How much, realistically, is it going to cost to minimally outfit a Jon boat? 2024

CybrSlydr reply :

My brother and I are contemplating the cost differential between us getting our own kayaks or getting a Jon boat.

Kayaks are going to be around $1k each. Then you have to buy the paddle, PFD, assorted accessories like a box for all the tackle, etc.

Looking at appropriately sized Jon boat, what would we be looking at total cost for a boat that could hold both of us (appx 265lb each of us), affix a modest motor, trawling motor, batteries for assorted electronics and a trailer?

Scott F reply :

Too many variables to come up with an answer. You might find a complete used boat for $1,000 or $10,000 for a new one.

CybrSlydr reply :

Mainly I'm asking to see what kind of price difference we'd have between getting kayaks vs getting a boat.

I just don't want to get kayaks and then go, "d**n - shoulda just gotten a boat instead" if the prices aren't too dissimilar.

LionHeart reply :

How bigga' Jon boat are you looking for. Personally I think a 12 foot Jon boat can fish 2 dudes, and gear pretty easily. If you look around, you can easily find one ready to go with a decent outboard and trolling motor (likely even trailer) for under $1500. Plus, if you wanted, you could just put the Jon in the back of a truck. To me, it's an obvious choice.

But I'm bias. I can't see myself owning a kayak

CybrSlydr reply :

On 9/10/2018 at 6:44 AM, LionHeart said:

How bigga' Jon boat are you looking for. Personally I think a 12 foot Jon boat can fish 2 dudes, and gear pretty easily. If you look around, you can easily find one ready to go with a decent outboard and trolling motor (likely even trailer) for under $1500. Plus, if you wanted, you could just put the Jon in the back of a truck. To me, it's an obvious choice.

But I'm bias. I can't see myself owning a kayak

I don't have a truck - I have a Jeep. For guys of our size, I was looking at 14 and 16ft boats. What HP would you go for something like that? 20hp?

Russ E reply :

I own a bass boat and a nice fully outfitted Kayak. the Kayak spends most of its time Hanging from the ceiling collecting dust and spiders. I might use it once or twice a year.

Personally I would get a double wide 16ft. jon boat. with that you will need a trailer.

you can easily stand up in it. While you can stand up in a smaller jon boat they are often times not very stable.

regarding outboard size it depends on the water you are going to use it.

If you are fishing small lakes, around 100 to 300 acres, a 10 horse is plenty. (they are usually no wake lakes anyway)

if you are occasionally hitting larger reservoirs I would get a 20-25 horse motor.

a word of advice. Jon boats are not your best choice if you plan on fishing bigger water. they don't fair well in rough water. neither does a Kayak.

often times the outboard is the most expensive part of a smaller boat. the bigger the motor the more it costs.

You can usually get a nice used jon boat relatively cheap with a small outboard.

$1500.00 should get you into a used boat with a small outboard

good luck.

Log Catcher reply :

Several years ago I was talking to some guys on the water in a new jon boat. I believe it was a 14' boat with a 9.9 four stroke outboard motor on it. I told them I was wondering what a set up like that cost. They replied about $4800. I don't know if that included the depth finder or trolling motor or not. It was a Bass tracker boat and Mercury motor that had come from our local dealer.

Russ E reply :

On 9/10/2018 at 8:10 AM, Log Catcher said:

Several years ago I was talking to some guys on the water in a new jon boat. I believe it was a 14' boat with a 9.9 four stroke outboard motor on it. I told them I was wondering what a set up like that cost. They replied about $4800. I don't know if that included the depth finder or trolling motor or not. It was a Bass tracker boat and Mercury motor that had come from our local dealer.

a new boat like that will easily cost $4000.00 or higher. you can get a used boat much cheaper

CybrSlydr reply :

Seems like a boat is still a bit out of our price range.

