# New to Jon Boats



## CaseyP (Sep 3, 2012)

I joined this site last night cause I knew I was gonna be buying a new Jon boat today. I bought a 14' Tracker Topper Jon boat. I've bought a 5hp Briggs outbound from my brother earlier this year. I don't plan on doing much to the boat other than a fish finder, a battery, covering the floor with wood and maybe a trolling motor.


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## ifish4redd (Sep 3, 2012)

:WELCOME:


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## muffin (Sep 3, 2012)

=D> Welcome

Now show us some pictures :lol:


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## Gramps50 (Sep 4, 2012)

:WELCOME: 

We want pictures.


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## CaseyP (Sep 4, 2012)

When I get home from work I'll take a few pics and post them up for y'all.


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## CaseyP (Sep 4, 2012)

Well here are a few pics, I'll get more tomorrow.













Not a very good picture but I got a low profile light for the front and put the accessory battery up front.





More modifications to come!


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## CaseyP (Sep 5, 2012)

I worked a half day today so when I got home I finished up installing my seat and hooked up my fish finder to the battery and hit the water. I does ok but the motor seems like it is bogged down when running wide open throttle. A guy at work suggested putting a different pitched prop on but I don't think that they make different sized props for the B&S outboards. I can't even find a pitch stamped on the one I have now. Other than the motor lugging down I love the boat.


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## theyyounggun (Sep 5, 2012)

A easy fix for your outboard bogging down is this :lol:

The boat is looking good! My next boat im gonna buy new hopefully.(Or atleast better shape than what mine was in!) Im tired of the prep work!


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## CaseyP (Sep 5, 2012)

That motor would sink the boat! LOL If I had the money I would get either a 9.9 or 15 four stroke mercury. As far as my motor bogging down my guess is that um... I weigh 330lbs plus the extra weight of the battery in the front. The motor did a little better if I stood up and leaned forward and transferred my weight more towards the front of the boat.


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## theyyounggun (Sep 5, 2012)

Haha. Are the batterys in the front of the boat?


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## CaseyP (Sep 5, 2012)

It's just one battery and yeah it's in the front. I plan on putting a foot controlled trolling motor in the front before long, I don't know that the added weight to the front will make a difference though.


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## CaseyP (Sep 6, 2012)

Well I enjoyed the my day off of work today. Most of my day was spent in my boat. I was trying to catch fish and wound up not catching anything, oh well I still had a good time enjoying mother nature and thinking of things I could do to the boat to make it more enjoyable. Carpet covered floors and carpet on the bench seats cause those things get hot!! So my list of mods to come would be a seat for the front bench, carpet on the floor and benches, switch panel for lights and fish finder, a trolling motor on the bow and eventually a bigger motor but no time soon though. Almost forgot about a trailer just for the boat instead of using my utility trailer to lug it around.


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## spotco2 (Sep 6, 2012)

Sounds crazy, but some sand bags in the front will help a lot.

My dad uses a 48 quart cooler for a live well and keeps it (3/4 full of water) in the front of his 12' to keep the nose down. Also mount batteries and keep your anchors and anything else heavy in the front until you need it.

These lil boats like to be level in the water.


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## CaseyP (Sep 7, 2012)

I was talking to one of my neighbors about it and he also suggested getting concrete bags and putting in the front to pull the front down. I will be trying this out soon! I use the ice chest that's in my boat for storage for my jugs and life jackets, I may clean it out and make it into a livewell one of these days.


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## CaseyP (Sep 10, 2012)

I was looking through a lot of the threads in this section trying to get ideas for upgrading my jon boat and I found this thread and thought the seats were a really good idea.

https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=25143


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## inlovewithsurfin (Sep 10, 2012)

welcome aboard! youve got a good boat to modify.... lots of potential! check out any of my three builds and feel free to ask any questions! enjoy!!!


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## Jonboat Jerry (Sep 12, 2012)

Hi Casey, Welcome to Tin Boats. Weight is not our friend especially when it comes to aluminum boats.
For trimming out your rig, the cooler up front idea fits, since you can add water until it trims right and
empty it as you add gear as time goes on. I just looked up the tracker 1436 and it is rated for 15HP
max. so that 5HP Briggs is a little enemic for expecting it to plane. On the other hand, I'll bet that thing 
will run all day on a gallon of gas  Jerry


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## CaseyP (Sep 12, 2012)

Jonboat Jerry said:


> Hi Casey, Welcome to Tin Boats. Weight is not our friend especially when it comes to aluminum boats.
> For trimming out your rig, the cooler up front idea fits, since you can add water until it trims right and
> empty it as you add gear as time goes on. I just looked up the tracker 1436 and it is rated for 15HP
> max. so that 5HP Briggs is a little enemic for expecting it to plane. On the other hand, I'll bet that thing
> will run all day on a gallon of gas  Jerry




As a matter of fact it used about a gallon and a half after running for 10 hours in two days. If I had the money I would get at least a 9.9 or a 15 but I don't so I'm stuck with the 5 for a little while.

On another note I ran the wires from the battery in the front of the boat to the back where my switch panel will be along with the front navigation light wire, this evening. I also started working on the mount for trolling motor I scored for free (a pull off from a customers boat), its a motor guide 46lb pro series foot controlled bow mount. I have also acquired a Guest onboard charger that I still need to mount and hook up to my battery.


