1436 or 1542

I am new to jon boats and am considering buying a 1436. I have a 15 hp merc. I have always owned v-boats and did a mod that i was very happy with but unfortinatly some one else liked it more than me so they decided to take it off my hands. Now due to cost and simplicity and endless options for mods i want a jon. I am just concerned about how stable it will be on the water. I have never been in one. I will be adding a casting deck and a floor in what ever i pick. I have a 4 year old son that i take with me all the time. can any of you give any input as to how much more stable the 1542 is compared to the 1436. I am more concerned about stability than room. 36" to mee seems like it will feel more like a canoe

I have owned both. My first was a 1436. It was a great boat, pretty stable. I had decks in it, livewell, the works. Now I own a 1542. I am much happier with the bigger boat. Not only is it more stable, but more room also. If I was in your shoes, knowing what I know now, I would go with the 1542.

I have a 1436 and I really enjoy it, I take it out more than I do my 1860.
That may sound crazy but my 14'er with a 15 Johnson gets me and one other guy around for days on a 3 gallon tank of gas plus it gets into tiny slews that the big boat can't. It's also easier to load and unload by myself. If your planing on having more people onboard go with the bigger boat. I have a deck on my 1436 that I cast off of without feeling like I'm going to fall off , but you do have to pay attention of where your standing until you get the feel of it. That being said if you can get either boat for around the same price I say get the wider one , so you dont have any regrets later.

I agree with the others that the 1542 would be the better choice. You can't have too much stability with the little one on board.

Ditto!!! I have a 14X48 Alumacraft that I duck hunt out of and it is very stable. When I take my wife out fishing she is comfortable with it, so I agree the wider the better.

Yup, get the bigger boat.

Also pay attention to side height. Some boats have higher sides than others. I like higher sides with my kids in the boat.

JMichael said:

I agree with the others that the 1542 would be the better choice. You can't have too much stability with the little one on board.

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X-2 on that /Or a great big one!!...cva34

I have a G3 1448 and love it......

guess the only thing left to do is flip a coin

1542 is the right choice for the simole reason of stability, if you lean to far on the 36 it will feel tippy compaired to the 42, just my thoughts.