What is a Jon Boat. A Flat Bottom Boat Guide

People who live near a lake and individuals that frequent water bodies such as lakes and rivers often find themselves in need of boats. For either fishing activities or ferrying their things. Jon Boats are a perfect vessel because they are utilitarian.

What is a Jon Boat? A Jon Boat is a vessel that has a flat bottom. Its overall build is shallow and sits a few inches above the water’s surface. Due to its flat bottom structure, this boat floats effortlessly on waters that prove hard for other crafts.

Thanks to the boat’s utilitarian build, Jon Boats are the perfect vessel to ferry equipment and engage in fishing activities in shallow waters.

It’s also a good fit for maintenance works in water-filled environments when there is a need to fix dockets or install emergency swim ladders, among others.

We can say that a Jon Boat is a flat and shallow water vessel. It can have one or more benches stretching from one end to the other to turn it into a practical and usable craft.

Where does a Jon Boat Originate?

Job Boats trace their roots back in Scandinavia. It was initially called “Yawm,” which is a common name amongst Scandinavians. Fishers used these boats for hauling gear and fish to the bigger fishing boats.

In most cases, Jon boats come with a single bench where occupants can sit. It has an open hull and doesn’t have a bilge.

The Flat bottom Jon Boat is the most popular. Its simplicity and it can be designed with open ribs that can be covered to achieve a certain level and the surface is why it’s commonly used.

When should you use a Jon Boat?

When you see the sky and the waters are calm, you can take out your Jon Boat. If you risk using it outside said parameters, be ready for the wrath that may follow. The vessel is designed to ride over waves as opposed to cutting through them.

With such a design, Jon Boats are recommended for inland use on marshes, rivers, ponds, and lakes whose waters are relatively calm.

Is it possible to customize a Jon Boat?

Yes, you can. Many enthusiasts customize their Jon Boats to meet their needs and demands. The most prominent additional feature in an outboard motor on the transom. The feature allows the boat to float evenly on shallow water significantly when it’s speeding.

Additional features added to this boat include coolers, swivel chairs, and rod holders. These are features that bring extra comfort when fishing using a Jon Boat. Thanks to their flat bottom, these vessels are ideal vehicles for picnicking by the river or lake.

Bigger Jon Boat models can have more features such as additional benches, live wells, several swivel seats, and casting decks. Because they are vast and accessible to accessories, Jon Boats are inexpensive and bulletproof fishing vessels for inland water fishing.

Is a Jon Boat for water hunting?

Jon Boats are the best boating adventure vessels. Punters that love activities such as gator wrangling, crabbing with a trotline, and waterfowl hunting find that leasing or owning a Jon Boat is an ideal investment.

Besides, people who live along a marsh or river use Jon Boats for their daily commute and escape traffic and inconveniences associated with road users. Some of the reasons for owning a Jon Boat for individuals living alongside a waterbody include:

• Easy water-based hunting
• Easily traverse shallow waters
• Ideal for freshwater fishing

Below, we discuss the most popular use for a Jon Boat.

Freshwater Fishing using a Jon Boat

About 49.1 million (13.9%) Americans partake in freshwater fishing activities annually. Statistics show that freshwater fishing is the number one popular outdoor recreation activity in the U.S.

The latest published and available statistics were done by Outdoor Foundation and the Recreation Boating and Fishing Foundation before the COVID-19 pandemic place freshwater fishing activities as the most popular sport in America.

It was also reported that Jon Boat is the most preferred transport mode for individuals engaging in freshwater fishing in the United States. A Jon Boat is a vessel that many families and friends use to enjoy pleasant and relaxing fishing adventures.

A Jon Boat’s design with the flat bottom effortlessly floats on the waves at calm speeds, it becomes easy to reel in a catch without a fuss. Thanks to its simple design and size, this vessel proves to be the best for persons who fish in lakes, rivers, streams, and ponds.

A Jon Boat has plenty of space to handle sizeable hauls of fish such as rainbow trout, catfish, and largemouth bass.

