# Cheap stabilizers for 12' Jon Boat.



## mud-skipper (Aug 30, 2016)

I bought an old 12' Jon boat just to test out some new engines and mud motors, but I've always found them a little unsteady for me. (Must be getting old). So I decided to try and find a cheap way of adding buoyancy but there seemed to be no real commercial products available. 

I also looked at transom pods, but boy, are those expensive! Worse, they don't give much stability sideways. At least, I don't think so.

Here's what I did! 

Purchased 2 4" x 10' long thin walled drain pipes and 4 end caps - from Home Depot. JM eagle Model 1610 






I also grabbed some lengths of 3/16" threaded rods, some nuts and washers.

After some wonderful camo work with Krylon Fusion Plastic Paint, I made U bolts from the rod and installed two on each side of the boat, holding the pipes in place. Note how well the pipes bent to the contour of the hull.









I left the pipes at 10" long so they stuck out behind the transom, lightening the engine load and acting like a transom pod.
My young helper ran the boat without the pipes and after, and reported a huge improvement in stability.





The grab handle made standing up to operate the boat a breeze!.

Cost ? About $25 (Before anyone moans, yes, there's water in the boat - I should have drained it before I took the pics. It rained yesterday!)


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## Shaugh (Aug 30, 2016)

I like it. Very clean and exactly what a boat like that needs. I wonder if an even larger diameter would still be affordable ?

They sell these for decks... could help dress up and protect the ends ? 

https://www.sustainablesupply.com/Eagle-4-Round-Post-Cap-Model-1749-C1965221?CAWELAID=120205040002070122&CAGPSPN=pla&CAAGID=12119359225&CATCI=pla-174174751225&catargetid=120205040003205067&cadevice=c&gclid=CJ3k2rmu6c4CFYw9gQodV-oEMQ


https://www.thedeckstoreonline.com/quickcap-round-post-cap-from-kokille.html#.V8WXFGco6GQ


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## richg99 (Aug 30, 2016)

Good idea. Looks like you have created the "Poor Man's Wider Boat".

I like the fact that you have mounted the riggers solidly to the hull. Many riggers that I have seen have a weak point where they attach. 
richg99


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## onthewater102 (Aug 30, 2016)

Using those thin-walled pipes was a smart move - a lot of the installs I've seen of pipe for stability use sch. 40 PVC that doesn't contour to the boat & ends up spraying water all over the interior when moving. The way you were able to keep yours along the curvature of the boat is fantastic - doubly good that you were able to run them all the way to the bow.

Did you need to soften the pipe with a torch to get those bends or was it flexible enough to be persuaded into position by tightening them up to the side of the hull?


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## mud-skipper (Aug 30, 2016)

onthewater102 said:


> Did you need to soften the pipe with a torch to get those bends or was it flexible enough to be persuaded into position by tightening them up to the side of the hull?




I was concerned about the weight of the Sch 40 pipes. They were so heavy, they defeated the purpose of adding buoyancy. 
These pipes bent easily with no heating required. mind you, in NY right now, it's pretty warm.

Glad you guys like it. Just wait til you see my new motor.


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## mud-skipper (Aug 30, 2016)

Just for fun, here's a bit more about the engine - a prototype, so don't bug me - yet - please.


https://youtu.be/KLX8NF4oLBs


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## mud-skipper (Aug 31, 2016)

Here's the math for the additional buoyancy given for the pipe.

120" long x 4" diam = 120 x (4 x .78) = 374 cu inches x 2 pipes = 748 cu inches

231 cu in in 1 gal therefore 748/231 = 3.23 gals 
1 gal water = 8.36 lbs = x 3.23 gals = 27lbs 

I believe J M Eagle make this type of pipe (not sch 35 - too heavy) in a 6" pipe.

If so the math would be 561 cu in per pipe = 4.8 gals = 40lbs approx.

With cut foam board under the aluminum seats 
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Owens-Corning-FOAMULAR-250-2-in-x-48-in-x-8-ft-R-10-Scored-Squared-Edge-Insulation-Sheathing-52DD/202085962

I reckon about 4.5 cu ft of board can be placed/glued under the seats (with minimal weight added to the overall buoyancy), which would give you about 280lbs buoyancy factor if the boat were to get swamped.

This would make the boat virtually unsinkable. But I'm not going to try it!


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## Jim (Aug 31, 2016)

mud-skipper said:


> Just for fun, here's a bit more about the engine - a prototype, so don't bug me - yet - please.
> 
> 
> https://youtu.be/KLX8NF4oLBs



:LOL2:


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## mud-skipper (Nov 9, 2016)

Here's some more video on our new surface drive prototype. These are just clips I strung together after we did a few trial runs.

https://youtu.be/NVFEgyFdDow

We will shortly have two units a 5-7 hp and an 8-16hp unit, and our own specially designed electric start engines. Price - not final but the smaller one will be about $900, including the engine.

I'll announce when all this is in stock. Expected delivery - 2 months - so say Jan 2017!


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## surfman (Nov 18, 2016)

mud-skipper said:


> Here's the math for the additional buoyancy given for the pipe.
> 
> 120" long x 4" diam = 120 x (4 x .78) = 374 cu inches x 2 pipes = 748 cu inches
> 
> ...



Your calculations assume the pipe is completely submerged.


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