Stability of a jon 1232 and other basic newbie ?'s

[SteveH]

Hello,
What a cool forum! I purchased an old Sears 12' 32" bottom jon boat. My only intent was to have something more stable to change our pond filter. As an amateur wildlife photographer, it dawned on me . . . this boat would be perfect (?) for floating/trolling our smaller rivers and trolling around our local reservoirs and lakes. I am clueless though about how stable it is, I've been in boats only a handful of times in the last 15 years. The sides seem shallow. The biggest lakes I'd put it in (on a calm day) would be Pymatuning Reservoir and LaDue Reservoir, cruising the edges (I think Pymatuning is 17,000 acres, but lots of nooks and crannies) The other lakes are much smaller (Punderson, East Branch and the Grand River in NE Ohio).
It would be my wife and I, trolling motor, battery ( &spare battery?) oars, anchor, other small misc stuff and my camera equipment. I have no intention of standing up for photography. The boat is a Sears Model 61813, SN MA221003454, 12' long, 32" on the bottom, 46" at the widest point rail to rail, and the sides are about 12" high, 440 lbs. rated capacity. Once our pond melts (2 acres) we can get a feel for it on calm water but I have no idea what this boat can handle. Plus I don't want to find out the hard way with my camera and lenses at the bottom of the lake or get "swamped" by 6" waves.
Is there a boat that maybe more stable I should be looking at or this fine for fair weather? It seems we'll be right at the weight limit with the two of us, battery, trolling motor, etc. I welcome your experienced input.
Thanks, SteveH

 

[earl60446]

12/32 john boat and stable do not go together. You could easily be swamped by the wake off another boat.
Tim

 

[Colbyt]

I hope you swim and that shoot Pentax WR cause if you put

It would be my wife and I, trolling motor, battery ( &spare battery?) oars, anchor, other small misc stuff and my camera equipment.

in that boat that is what is going to happen.

 

[ggoldy]

When your pond thaws, put on your life jacket, grab the oars, and see how it performs. I have a 1436. While it's more stable than I thought, i still consider it a wide, flat bottomed canoe. It does what I want it to. but I won't take it out on choppy water.

 

[SteveH]

Oh my . . . Okay. This is why I ask, I don't know. I'll play with it in our pond (always w/lifejackets) and see if it's like a canoe or worse.
I just liked the idea of tossing it in the pick up truck and carrying it to the waters edge and floating off. I guess if I keep it, I'll have to keep it on the calm small lakes (electric motors only) and gentle rivers.
Is there anything that would be more stable that would remain portable (fit in a pick up?)
Are the V-hull jon boats more stable with deeper sides?
I appreciate the input, thanks . . .

 

[RustyGoat]

Calm day with no other boats you might be alright but a ski or bass boat flying by at 40 mph is going to cause you to go swimming.

Have you considered a kayak? I had one before I bought my boat that I fished out of. Easy to haul and allowed me to get to a lot of places that I wouldn't have been able to get to otherwise. I even had a trolling motor on mine for short time. I only switched to a boat because I wanted to get out into the main lake (Indian and St. Marys) and my kayak wasn't one of the self bailing sit on tops and I was afraid of being swamped by all the boat traffic. With all the money I sunk into this boat I wish I would have just bought another kayak.

 

[bobberboy]

Years ago my brother and I spent hundreds of hours fishing out of a 12' Lund V-hull with a 5hp motor. It fit into the back of the pickup easily and was fine in moderate wind/waves and boat traffic. Later I bought a 1232 jon for the same reasons you cite but decided I didn't want to watch my gear etc. sink to the bottom. One time a large speed boat did a slow turn around me creating a tsunami. Usually if you turn into the wake and power up the boat will ride the crests and aside from getting splashed and an increased heart rate, no harm done. In this case I wasn't quick enough and as the boat tipped down from the crest of the first wave the second came over the front of the boat. It was a near thing and made me decide to get a larger boat. If you could control the conditions on the lake you'd be fine but there are a lot of rude (and often drunk) boaters on the lake and they'll do a lot of scary things without regard to those around them. I like jon boats because they can go places others can't but there is a down side as well.

 

[Colbyt]

SteveH » Today, 09:06[/url]"]Oh my . . . Okay. This is why I ask, I don't know. I'll play with it in our pond (always w/lifejackets) and see if it's like a canoe or worse.

Are the V-hull jon boats more stable with deeper sides?
I appreciate the input, thanks . . .

Probably, if you remain seated. My son and I fished out of an old 12 with just a trolling motor and single battery before I upgraded. As long you remained seated it was stable enough. IMO: 16' canoe = 1, 12' 48" beam v-hull =5, 14' 67" beam=9 on the 1-10 stability scale. The v-hull would be easy to load and carry than a canoe.

 

[jigngrub]

Think surfboard.

 

[Kismet]

I recognized the tone in your "I'll put on life jackets and see how it goes" statement. It translates into "I paid for this thing and most likely I'll be able to do the kind of thing I want to, so these guys are probably right, but I'm not asking much of the boat."

Fine. Your boat, your choice.