Hunting in a Jon Boat

If you are an individual who loves hunting animals such as deer, duck lurking, or water bodies, Jon Boat is the best watercraft for you.

The boat’s simple yet robust design that features a shallow draft allows the vessel to squeeze in tight areas, thus helping you gain access to prime hunting spots. The vessel’s flat bottom design makes it the perfect duck hunting adventure watercraft.

Many hunters love a Jon Boat because they can easily transport it from one pond to the next. Another benefit for the Jon Boat is how practical it is for people who hunt geese in shallow waters.

Thanks to the welded aluminum design that is lightweight, hunters quickly move the boat around water bodies looking for a nice spot to hunt the wild game. After they’re done with the day, they also haul it back to shore effortlessly.

As a sportsman, pairing the Jon Boat with a mud motor not only strengthens but fastens the boat, thus making it a robust water hunting machine for inland water bodies. A Jon Boat’s build is sturdy enough to haul in hunting gear, hunters, and hunted game!

What are the advantages of having a Jon Boat?

A Jon Boat is the most affordable vessel for persons wanting to picnic or go fishing on inland water bodies, for starters. Jon Boats are the perfect water vessel for both new and experienced anglers to conduct the fishing activity on.

Another reason is their design and make; since they’re made from aluminum, Jon Boats are light and easy to carry to and from the water bodies. Jon Boats were made for use purposely on shallow waters, vessels built with the correct outboard easily navigate 6-inches with ease.

Why Purchase a Jon Boat?

A Jon Boat is a valuable vessel for conducting various ponds, marshes, rivers, and lakes. You can use it for activities such as; fishing, hunting, and picnicking.

As a Jon Boat lover, you are welcome to customize your craft. You can add extras such as swivel chairs, coolers, and rod holders. These are additions that will make you more comfortable on your next outing on a water body.

Some Jon Boat enthusiasts go as far as adding more gear and holders to accommodate more people on their next outing. The Jon Boat’s hull is relatively flat, making it a perfect bottom to hold your entire lot when fishing or hunting.

What are the pros of owning a Jon Boat?

Stability: Nothing can beat a Jon Boat when it comes to strength on shallow waters. Flat bottoms are stable on such waters because they ride on waves as opposed to cutting through them.

The flat design makes them effectively reduce the impact of the crashing wave by riding them; however, they are best used on calm waters.

Low-Cost Maintenance: Plenty of Jon Boats are curved from aluminum or fiber, thus bringing their costs down drastically. These are strong materials that make the boats utilitarian.

What are the cons of owning a Jon Boat?

Can be heavy: Modifications are to blame when it comes to heaviness. The more items are added, the more serious the boat becomes. The additional weight brought by swivel seats, benches, motor-boards, and other accessories, the heavier the boat becomes.

Disclaimer: any additional aspect of the boat should be done by boat experts to avoid the Jon Boat sinking when it hits rough waters.

Inland Machine: Despite being tough and rigid, Jon Boats should be used on inland waters ONLY. They are the perfect vessel for shallow waters and should never be used in the marina and the open sea.

Which materials are used in making a Jon Boat?

There are three types of materials used for building a Jon Boat. They include:

Wood: the first material to build a Jon Boat and is still widely used today. Wood is a preference for many boat makers because it doesn’t interfere with modern-day electrical instruments. Wood makes bare boats that are perfect for beginners.

The downside of using wood is that the boat starts rotting after a while because wood absorbs 20% moisture. Moreover, wood demands consistent curing using paint and varnish, thus driving the costs upwards.

Aluminum: this is the best material for building a Jon Boat. Not only is it light in weight, but it’s also durable. It’s easy to fix and change parts when conducting repairs. By keeping electrolysis in check, an aluminum Jon Boat will last a lifetime.

A downside of having an aluminum Jon Boat is the prices associated with aluminum, a fast-vanishing commodity. The building craft has been highly affected as the younger generation is not too keen on welding jobs.

