shootandfish1
Active member
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2011
- Messages
- 32
- Reaction score
- 0
Hi Folks, I've been in the market for a jon boat (my first) for some time now and barring any bad luck I hope to finally pull the trigger.
Brief background, I am retired and want to travel the country fishing, hunting, and camping. I really like the 'Deep South' and Florida and plan on spending a lot of time during the year in the Southern US. I've been renting pontoons to fish from, but have decided to get a jon boat for now, being easier to launch and load when I'm by myself.
I'm a bigger fellow and have to have a safe, stable platform to fish from and have settled on a Sea Ark 2072, the plain jane model with just a floor and side console. I'm kind of a 'less is more' type of guy, prefer more open room and less deck.
I like the rivers and smaller waters, but I can't decide if a tunnel hull (the model made for prop outboards) is going to be that much of an advantage in shallow water. I know at planing speeds, the tunnels can run a few inches, but how about at idle and slow speeds?
If I'm in questionable water depth, I'm going to be creeping along, watching and trying to dodge objects.
At the risk of a 'stupid' comment, if a person comes to a shallow spot, why not tilt the outboard out of the water and use a trolling motor.
Thanks for your thoughts
Fred
Brief background, I am retired and want to travel the country fishing, hunting, and camping. I really like the 'Deep South' and Florida and plan on spending a lot of time during the year in the Southern US. I've been renting pontoons to fish from, but have decided to get a jon boat for now, being easier to launch and load when I'm by myself.
I'm a bigger fellow and have to have a safe, stable platform to fish from and have settled on a Sea Ark 2072, the plain jane model with just a floor and side console. I'm kind of a 'less is more' type of guy, prefer more open room and less deck.
I like the rivers and smaller waters, but I can't decide if a tunnel hull (the model made for prop outboards) is going to be that much of an advantage in shallow water. I know at planing speeds, the tunnels can run a few inches, but how about at idle and slow speeds?
If I'm in questionable water depth, I'm going to be creeping along, watching and trying to dodge objects.
At the risk of a 'stupid' comment, if a person comes to a shallow spot, why not tilt the outboard out of the water and use a trolling motor.
Thanks for your thoughts
Fred