Been looking on Craigslist in the area and nothing in the $1500 - $2000 range looks seaworthy... lol

https://parkersburg.craigslist.org/boa/d/1972-glastron/6686844798.html

https://parkersburg.craigslist.org/boa/d/98-tohatsu-outboard-14ft-jon/6645470988.html

slonezp reply :

This was under a grand. Rated for 800lbs people/motor/etc.

Russ E reply :

On 9/10/2018 at 8:17 AM, CybrSlydr said:

Seems like a boat is still a bit out of our price range.

Been looking on Craigslist in the area and nothing in the $1500 - $2000 range looks seaworthy... lol

https://parkersburg.craigslist.org/boa/d/1972-glastron/6686844798.html

https://parkersburg.craigslist.org/boa/d/98-tohatsu-outboard-14ft-jon/6645470988.html

that jon boat is only a year old and $2000.00.

if you are patient you should be able to find one a little older in your price range.

often times boats come up for sale in the fall, because people don't want to pay storage on a boat they want to sell.

CybrSlydr reply :

On 9/10/2018 at 8:24 AM, Russ E said:

that jon boat is only a year old and $2000.00.

if you are patient you should be able to find one a little older in your price range.

often times boats come up for sale in the fall, because people don't want to pay storage on a boat they want to sell.

Well, the Tohatsu outboard is only a year old - the age of the boat is debatable.

Logan S reply :

Cost-wise they will probably be close enough to where it won't be a major deal breaker one way or the other.

I think the better question to ask is which way you'd like to fish more...From a jon boat or from a kayak? Because they are pretty different.

I have a kayak and can't remember the last time I used it...That type of fishing is not for me. It's probably hard to tell without experiencing each style, but at least think about the types of waters you want to fish, gear you want to bring, distance you want to travel, etc...

LionHeart reply :

On 9/10/2018 at 6:53 AM, CybrSlydr said:

I don't have a truck - I have a Jeep. For guys of our size, I was looking at 14 and 16ft boats. What HP would you go for something like that? 20hp?

Honestly then, I gotta recommend a 16 footer with the biggest motor you can afford. We're stepping into a pretty big price difference between the Jon and kayaks but in my opinion, well worth it.

I had a heavy gauge welded 14 footer not long ago. Thing must have weighed 300 lbs (probably more). I had a 15 hp Johnson that would push me plus gear at 20 mph in somewhat calm water.

Add a fishing buddy his gear and it was more like 15 mph. We both weigh about 180 though so IMO, I'd shoot for at least a 20 hp.

If you guys plan to stand up and fish, the boat cannot be too wide. A 1432 ain't gonna do the job. Again, really gonna jump up in price though. Still, if your primary intent is to fish, Well, the thought of having to paddle does not interest me.

CybrSlydr reply :

I was mostly using the 1432 as a model as I wasn't sure exactly what we should be looking at.

Certainly sounds like getting something used from someone would be a better bet and significantly cheaper than buying new and outfitting it.

LionHeart reply :

On 9/10/2018 at 10:06 AM, CybrSlydr said:

I was mostly using the 1432 as a model as I wasn't sure exactly what we should be looking at.

Certainly sounds like getting something used from someone would be a better bet and significantly cheaper than buying new and outfitting it.

Mine was a 1432. Once you go wider the price goes way up. If you're on the smaller side, and relatively nimble, 32 works fine but if you're a couple of bigger dudes it would get sketchy real fast.

Honestly, around here a Jon wider than 32 is kinda tough to find used.

I wound up getting one of those 8 ft plastic bass buggy type boats. They come in a 10 foot length and while it may sound unorthodox, they are extremely stable and light weight. You could probably find a new one for a grand or so. Not sure if it could go one your roof rack but I think the 10 foot only weighs 140 lbs. Google Pelican Bass Raider 10e

Heck, I used to strap a 10 foot Jon to the roof of my Grand Cherokee. It looked ridiculousl but I cared not.

CybrSlydr reply :

There's always the Ultraskiff.

https://www.ultraskiff.com

kenmitch reply :

On 9/10/2018 at 11:10 AM, CybrSlydr said:

There's always the Ultraskiff.

https://www.ultraskiff.com

That things kind of cool. Pretty stable it looks like.