Fiberglass: fiberglass is a robust building material. It is made with ease and can be shaped into anything without a lot of effort. The material is non-magnetic and a perfect fit for onboard electronics.

The prevailing disadvantage of this material is the materials associated with fiberglass. It attracts a very high cost to purchase and produce a Jon Boat. Due to osmosis, the fiberglass absorbs water and quickly starts delaminating the expensive gel coat.

Are there any other kinds of flat bottom boats? There are plenty of other flat bottom boats, which include the likes of:

Barge: this is a flat bottom boat built for transporting heavy equipment on canals and rivers.

Bateau: a batteau/bateau is another flat bottom boat that gained popularity during the North American fur trade when the continent was still under colonial rule.

Dory: a flat bottomed, shallow-draft boat that comes with sharp bows and high sides. The boat measures between 16 and 23ft in length.

Durham: Another flat-bottomed boat that acted as a double-ended freight boat popular in Northern Americas in the 18th century.

FlatBoat: A flat-bottom boat that is rectangular but comes with square ends. The craft was mainly used to ferry passengers and freight on inland waterways in the United States.

Gondola: A flat bottomed boat which is famously used in Venice, Italy.

Jon Boat: A flat bottomed boat made from wood, aluminum, and fiberglass. It hosts a bench that can seat 1–3 people — a perfect craft for inland waterbodies fishing, hunting, and picnicking.

Keelboat: A flat bottomed riverine cargo-capable hauling boat. It can be used as a small to a mid-sized recreational sailing yacht.

Norfolk Punt: A flat bottomed gun punts yacht popular in the 19th century sailing the Broadland waters.

Pirogue: A flat bottomed boat that is also referred to as either a Piragua or Piraga. It’s a small boat that can be associated with a dugout boat or a canoe.

Pram: A Pram or Pmm is a flat bottomed boat that has a shallow draught.

Punt: A flat bottomed boat that features a square-cut bow. The vessel is made for small rivers and shallow waters.

Pünte: A flat bottomed non-motorized boat that is popular in Germany.

Quffah: A coracle/round boat used in ancient Mesopotamia to ferry people and goods on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

Sandolo: A flat bottomed boat designed to sail on the Venitian Lagoon shallow waters.

Scow: A large flat bottomed boat designed with square ends. Its primary purpose is to transport goods and materials.

Trow: A flat bottomed cargo boat used on the Severn and Wye rivers in Great Britain to transport goods.

Are there different types of Jon Boats?

Yes. Some of the different popular kinds of Jon Boats include;

Lund Jon Boats: a flat bottomed Jon Boat that is purposely built to glide on sallow waters without a fuss during hunting and fishing seasons. The boat is ideal for duck hunting escapades because it can be carried with ease from one pond to the next.

Welded Jon Boats: These are flat bottomed boats held in place by rivets. They are sold together with a single, durable hull. They are loved for their high-strength one-piece heat-tempered extruded ribs.

What’s the difference between a Jon Boat and Bass Boat?

A Jon Boat is a simple flat bottomed boat made from either wood, aluminum, or fiberglass. Most Jon Boats come with a single, two, or three bench seat. The vessel is ideal for inland waterbodies picnicking, fishing, and hunting.

On the other hand, a Bass Boat is a small-sized boat designed, constructed, and created for pan fishing or bass fishing. The watercraft grants users the freedom to fish whenever and whatever they desire. They are the perfect vessels for electronics and casting.

The two types of vessels are ideally designed to be used on inland waters such as lakes, rivers, marshes, streams, and ponds.

The disadvantage of a Job Boat is limited seating, the likelihood of toppling over or getting wet when used in rough waters.

Bass Boats also come with their fair share of challenges, the gas prices are pretty high, and they are not the best in protecting you from weather elements. Users are required to either adorn Fish Hedz, motorcycle helmet, sunscreen, or raingear when using a Bass Boat.