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## CaseyP (Sep 15, 2012)

Well here are a few pics of the accesories that I'm putting on my boat.

The charger






The switch panel






The trolling motor










I cut the wood out for the front deck that the trolling motor will be bolted to, and also bought some indoor/outdoor carpet to cover it with.










I aquired another trolling motor from work but it needs a few parts so it will work right. I'm keeping this one for a back up.


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## Jonboat Jerry (Sep 15, 2012)

Excellent score, Keep Hacking...Jerry


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## IDAHOAUGER (Sep 19, 2012)

I'm new here myself and starting a project on my new Lowe 1436L, looking forward to seeing how your project turns out!


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## inlovewithsurfin (Sep 19, 2012)

that switch panel and the carpet look pretty familiar!


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## CaseyP (Sep 19, 2012)

inlovewithsurfin said:


> that switch panel and the carpet look pretty familiar!



The switch panel I picked up from Bass Pro and the carpet I bought from Lowe's when I bought the wood for the front deck.

I had a 4-day weekend this past weekend and didn't get much accomplished on the boat. I rained Sunday and Monday and the other days I was either working around the house or I was working in the woods getting ready for bow season here in Louisiana.


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## CaseyP (Sep 23, 2012)

Well I finally found time to finish the small front deck to mount my trolling motor too. I also cut out a hole for my switch panel and installed it but didn't take a pic.


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## CaseyP (Oct 16, 2012)

I've been trying to come up with a storage area/ carpeted under seat cover for my boat. I think I just got it designed, now I gotta build it.


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## CaseyP (Oct 21, 2012)

Got some stuff done today.
















I didn't have a chance to carpet it yet, the carpet was wet for some reason so I unrolled it to let it dry.


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## CaseyP (Oct 25, 2012)

Finally carpeted the storage compartment. Still need to do the doors and cut holes in the carpet. I think it turned out pretty good.


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## CaseyP (Nov 4, 2012)

Took my boat out this afternoon to see if the modification we did to my prop made a difference. Well it didn't. I'm gonna try and pick up a 9.9 for a decent price before long. Also tested my trolling motor out, works awesome! Although when you kick it in to high gear the steering is harder to control, I may just take my small out board off and run the trolling motor for now. No since in running the outboard with it bogging down trying to push me along, if I do that to much I might burn it up. I have also thought of making remote controls for my engine and sitting on the front bench all the time, moving to the front would bring the bow down I just don't know if the motor would still be bogged down or not.


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## CaseyP (Nov 27, 2012)

Sold the 5hp Briggs last week and went over to one of my buddies house and bought a 1970 9.8 mercury. It needs a fuel pump and a water impeller both will be ordered soon. I took it to work today so I could clean it up and find out what all is wrong with it. It needs a little TLC but runs good. I'll post pics of it soon.


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## motfua (Nov 30, 2012)

Getting back to leveling out the boat.. I use a big "dry bag" for my solo canoe trips. When I get to the lake I just fill it with water and put it up front. When I head home, I dump the water back and throw the bag in the trunk.


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## CaseyP (Dec 3, 2012)

Finally took some pictures of the 9.8. The fuel pump came in for it today and we rewired the cut off switch and updated the fuel line connector on the front of the motor. Tried to change out the fitting on the fuel tank and it cracked, so I need a new fuel tank. The motor runs good and shouldn't give me any problems for a little while. I have about $250 total in the motor, sold my 5hp for $350 so I think I'm doing pretty good.


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## Gators5220 (Dec 5, 2012)

Hey casey, just to let ya know the difference bewteen a 9.9 and a 15hp is just the carb jet, so if you get the carb rebuilt by someone (or do it yourself) re-jet and and boom you got a 15hp...


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## Bugpac (Dec 6, 2012)

I got to call bs on the jet, if that jet is choking down 1/3 the hp, that thing would run so rich fuel would be floating on the water, more to it than that, i wont argue the fact it could run a little leaner and make some more power.


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## Gators5220 (Dec 6, 2012)

Look it up bug, most 25hp and 35 hp are only the carb and jet...


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## Bugpac (Dec 6, 2012)

Whole carb yes i see.


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## CaseyP (Dec 6, 2012)

I may tinker with trying to beef it up later on but for now I just need to put it on the back of my boat and run it. I'm gonna try to put it in the water this weekend and run for a little while.


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## CaseyP (Feb 2, 2013)

Finally the weather was good enough for me to feel comfortable taking my boat out and this is how it went. Went to Walmart earlier to get a fitting for my fuel tank, water was calm and almost as smooth as glass. Come home its still calm. I get ready to go fishing and one side of the lake is rough. Water coming over the sides. The other side just as smooth as can be. The wind was bad, I kept fighting and fighting until I just got fed up. The motor did good though.


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## CaseyP (May 20, 2013)

I'm thinking about getting rid of my Jon boat. I just started working at Louisiana CAT and need big tools. It's just a thought I may or may not sale it, just thinking about it.


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## CaseyP (May 21, 2013)

Definitely gonna sell it. I'm wanting $1300 for everything, no trailer though.


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