it is extremely rough riding in any waves as the bottom smacks the waves instead of pushing through them.

If you are considering Cold Lake you either want something decent in size or you want to pick your days carefully. For that size of water I would choose something with a deep v hull (not all “v” hull are deep. Some are still fairly shallow which gives you the feeling of a wider boat but not a deep enough v for a smooth ride in rough water) in 17’ length or more. Try to get max rated horsepower for the hull so you can get off the lake in a hurry if a storm rolls in.

Pay attention to the structural details on any boat you consider. People get caught up in the stylish features (console, paint schemes, etc) and forget that why matters is the quality of the aluminum, amount of bracing inside, floor and transom materials, rigging tubes, etc. It’s pretty easy to make a cheap boat look expensive with a fancy dash, nice seats, and plush carpet but what you want is one that will last you.
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Old 08-16-2020, 05:14 PM
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EZM EZM is offline
 
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Since you mentioned cold lake - I'd say a deep V is your best choice for a lake that large. The bigger the boat and the deeper the V the better generally speaking.

Might be a good idea to look for a good sized used boat if your budget doesn't get you to where you want to be.

A Jon boat would be dangerous on Cold lake anywhere outside of the bays or any chop. I would suggest that's the last type of boat you should look at for cold lake. These are calm water pond boats. One wave over the tiny little side of that boat, and with no flotation that boat goes down in less than a second and is on it's way to the bottom of the lake.
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Old 08-17-2020, 02:58 PM
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EZM EZM is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sns2 View Post
I'd call Europa Canopy and Marine. They sell everything you may be thinking of. Inflatables too. He will give you straight answers to any questions you may have, but I don't see a jon boat being good on a rough lake.

Sent from my SM-A705W using Tapatalk

Speaking of Euro Canopy - they sold my friend and co-worker a Mirrocraft Boat (16ft) with flat floors, 20 inch transom, some storage pods, floatation under the seats, a trailer and 20hp outboard (Tohatsu) and a gas tank for far less than you can get anywhere else.

The 20 inch transom is a nice option is you take a tinner on some bigger water and the floatation is insurance. The flat floor kit adds weight and makes it easier to fish and move around in. It's a pretty darn great boat for what he spent (a Lund equally equipped would have been twice the money).
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Old 08-17-2020, 03:17 PM
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58thecat 58thecat is offline
 
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jon boat nope...I run a 14' crestliner, 15hp honda and enjoy the lakes around here...in fact just got off cold lake slaying lakers...14' crest or lund is ideal for just you or a buddy...throw in a potential 3 pers and I would go 16'...I like tillers and yup like to keep things simple stupid....put in a battery, fish liar, flat floor, pedestal seats and off to the races I go.....very easy for me to handle by myself...great on fuel and oh yeah catches fish!

Here is what she looks like.....15 year old boat....


IMG_3553.JPG
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