But since you asked:

Don't spend money, just clean up the 12'32", put it on Spring Craig's list from about mid-March on, and spend some time finding a 12' semi-v for about the same cost.

A clean boat, maybe with vanished transom and/or seats, presented well, will sell itself.


Be safe, have fun, don't self-delude.

 

[SteveH]

Kismet » 01 Feb 2014, 22:21[/url]"]I recognized the tone in your "I'll put on life jackets and see how it goes" statement. It translates into "I paid for this thing and most likely I'll be able to do the kind of thing I want to, so these guys are probably right, but I'm not asking much of the boat."

mmm . . . not quite [-X
I appreciate everyones input, and thanks.
The Sears 1232 jon (in decent shape) I ended up with was purchased at a small auction for $120. I actually purchased it to have a better boat to change our pond filter instead of our little pedal "fun" pond boat. While hiking the shores of some of the local lakes photographing birds and eagles, it dawned on me, hey . . . wildlife, waters edge, birding, all adds up to great photos by quietly floating along lakes and rivers, no trees to clutter shots of eagles, hawks and ospreys, AND i have a boat that (could?) work! So here I am asking questions.
I painted the boat yesterday a nice shade of murky water/ olive drab. I have no commitment to this boat what so ever, all I'd like to do is remain portable, back of the truck kind of portable. If I do end up using this boat, it would be on small lakes which do not allow gas motors and only very small boats, most of which it'd be me and maybe a total of a few others on a quiet lake. I've been poking around looking for V hull aluminum boats. I have no problem selling what I've got and upgrading, stability wise.
Testing it in our pond will give me some idea how to interpret "unstable." I've been in canoes (don't remember the sizes) and actually thought they were stable, on calmer waters of course. I just need to get a feel of what these things are like. Heck, it may not make it that far, I may end up with something else before the ice melts.
Thanks again for the input.

 

[BrazosDon]

I tipped a 12'X32'' Alumacraft on the side and experienced a partial sinking. I went ahead and rolled out of the boat to keep from fully completing the inevitable. I held on the side until I got some help. I am 6' and 200lb, I just lost my balance reaching for the bait bucket. I now have a 14'X48'' with an 18hp Evinrude and it is very stable.

 

[SumDumGuy]

If it doesn't have a big hole in the bottom the boat will float.
If you're not up doing PT in the thing it will also be fun to put around the lake.

When you get it out on the water you'll figure out how much "messing" around you can do.

 

[hawghunters]

I have a 1432 and bass fished local tournaments out of it. I've had me and my buddy slamming back on fish deep in heavy cover and I haven't tipped it. Keep in mind I'm younger and physically active, if you're mostly taking pictures, you should be fine. Use this as a starter boat and if you later think you're getting into it more, upgrade to a 16+ ft. Goodluck

 

[1957Crestliner12]

It would be my wife and I, trolling motor, battery ( &spare battery?) oars, anchor, other small misc stuff and my camera equipment.

...with the emphasis on "my wife and I".

A 1232 is a single person boat at best...make that a "lightweight" single person.

I fish out of a 1236 v-hull and I'm 5'10" 205 lbs with a 65 lb group 29 battery, trolling motor, anchor, 3 rod/reel combos, tackle, cooler, etc...I stand while motoring and fishing but I have a custom grab bar.

My boat is nothing more than a glorified aluminum kayak.

I fish alone and it's perfect for what I use it for but I could not imagine putting another person in my boat.

If you can get the wife in your boat with you I have a sneaky suspicion that will be her last trip in it.

A 1436 would be a minimum for two adults in my opinion.

If I were you I would keep the 1232 stored upside down by the pond with a tarp over it for pond maintenance, then get AT LEAST a 1432 for excursions with you and your wife. It's worth it to keep the 1232 because you won't get much for it and you can get a 14' jon anywhere and everywhere cheap.

Now...does anyone else need help with any dilemmas?....

 

[simbelle]

I use to fish the Indian River ( Intracoastal Waterway) with my wife in a 12" flat bottom Jon, 7.5hp 2 cycle Sears Gamefisher motor gear and cooler. Never once felt unsafe, tippy, or that it was overloaded. At that time I was going a lean mean 200lbs and my wife was a slim 140. ( I use to be young skinny and good looking.....now I'm just good looking!)

My project now is a 12' 42" Vhull, and I plan either a 6hp (57lb) or if it will take it a 9.8 electric start (88 lbs): 2 people, 250 and 160, bait well, gear, gas tank Battery...dont think Ican do a TM though. I previously had a 2 cycle 15hp on it.

 

[SteveH]

Once more thanks everyone for your input. After reading the responses and responses to some recent similar type posts, I think I'll be looking for a V jon with deep sides. I just rather not take a risk of losing/damaging my camera gear in the water in the event something silly/unexpected/bad happens. I have actually located locally a 12' V boat at a reasonable price and will check it out Monday. If it's in as good shape as it looks, that'll be my rig pending width and side wall measurements and weight allowance. (Weight would be me, wife, 300lbs combined, and basic gear, trolling motor, battery, anchor, etc. My shallow 12' flat bottom can be our pond maintenance rig.