Bluebasser86 reply :

On 9/10/2018 at 11:10 AM, CybrSlydr said:

There's always the Ultraskiff.

https://www.ultraskiff.com

I bet that is just a blast in any kind of wind.

I got my 16' johnboat with a trailer for $300. It needed some work to repair some small leaks, as well as paint, and I built the makeshift front and back decks on it. Trailer got new paint, lights, jack, coupler, and wheels/tires. Added a new foot control trolling motor, then the hand control and depth finder that I already had (but to buy would have been around $250 combined). All told, I've got about $1,000 wrapped up in a boat that built how I wanted it and has really been a great find for me. Once I get my 15hp gas motor fixed up, it will really be ready to rock. I pull it with my car a lot of the time too, so a Jeep would pull it no problem.

Kayaks are nice for simplicity. No gas, not batteries, no trailer if you don't want to. Plus you can fish places with or without boat ramps. I like my kayak, but if I had to pick one or the other, I'd keep the johnboat.

Catt reply :

Personally I would not go smaller than a 14' with a 44" bottom.

Down here tin boat are a dime a dozen ????

Lottabass reply :

I bought a 1650 Lowe....50 inch bottom.....borderline tippy! I shoulda got a 54 inch bottom!

haggard reply :

On 9/10/2018 at 5:53 AM, CybrSlydr said:

My brother and I are contemplating the cost differential between us getting our own kayaks or getting a Jon boat.

Kayaks are going to be around $1k each. Then you have to buy the paddle, PFD, assorted accessories like a box for all the tackle, etc.

Looking at appropriately sized Jon boat, what would we be looking at total cost for a boat that could hold both of us (appx 265lb each of us), affix a modest motor, trawling motor, batteries for assorted electronics and a trailer?

I built out a jon boat last winter. New 2016 Tracker 1448MVX Grizzly (all welded aluminum, 14 ft, with casting deck, includes trailer) was $3,500 (typically $4000 but had a couple dings on it). $645 trolling motor w/foot control (55 lb thrust, single 12 V battery, moved the boat along just great), $425 bimini top, $100 accessory rails, $??? used motor and steering system from older boat.

Yak and jon are such different boating/fishing experiences you might consider getting the jon AND a couple cheap yaks (got my Sundolphin Journey 10SS for $185 new. Tippy but gets you on the water.)

Or if you want a full blown purpose built high quality fishing yak, $2500-$3500 gets you real nice Hobie... you may not even miss the jon. Downside is limited room and it can't cross the lake very fast.

Figure in a little more $ for paddle, PFD, throw ring, anchor, cooler etc.

On 9/10/2018 at 6:53 AM, CybrSlydr said:

I don't have a truck - I have a Jeep. For guys of our size, I was looking at 14 and 16ft boats. What HP would you go for something like that? 20hp?

20 to 25 hp should be good for a 14-16' jon. I had a 14' and its max rating was 25. I used a 15hp on it which wasn't quite enough.

J Francho reply :

On 9/10/2018 at 8:22 PM, haggard said:

Or if you want a full blown purpose built high quality fishing yak, $2500-$3500 gets you real nice Hobie

$1995 for a Hobie Compass including the seat, paddle, and Mirage Drive.

@CybrSlydr you're going to have to make two lists, one to equip two kayaks, and another to equip a jon. Add up the cost, then do another "Pros/Cons" analysis. I'm thinking given that you're both pretty big guys, it might be a little tight in a jon less than 14'. You're also limited to kayaks with at least a 450 lb. max weight capacity.

Bass_Fishing_Socal reply :

I own 1432 Jonboat and 10' kayak pescador pro, but I usually bank fishing lol. I have not touch my kayak once but planning to soon.

If you don't have problem towing your jon in a trailer and accessible to launch lamp on your lake, then go with jon boat.

