Just picked up a 1448 jon that needs some TLC

I got it from a guy who had it setup to bowfish from so it already has a rather large deck on the front. My problem is that the deck goes all the way to the top of the boat. It sort of worries me since I know most decks that I see on here are a few inches below the top. If it was a wooden subframe I would just rip it out and start from scratch, but he had an aluminum frame welded in place to support the deck. With a boat this wide (48" at the floor and 66" across the top) can I get away with a deck across the top like that? If I cant, what are my options as far as modifying the existing aluminum frame to make the deck sit lower?

The front and middle seats were already removed and extra braces welded in place, and the braces (both factory and the additional ones that were added) go up the sides almost to the top so I am not worried about it tacoing in the water. The rear of the boat had some welding and extra bracing done to support a larger 50hp motor. The front also has a small "brushguard" (for lack of a better term) welded on from when the boat was used on a catfish farm. The used it to push the seine nets across the ponds which is why they used the brushguard and the larger motor.

Any insight you guys can provide would be much appreciated.

:WELCOME:

A 48 inch floor or wider is good for decking.If it was used for bow fishing it will be stable for good ole regular sane fishing with a pole.

Would love to see some pictures of the boat and its framing.

Yes photos would be nice..... You could always remove the welds with a grinder...

Would need a picture to give any meaningful comment, but my only issue with decking right to the top would be the opportunity to have something, like an expensive rod go flying overboard, otherwise a 1448 is plenty wide enough.

I will try and get some pics up in the next couple of days. Im going to go pressure wash the boat first and remove all 6 of the 500w bowfishing lights that are mounted around the front and sides of the deck. I need to pull all of the wiring out too. Im going to strip the old wood off and replace it with a new wooden deck top with marine carpet. I can always add a lip around the edge to help keep stuff on the deck and out of the water...

The trailer needs to some adjustments and the lights installed - there is a brand new set with it, but they arent mounted yet. I dont know what you call the front of the trailer that the winch mounts too, but it needs its pitch changed to match the angle on the boat. The previous owner just put a new 2" coupler on the trailer.

Im not wanting anything elaborate for the boat, just redo the current deck and maybe add some storage under it since it is so high. Then put a floor of some sort down on the bottom and install a mount for a pedestal leaning post on both the deck and the floor so that to people can comfortably fish.

Im not going to fool with an outboard until later this summer after I get the rest of the boat ready to go - the trolling motor should get me anywhere I plan to go until then.

I will probably scuff the boat up and put a new coat of paint on it to get rid of the terrible "camo" paint job that is currently on it. Will standard rattle can hold up at all? Just going for the basic green that most of them come these days.

What was the boat decked with 5/8 plywood 1/2'?
If you had the money or a cheap source you could always go with a thin aluminum deck giving you alittle lip so things won't blow off.
Welcome to the site....theres tons of painting posts here
You say it has a 50hp on it?

Have you ever tried bowfishing?

No it had a 50hp on it when the PO got it, he was running a 30hp on it last. I bought it without an outboard and plan to look for a newer outboard to put on it sometime towards late summer/early fall. I want to get all the cleanup/carpeting/decking done first and get to fishing with it before I worry with a motor that I dont absolutely have to have.

No I havent ever tried bowfishing, but I have plenty of buddies who do bowfish in tournaments year round. They take it very seriously, but I just cant seem to get into it. Its a bit more work than Im used to when I fish - I do it more for the relaxation of it.

https://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv187/theoutfitter/Turtle%20Creek%20Mall%20Location/1448%20Jon%20Boat/100_0797.jpg
https://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv187/theoutfitter/Turtle%20Creek%20Mall%20Location/1448%20Jon%20Boat/100_0798.jpg
https://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv187/theoutfitter/Turtle%20Creek%20Mall%20Location/1448%20Jon%20Boat/100_0799.jpg
https://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv187/theoutfitter/Turtle%20Creek%20Mall%20Location/1448%20Jon%20Boat/100_0800.jpg
https://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv187/theoutfitter/Turtle%20Creek%20Mall%20Location/1448%20Jon%20Boat/100_0801.jpg
https://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv187/theoutfitter/Turtle%20Creek%20Mall%20Location/1448%20Jon%20Boat/100_0802.jpg
https://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv187/theoutfitter/Turtle%20Creek%20Mall%20Location/1448%20Jon%20Boat/100_0803.jpg
https://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv187/theoutfitter/Turtle%20Creek%20Mall%20Location/1448%20Jon%20Boat/100_0804.jpg
https://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv187/theoutfitter/Turtle%20Creek%20Mall%20Location/1448%20Jon%20Boat/100_0805.jpg

I wanted to post the pics directly to the boards, but apparently they are too large according to the error message Im getting.

Solid boat, man. Looking at the pics, the frame looks solid, and welded, no? Should be good to go if you just put some regular water sealed wood and some hatches if you want. Nice high ribbing, so it was a good find to be sure. What are your plans at this point?

Looking at the boat again - was is there a weld on the front port side? And a big dent? Has that factored into the boat's effectiveness at all? I imagine not if they were recently bow fishing off that wide platform.

I will try and get some better pics of the front of the boat - the dents and welds were intentionally put there by the catfish farm the boat came from - it had something to do with how they used the boat to push the seine nets. There is matching dents/welds on both sides of the front of the boat. They have been bowfishing off the boat for a year or so and I went out on with them two or three times and I never noticed any ill effects of it.

I see painting a mouth around those dents on that boat! Make it look hungry! That is one sturdy looking craft. I looks very well supported where they took the middle seat from if there was one there. Makes me want to take the seat out of mine. So much ROOM!!!!

Mike

Im trying to get the trailer setup up properly right now and hopefully will start working on the boat's paint in the next couple of days. I decided to stop and further progress on the boat until I get the trailer corrected. It was setup really odd and needed some work as well. Now if I can just find the stupid bracketry I need locally I can almost be done with it.

MikeA57 said:

I see painting a mouth around those dents on that boat! Make it look hungry!

Click to expand...

Hungry? You mean like the Minnow Bucket? :mrgreen: I think that would look good, too!