All boats are not created equal?

TinBoats.net

Help Support TinBoats.net:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

BenCoJared

Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2011
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
I was out on a small lake today here in NW Arkansas in my 10' flat bottom boat. It was free and so was the trolling motor, so I'm happy. It sits pretty low in the water with me and my stepson in it, and I figured that was normal. Until I saw another boat that was just as small as mine and it sat much higher in the water. It also had two adults in it. So, why does my little boat sit so low in the water? I have about 4 inches of boat left above water when I'm in the rear steering the boat.
Jared
 
BenCoJared said:
I was out on a small lake today here in NW Arkansas in my 10' flat bottom boat. It was free and so was the trolling motor, so I'm happy. It sits pretty low in the water with me and my stepson in it, and I figured that was normal. Until I saw another boat that was just as small as mine and it sat much higher in the water. It also had two adults in it. So, why does my little boat sit so low in the water? I have about 4 inches of boat left above water when I'm in the rear steering the boat.
Jared

Either the other boat has higher sides or weighs less. If your boat has floatation (foam), it could be waterlogged - this adds weight in a hurry. You're not carrying around a load of bricks are you? :LOL2:

My guess is the other boat was deeper (has higher sides) - it could also have been a little wider as this will displace more water and allow it to float higher too.

sf
 
There's no way it could weigh less. Mine is made out of soda cans, I think. It had to have had higher sides or been wider. I'd love to have a wider boat. And my foam isn't water logged. So, I just have a narrow little boat. Too bad I never could weld aluminum very well, or I'd just widen it myself.
Jared
 
My first boat was also a little 10' tin can. It was so unsteady that if I stepped wrong it would lean and actually take on water over the side. In my opinion, those narrow little boats are pretty unsafe.
 
I'd like to have one that's a bit wider and a bit thicker walled. I want to keep it short, though, for the river. However, I'd like to have another one, longer and wider, for the lakes. I'm sure most of you think I'm ridiculous for wanting more than one boat. :roll: lol
 
You could also have more weight in the boat in gear. Are they running a small outboard instead of a electric trolling motor? If so, they may not have a trolling motor battery and be saving 80lbs right there. Small jon boats do not displace a ton of water, so minimal weight changes will have more of an affect then you might think. If you and your passenger each weigh 50lbs more then their two adults--that's 100lbs. With added gear, that could be more like 150lbs. Most small jons like that are only rated for about 300lbs.

If you are 180lbs, your passenger is 180lbs, and you have a trolling motor & battery--that's at least 450lbs right there before any other gear. If your boat is only rated for 300lbs, your already over the rated limit by 50%. Personally, I would try and upgrade to a 12ft or 14ft jon. A decent used jon can be bought for less then $500, so after you sell your 10ft--it may only cost you $100 to upgrade.

EDIT: Sorry, I see you want to keep and add a second boat. I think that would be a good idea. Maybe a 1242 or a 1248? I assume yours is a 1036 if it is sitting as low as you say.
 
The weight rating is one of the reasons I want to buy another boat. Mine is a hand me down from a cousin and there was no information on the boat at all. So I have no idea what it's rated for. I want to keep the little boat as a one man boat for myself and get a 12 or 14 footer for me and whoever else wants to fish with me that day.
 
BenCoJared said:
I'd like to have one that's a bit wider and a bit thicker walled. I want to keep it short, though, for the river. However, I'd like to have another one, longer and wider, for the lakes. I'm sure most of you think I'm ridiculous for wanting more than one boat. :roll: lol

LoL!!!! No way man ..... we all feel the same way.

You don't use just one tool for every job. Same with boats.
 

Latest posts

Top