I got my Jonboat around 2,300 with 15hp it 2005 but only have a few hour of operation. I can haul a lot of equipment on Jon and my big fat ass 6'5 fishing buddy. I plan to upgrade only the boat to wider platforms jon and foot control trolling motor once my wife approves my budget (should be about a grand).

Kayak is good when you need some what portable (no launch ramp or have to walk into lake) you can find good kayak for less than 1000 plus 100 for paddle, 100 for PFD and 50 for transport wheel you should be good to go.

Catt reply :

I fish out of a Alweld 1652VJT

16' length 52" bottom with a Tohatsu 40 hp.

Little more money for a bigger boat but I fish can fish small water or Toledo Bend.

fishnkamp reply :

You are at the end of the season Deals will come up now.

Here is one to go look at

https://zanesville.craigslist.org/boa/d/14ft-flat-bottom-jon/6692928307.html

WVU-SCPA reply :

Two years ago I picked up a 16' jon boat with a 45lb bow mount and 35lb tiller for $500. The kicker was it was lacking the title for both the boat and trailer. It was a spontaneous/not a lot of thought purchase . Still have plans to set it up for electric only lakes but haven't put the time into it.

Just personal preference, but I would chose boat over kayak every day of the week and twice on Sundays. Just take your time to find the right boat for what you want to do.

CybrSlydr reply :

On 9/11/2018 at 3:22 AM, fishnkamp said:

You are at the end of the season Deals will come up now.

Here is one to go look at

https://zanesville.craigslist.org/boa/d/14ft-flat-bottom-jon/6692928307.html

Thanks for the HU on that, I'll run it past my brother.

A wide boat would definitely be a plus - the less rocking while standing the better. lol

I'm 6'1" and about 280lbs. My brother is 5'8" and around 250. So yeah, we're big guys - that's my main concern.

Are there other places I should be looking for used boats other than Craigslist?

CybrSlydr reply :

Just spitballing here - but if we could save up about $5k, would something like this be a good idea?

https://www.boattrader.com/listing/1987-hydra---sports-dv175-103355373/?refSource=standard+listing

(granted, right now we're looking at maybe $2k as a top, but always good to hear what you folks have to say about other stuff)

haggard reply :

On 9/10/2018 at 11:25 PM, J Francho said:

$1995 for a Hobie Compass including the seat, paddle, and Mirage Drive.

Yes! Correctly stated... $1995 to $3500 gets you a real nice Hobie

slonezp reply :

On 9/11/2018 at 5:06 AM, CybrSlydr said:

Just spitballing here - but if we could save up about $5k, would something like this be a good idea?

https://www.boattrader.com/listing/1987-hydra---sports-dv175-103355373/?refSource=standard+listing

(granted, right now we're looking at maybe $2k as a top, but always good to hear what you folks have to say about other stuff)

If the hull and motor check out on a 30 year old boat and you are comfortable with the price, do it. Take note, that boat doesn't have a trolling motor and if I had to guess, no trolling motor batteries. To purchase a 24v motor and batteries new, you're looking at another couple grand

fishnkamp reply :

I am going to share with you an article my friend Brian wrote on buying a used bass boat. Now first let me explain a little about my friend Brian. He is one of the best anglers I have ever shared a boat with. He also runs his own website about fishing MD, and VA. He does equipment reviews and if he reviews it favorably it is because he has purchased the product himself and fished with it for at least 30 hours. He fishes at least 3 or 4 times a week ( at least till he moved recently). So get yourself a nice cold drink and find a comfy chair and do some reading. His article was written from decades of bass boating experience as well as his experience while prepping one used Ranger to sell and chasing his next baby, a 20 foot 1990's Ranger. He prefers that brand so accept that up front, but he has owned other brands and explains what you need to know when considering purchasing an older used fiberglass bass boat. He will accelerate your learning curve by years. So enjoy the read.

http://www.baybass.com/node/200

Please let me know if you have any questions after you are done reading it.

To answer your initial question " if we could save up about $5k, would something like this be a good idea?"

Like others have said, it depends on the condition of the hull and engine.

