# new user with 10 ft older aluminum jon boat...floatation?



## buffresources (Dec 3, 2012)

Hi from sw missouri. Just acquired an older 10 ft aluminum jon boat from a local farmer ($100). I plan to use it on ponds and small lakes with my fishing buddy. I used an 8 ft bass raider but too hard to push around with TM and needed a little more room.

BUT, since the boat is older it only has wooden boards for seating and no floatation at all.

So where/how could I mount floatation material?....It looks like the only places are under the seats, but how to mount it?, and a little area in the bow.

What should I use?

Any guesses how much to use since my space is limited?...yes I read the link on foam but seemed like overkill.

Thanks in advance...great site...glad to find it as I start to use this "new" boat.

GTO


----------



## RiverBottomOutdoors (Dec 3, 2012)

My opinion is you don't need any.


----------



## russ010 (Dec 3, 2012)

RiverBottomOutdoors said:


> My opinion is you don't need any.



me either... but you're in a 10' boat which is probably a little more prone to turn over if your center of gravity is too high. 

You still won't be able to get up and walk around like you can in a little bit wider boat (I'm guessing the floor in your boat is no bigger than 32").. 

The foam is only useful for when your boat flips over and will keep it from sinking completely - not something I would worry about in farm ponds.. if you're going into bigger water, I would get a bigger boat


----------



## buffresources (Dec 3, 2012)

some of the lakes I will be on are 20-50 acres and depth around 20-25 ft.

overall I guess I was thinking of safety and being able to salvage my boat


----------



## RiverBottomOutdoors (Dec 3, 2012)

Nothing wrong with that thought process. I would say with your limited space and slow speed you're better off with a bail and a life jacket. You'll fall out before she turns over. Make sure she's leak free and you should be fine.


----------



## MrSimon (Dec 5, 2012)

Agreed .... wear a life jacket and call it a day.

Your gear is a lot more valuable than a $100 boat. Maybe tie your tackle bag to a life jacket or something.


----------



## jigngrub (Dec 5, 2012)

I really like your attitude toward safety, it's a lot of people don't give much consideration or just take for granted these days.

You can easily convert your board seats to bench seats with 1/2" plywood and aluminum angle, then fill the inside of the benches with extruded polystyrene sheet foam like the blue or pink stuff. You'll get 60 lbs. of floatation for each cubic foot you install, and there's 5.44 cubic feet per 4x8 sheet of 2" thick foam for 326 lbs of floatation per 2" sheet.

If this sounds interesting to you, let me know and I'll give you details for building the benches.


----------



## buffresources (Dec 10, 2012)

thanks jigngrub...yes, the idea of number one not having anything to cling to even in the middle of a 100 acre lake makes me nervous and having to swim away from my boat and all the grear tied to it under 20-30 ft of water...well, you get the idea

sure send me any ideas you have on adding foam

since it was 21 here this am I thinking I will have plenty of time

the seats will be easy to remove but:

how to make the "metal box" under the seats?, thats' where i might need some input

also a good source of foam?...I read one blog where a fellow got some blocks from Lowes in a shipping load?

anyway, thanks for the input


----------



## RiverBottomOutdoors (Dec 11, 2012)

You should put seat belts in it too. All jokes aside, there's a reason that your 10ft boat didn't come with floatation foam....it's the same reason canoes don't have it....cause you don't need it. 

I think you will take an already tiny boat and deprive yourself of even more space. I can't think of any reasonable scenario where your safety will be increased because of adding foam given the size of your boat and the size of the water you fish.


----------



## ecirb_88 (Dec 11, 2012)

i have a 14 tin with no floats, no worries when you have as little money wrapped up into it as we do, your better off not spending the money to add floatation. save that money for a boat that comes with it. however if you're set on it, ive seen folks use pool noodles cut and put in the seats. but since you just have wood seats you would have to fashion somthing underneath to hold the noodles.


----------



## rabbit (Dec 12, 2012)

If it floats you can mess around more without worrying about pulling it off the bottom.
All three of my canoes (Grumman, Indian River and Coleman) have floatation. On one occasion I was glad to have it.


----------



## PSG-1 (Dec 12, 2012)

I've had boats sink at the dock, with, and without flotation. I can say with certainty that I'd rather have the flotation. 

When boats WITH flotation 'sink' they really don't sink, they may get swamped, or even capsized as they take on water and become unstable, but they continue to float at the surface, where they can be re-righted, and de-watered, then recovered.

When boats with no flotation sink, they SINK. All the way to the bottom. So, unless you're lucky enough to have the boat sink in an area with some tidal range, and have the boat sink in an area where the water is 1 ft deep or less at low tide, recovering it becomes more difficult, you'll need dive gear, lift bags, etc. 

That's just my take on it.

If it were me, I'd get some styrofoam billets like they use for floating docks, and cut it to fit under the seats, if possible. Either that, or install an elevated deck, made of good marine grade plywood, mounted to the stringers, or the ribs, and place extruded styrofoam panels in between all the ribs/stringers just before screwing down the deck.


----------



## rabbit (Dec 12, 2012)

Good floatation will hold the boat and passengers. The Grumman held three people, everything in the canoe, the 3.5 Nissan and a dog. Almost forgot we all were wearing PFDs (except the dog.) All bundled up in heavy clothes (except the dog.) We got pretty cold (except the dog) but it was a good day.
I don't want to have one of those days where I'm treading water and all my stuff is on the bottom.


----------



## buffresources (Dec 14, 2012)

Thanks to (most) all of you for your comments...a good winter project for me

contacted lowes here about the styrofoam billets one guy said he had gotten for free when they unloaded the trucks but apparently those are not common around here...most companies put them back on the trucks and re-use.

think I will try the "floaties" left over from the swim season

great site for new users like myself!


----------



## RiverBottomOutdoors (Dec 18, 2012)

buffresources said:


> Thanks to (most) all of you for your comments...



That really sticks in my craw. Very pretentious of you to say something like that. I've been using this forum for a few years now. I've seen disagreements...but I'm never seen anyone act ungrateful when others try to give their well founded opinions.


----------



## JMichael (Dec 18, 2012)

RiverBottomOutdoors said:


> buffresources said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks to (most) all of you for your comments...
> ...


You stated your opinion in your first post, then proceeded to make two more post about floatation and even going so far as to make jokes about seat belts. Maybe he can't swim and likes the thought of being able to stay with the boat if it gets swamped. What ever the reason is, it's his boat to do with as he will.


----------



## RiverBottomOutdoors (Dec 18, 2012)

JMichael said:


> RiverBottomOutdoors said:
> 
> 
> > buffresources said:
> ...




I made a comment, then elaborated. All posts made in good humor and good faith. Just trying to help him not turn his 10ft fishing machine into 5ft pain in the ass. I made my case, he went another direction...totally fine. I don't take issue with that. 

Now as for you taking it upon yourself to respond. Think about your scenario a little more....come up with something a little less ridiculous than an overly safety conscience person who cannot swim but wants to fish from a 10ft jon boat in the middle of 100acre lake, big brother.

If you want to respond, please PM. I have no desire to flood this thread.


----------

