14' vs 16' mod v jon

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1313nortac

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I've decided to buy a jon and it'll be my first boat. I chose a jon because of its versatility. I'll use it to fish Allen lake (50 acre approximately) , the mouth of lake erie and the niagara river as well as local rivers and canals. So my question is, will a 16' boat be alot better on some of the bigger waters than the 14? And if so, why? Thanks for your responses.

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First of all, welcome aboard.

It really depends on your budget. I bought a 16' new because the difference in price between the 16' and 14' models were a couple hundred dollars, and not to many people complain that their boat is too big. There is just more room in the 16'. If you are buying used that may be a different situation depending on what is availible. I would also recommend either getting a 48" wide boat for stability. (1448 or 1648) You can see my 1648 in the link below my signature.
 
Personally, I would purchase the 14ft boat. Here are my reasons.

With where I fish, and how I fish, and where I hunt, and how I hunt, a 16 foot boat would be perfect. However:
-A 14ft boat generally doesn't require a title. Therefore, it costs less to legally maintain in my state.
-Legally, I don't need as much crap in my boat (like extra fire ext, life jackets) because it's only 13'10"
-A smaller motor will power it as well as a comparable speed on a bigger boat (bigger boat = bigger motor)
-Therefore, less fuel is used every time I use my boat, and it's cheaper. Currently, my 6hp is great on my 14ft boat and I have yet to refill my 6gal tank this summer.
-The same mentality holds true with electric motors.
-smaller motors cost much less.
-Easier to trailer and store, smaller = less necessary space.
-insurance. for my provider, under my home owner's insurance I have any boat included, so long as it is under 16ft in length and 50hp.
-yet again, EVERYTHING is cheaper.

While yes I would love a 16ft boat, I just don't need it. I always bring 1 other person max with me fishing or hunting, including my girlfriend who lays out on the deck. It's very manageable, and the hull is light enough that I can effectively man handle the boat on the trailer as needed. Overall though, just see what works for you, and go from there.

On a different note, width hasn't been mentioned. a 1448 will have taller sides than a 1436 or 1432. I own a 14ft v bottom, that is pretty much a 1436 jon in size. I would never own smaller, and even a 1436 jon would make me question. My next boat will be a 1542, and I'll likely stop there.
 
I love my Lowe 1448MV. I fish small rivers primarily and have yet to have it on a lake although have plans to do so. It is rated for a 25 and I have a 15hp with a 55lb troller. I mainly fish alone and it is easy to maneuver and see out front by myself. Have yet to burn 6gal of gas in a season.

A 16' wouldn't be a deal breaker for me if I was in the market. Always nice to have some extra room is anyone wants to go with you. All personal preference I guess and style of fishing you want to do. Maybe hit a dealer and sit in a few and decide on what you will be using it for the most. I used mine a year before making any mods. Wouldn't own anything smaller than the 48" floor.

Don't think I would ever buy a new boat. They are a dime a dozen and people dump them all the time due to lack of use or other life issues. Much better bang for your buck buying a complete setup.
 
Get the extra room with the 16, I have a 1648 after fishing out of a 14 V for my whole life. I love it.


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Thank you all for your input. I appreciate it. Now to find one!

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