You could call and ask to see something like these.

https://dayton.craigslist.org/boa/d/sea-nymph-bass-attacker/6685886351.html

https://limaohio.craigslist.org/boa/d/ft-lowe-bass-boat-with-70hp/6668172619.html

If you decide to go with a bigger boat and spend a little more money I think personally you are going to be best off staying in an aluminum hull for your first boat.

ItsHardwick reply :

Earlier this spring I decided I needed a boat, but I have a wife and 3 kids so I lack the funds to drop one fiberglass bass boat. I found an older used 14’ aluminum boat, it’s 56” wide that came with a trolling motor but no batteries and no mount. Guy wanted to get rid of it so I got it for $300. With the trailer.

I added seats, $8 a piece at Walmart, plastic deals. $15 each for swivels and another $10 each for the pedestals. I built a casting deck in the front, that cost me about $200. Added a tiller handle trolling motor in the back $250. Built a little box for the batteries in the back and hold a bunch of planos cost maybe another $50. Also painted the whole thing, plus registration another $150? Got a mount for the other trolling motor it came with from my uncle (lucky).

But the biggest expense was the batteries and my graph. I have 5 batteries in total lol. That sounds ridiculous. But, paddle yourself back to the ramp one time and you’ll buy an extra for the back motor too. The front trolling motor is 24v so it takes 2 and then another to run all the electronics. I got a humminbird helix 5 side imaging in the back $500 and a smaller garmen 4” deal up front on the casting deck $100. Plus 5 batteries at $75-$100 a piece.

But now I have a pretty darn sweet setup. I’m planning to add a motor of some kind. Hopefully 20-25hp after I save up some money this winter. Because the trolling motor only gets me 3.5 mph on a good day, chop slows me down lol. But I fish on Kentucky lake and I love it. Mostly I stick to the cove our camper is at, there’s a ramp in our campground, but the cove itself is the size of some small lakes. I’ve been on the main lake with it a few times but really if I want to hit a different part of the lake I’ll just drive to another ramp and out in there. I’ve loved it so far, sure beats bank fishing, and I recommend it for anyone just getting started with boats.

Sorry for the long post, but I love my little boat and proud of what I’ve done with it. I’ll have to post pictures sometime.

CybrSlydr reply :

On 9/11/2018 at 11:38 AM, fishnkamp said:

I am going to share with you an article my friend Brian wrote on buying a used bass boat. Now first let me explain a little about my friend Brian. He is one of the best anglers I have ever shared a boat with. He also runs his own website about fishing MD, and VA. He does equipment reviews and if he reviews it favorably it is because he has purchased the product himself and fished with it for at least 30 hours. He fishes at least 3 or 4 times a week ( at least till he moved recently). So get yourself a nice cold drink and find a comfy chair and do some reading. His article was written from decades of bass boating experience as well as his experience while prepping one used Ranger to sell and chasing his next baby, a 20 foot 1990's Ranger. He prefers that brand so accept that up front, but he has owned other brands and explains what you need to know when considering purchasing an older used fiberglass bass boat. He will accelerate your learning curve by years. So enjoy the read.

http://www.baybass.com/node/200

Please let me know if you have any questions after you are done reading it.

To answer your initial question " if we could save up about $5k, would something like this be a good idea?"

Like others have said, it depends on the condition of the hull and engine.

You could call and ask to see something like these.

https://dayton.craigslist.org/boa/d/sea-nymph-bass-attacker/6685886351.html

https://limaohio.craigslist.org/boa/d/ft-lowe-bass-boat-with-70hp/6668172619.html

If you decide to go with a bigger boat and spend a little more money I think personally you are going to be best off staying in an aluminum hull for your first boat.

After reading that article, I think something other than an aluminum boat is out of our price range. The other thing is finding a place to put it - we just don't have the space for a boat on a trailer when I really think about it. Thank you for the article - it was an incredibly informative read!

Maybe we'll just go the kayak route to hold us over until a boat is more affordable. Kayaks would be easier to store too, could put them in the basement when not in use.

