Jon boat vs v haul

[r106]

Thinking of getting a little boat for lake fishing. Want something that i can load on the truck on my own. Looking at the 10ft marlon jon boat but ive never been in one only used a regular v hull car topper and what currently use my canoe. I do like to troll on lakes but like to fly fishing and casting into spots as well, my only complaint with the canoe is wind. Its a real pain in the ass getting blown around a lot. Looking for opinions.

[Iron Glove]

Son has a Lowe 1040, loves it.
Light, he carries it on a homemade rack on his pick up. He can single hand load it no problem.
Uses it for everything from small 4WD mtn. lakes to Osoyoos Lake and even went crabbing in Howe Sound at Porteau Cove, but he's an idiot, I'd never do that. :grin:

[BromBones]

The Marlon jon boats are super wide for their size, pretty stable for standing up & fishing. Bouncy in any sort of rough water though, they climb to the top of every wave, though not really an issue on small lakes. The 12 ft'er is a little better.

Modified v-hulls cut waves and generally handle better but are not as stable, especially standing up closer to the bow. Also most small mod-v hull boats have rounded chines, easier to roll them right up to the gunnel.

If you like fly fishing get the jon boat.

[r106]

How are jon boats for a little wind? Im not worried about waves just getting blown around. Also the max load limits on jons seem low. Most of the 10-12fts "other than marlon" range from 350-500 lbs. 2 big guys and a motor and gear can exceed that real quick. Looking at them you would think they can handle a lot more.

[Ride Red]

All boats get blown in the wind. I’ve always had Princecraft v hull boats for lake fishing, but the one I have now is a 1448mv 14’ x 48” bottom modified v hull and I’m completely happy with it. I was the last one out this spring chroni fishing in high winds with front/rear anchors; no problem ( and catching fish 8)) . Ran back wide open in the waves without issue too (20hp Merc) Marlon has improved their boats again making them wider, which equals stability. I jumped in a buddies 12’ x 32” bottom and will never go again. As soon as one guy moves, it feels like the boats going over. (We’re both 6’5” 240lb though) Go around to a few dealers and get a feel for what you like before you buy. By the way, regular square front jon boats are noisier as they don’t cut water.

[ian745]

i have a 12x36 lowe jobn boat, my favourite lake boat, i think its just over 100 lbs by itself, i can drag it around no problem i put an electric motor on it and cruise around a small local lake for 6-8 hours , , by myself the wind can suck, , i made longer wires for the battery though and throw it in the bow, as well as my gear, helps keep it down and out of the wind

ill be switching it for a vhull though as the other half would like to go for some salmon so a little upgrade is coming :( lol

[jonz]

I would look at an inflatable boat with an inflatable floor and a small outboard motor. Much more stable and lighter than a jon boat. Higher weight capacity. And safer in waves.

[lovemywinchester]

Hey r106. I fish out of Jon boats all the time. I have three. A 1040, 1648 and a bigger 1852. A really good choice is a Lowe 1240. 12 ft long. 40 inch floor for stability and big enough for two. The 1040 is a fun boat but it's cramped if you want to take someone. They are light and VERY stable. Any time you run a jon you need to set up a double anchor system to hold the boat where you want it. Put a scotty anchor mount front and back, pick up two pyramid anchors and you can plunk down on a spot and not get blown around.

[ryanonthevedder]

Had a Lowe 1032 that I loved. Tippy but so light that I could pack it alone through dense bush without effort. For some reason I thought the 10 ft marlon would fit between the wheel wells of a pickup while the 12ft would not. Something to consider if you don’t have rack

[Good2bCanadian]

I had a 1232.
Was only good for the smallest lakes.
2 dudes and a cooler full of beer and you were overweight..

[RossP]

I have the 12ft MArlon and I have no problem with it, we have mounted seats in it, have a 5hp 4 stroke motor and an electric. Never had a problem more than any other boat I have had with being blown around. Very stable, once I anchor front and rear for fly fishing I do not worry about the wind. I do have mine on a trailer as I cannot put it on my truck and get into the garage with it on the roof. Only weighs 132lbs without the motor.

[r106]

Thanks for the replies. Im hopefully going to go check out some boats this afternoon. I have the standard work headache rack with rear ladder rack most likely not wide enough but have a buddy that has an aluminum fab shop so we can make something work.

[Rieber]

Pricecraft also makes a very nice boat - sort of a hybrid. The bow and front half is v-hull but the back half of the boat transitions into a true flat bottom. The beauty of this is you get the smooth travel in rivers or heading into waves on a lake. You get a significantly quieter anchoring experience when the winds pick up. You still get the stability of a flat bottom when you stand and cast because the back of the boat is flat bottom. Now if you were looking at a one boat for everything a 12'er is capable of, this is the route I would go.
I personally like my 10' Spratley as a one-man boat. I've removed the middle bench and installed a pedestal seat but even with just myself in the boat with all the gear I think I might need, the boat ends up looking like a garage sale. That's my problem - not the boat's deficiency. If I have to take others with me or river use, then I use my super wide 12' flat bottom. If I have to pack into the lake any distance with a hill, then I opt for my 7.5' inflatable.

If you're going to take another person at times then I suggest a 12' but no narrower than 40". If you'll just be going by yourself then the 1040 class is great if you just run electric or oars. If you run a gasser then a 12'er is the better choice again.

I sometimes run a 9.9 Evinrude 2-stroke on my 10' Spratley on long travel lakes but I really don't like it. Rowing is my first choice. I sometimes use my electric but rowing is my favorite.

You have to decide what best works for you: transport, loading, handling and storage are all key factors. Don't forget to consider how you'll get your boat from vehicle to water without grinding up your boat.

[albravo2]

Boats are all about compromise. You just need to figure which compromises are important to you.

A V-hull is way better when pointed directly into waves but will get blown around just like your canoe or a jonboat if you are travelling across the wind.

I bought a 14' jonboat years ago for duck hunting and use it all summer up at the cabin. I load and unload it myself all the time without much hassle. It is a rough ride in any sort of waves but nice and stable. I think it is only rated for 360 lbs but I don't think twice about exceeding that by a significant amount. The seats are filled with foam so it won't sink even if it is swamped.