# My 12' oldy jon/bass boat conversion mod!



## Mizzie (May 20, 2010)

Hey everyone, 
New member here... great site glad to see a forum dedicated to aluminum boats! I have 1970s jon boat i've been bringing back to life recently.. bought it on craigslist a while ago with a couple leaks but the price was right.. I re-hammered/sealed the rivits and seems. Rhino lined the inside and outside of the hull (Used only about 3/4 of a 15 or so pound can, spread out over 12' as to not badly affect the weight capacity of the boat) for extra abrasion resistance and peace of mind! I bought a well running 89 4hp johnson that seems perfect for this little boat!

I've heard about the new chemicals in treated plywood not agreeing with aluminum so I bought regular plywood & 2x4s and treated them with coats of a quality deck/wood sealer.. I did a spray test with a hose on a test piece of wood and it seemed to run right off pretty well... I'm sure in a couple of years i'll have to refit a 2x4 here or there but I rather this than use treated wood that may harm my boat! I made all decking/flooring & supports easily removable to make it lighter for transport and to make sure all wood is dry when stowed away after using the boat! I tried to cut down on weight as much as possible while still making the floors solid and sturdy.

I finished the decking up with outdoor water &$ mildew resistant carpeting, that I got at a local hardware store pretty cheap, much cheaper than what I priced online! I've seen so many nice boats on here and online that I cant come close to compete with but I hope you guys like what i've done and I'm still working, next up is removable swivel seats and some home built rod holders! Thanks for looking, any comments or suggestions are always welcome! -Mike


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## Mizzie (May 20, 2010)

Not perfect or as nice as most of the boats i've seen on here but I definetly had fun with the project! 






2 large hatches up front, and 2 smaller hatches towards the stern.. No I didn't mess up measureing haha the front hatches I made one wider than the other so I can fit my 5gallon livewell up there or a cooler if needed.
Don't mind the random plywood in this picture, there is now a center cross support under the hatches!










NEEDS SWIVEL SEATS! Taking a ride to bass pro this weekend so hopefully I can find some nice looking ones in my budget!

On the pond! For a little 4hp this thing is a blast!


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## bluegillfisher (May 20, 2010)

I looked at your picture and thought you had a 40 horse motor! :shock: 
Nice work on your boat.


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## Mizzie (May 20, 2010)

bluegillfisher said:


> I looked at your picture and thought you had a 40 horse motor! :shock:
> Nice work on your boat.



:LOL2: I could only imagine how scary it would be to have a 15 horse on this yet alone a 40 haha ! Thanks for the compliment!


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## Mizzie (May 20, 2010)

anybody have any links or tips on beefing up my transom? there are no floor to transon type braces nor are there evidence of any ever existing there.. I picked up some 3m 5200 as reffered to by someone on another forum I was reading. I should have welded supports to the transom before rhino lining but I thought the wood on the inside would be rigid enough but I believe it would be much better beefed up a tad.. so I need a non welding way of support, if possible.. I searched but find mostly welding refferances. -Mike


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## Froggy (May 20, 2010)

Looking good! you gonna stand up front..... :lol:


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