J Francho reply :

On 9/11/2018 at 9:16 PM, CybrSlydr said:

Maybe we'll just go the kayak route to hold us over until a boat is more affordable. Kayaks would be easier to store too, could put them in the basement when not in use.

Put that in your Pros and Cons list.

Catt reply :

2018 TRACKER GRIZZLY 1448 Jon: Boat Only $3,000

55# thrust trolling motor $500

Depth finder: $300 or less

You'll need to find a trailer & outboard for under $1,200

New or used your biggest cost with be the outboard ????

slonezp reply :

On 9/11/2018 at 10:02 PM, Catt said:

2018 TRACKER GRIZZLY 1448 Jon: Boat Only $3,000

55# thrust trolling motor $500

Depth finder: $300 or less

You'll need to find a trailer & outboard for under $1,200

New or used your biggest cost with be the outboard ????

Why buy new. The 14ft Lund pic i posted earlier was $900. I bought a new base model Helix 5 for under $200 a new transom mount TM and a remanufactured bow mount TM. For another $400. Minus the battery and registration I'm all in for $1500.

My only advice would be to scan craigslist every day and have cash on hand. The good deals disappear quick.

Catt reply :

On 9/11/2018 at 10:55 PM, slonezp said:

Why buy new. The 14ft Lund pic i posted earlier was $900. I bought a new base model Helix 5 for under $200 a new transom mount TM and a remanufactured bow mount TM. For another $400. Minus the battery and registration I'm all in for $1500.

My only advice would be to scan craigslist every day and have cash on hand. The good deals disappear quick.

Didn't say anything about buying new!

Budget $5,000

If one were to go new that's about what you could get, which would eat your entire budget.

Me personally I would take 2,500-3,000, find a 25 hp outboard that 4-5 yrs old & then a boat, trolling motor, depth finder.

Hook2Jaw reply :

I own a 1436 Tracker Topper with a nearly brand new Mercury 4-Stroke 9.9hp and a 40# foot control up front.

I also own a Hobie PA14. I put about the same amount of cash in both boats.

I never use the Jon boat and I'm selling it soon. The kayak is almost always in the back of my truck.

fishnkamp reply :

You are welcome for the article. Brian has a way of educating anglers without you feeling like you are being educated LOL. He is an incredible angler and I have always enjoyed being on a boat with him, mostly mine as he lived in Northern VA and we fished my local waters. Of course my local waters was his home for his entire childhood.

Here are some ideas to consider before you jump into your kayaks. Go make a stop in some of your local tackle shops and see if there is a kayak bass fishing club. Contact them and see if you can learn a little from them as to what their members use, and how they outfit them. There is a TON of postings on this site about kayaking. Also do some internet research and see if you have any bass guides that specialize in kayak fishing. Watch places like craigslist and finally see if any of the stores that sell them have demo days. Often time they will. Another idea is to see if you have any rental places, usually they will sell off some of their rental boats in favor of new ones for next year.

As always youtube has more info than you need.

Good luck and good fishing.

Ratherbfishing reply :

On 9/10/2018 at 11:10 AM, CybrSlydr said:

There's always the Ultraskiff.

https://www.ultraskiff.com

ANY boat that looks like a giant can of chewing tobacco is...suspect. Bet it tracks like an amusement park ride that's gone off its rails.

BassNJake reply :

On 9/11/2018 at 12:55 AM, JustJames said:

I can haul a lot of equipment on Jon and my big fat ass 6'5 fishing buddy.

hahahahahhaaaaa.... now that is funny

J Francho reply :

On 9/11/2018 at 3:22 AM, fishnkamp said:

Here is one to go look at

https://zanesville.craigslist.org/boa/d/14ft-flat-bottom-jon/6692928307.html

No title, and no parts available for that Force motor.

LionHeart reply :

https://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/boa/d/17-lowe-hunting-fishing-boat/6683174989.html

This would be tempting

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How much, realistically, is it going to cost to minimally outfit a Jon boat? 2024

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