New Jon Boat Project! 2024

The Crippled Angler reply :

Hey guys I started on my new boat project today. I went and bought a new Tracker 1436 Jon boat about a week ago that i picked up as a scratch and dent for half price! The seat was pushed in but i pulled it back out and now its fine other than the dents in the floor. Anyway here are some picks ill keep updating as a work the next few days.

The Crippled Angler reply :

OK how do i add pictures to a post...i have them all on photo bucket...just need to get them here...

Thanks

Joe

.dsaavedra. reply :

copy the IMG code and paste it here.

The Crippled Angler reply :

ok thanks

here is my boat bone stock from the dealer.

The first thing i did to it was add a seat base for my seats on the rear. I used stainless toggle bolt and 3m 5200 for good measure

Next i started the framing after taking it out a few time to see what how it balance.

This is as far as i got tonight before i had to call it a day the front framing will have a hatch that will hold storage like anchor and whatnot

The rear frame in will house a custom cooler i will build. If you noticed the deck will come up flush with the middle seat that way i can still use the livewell in the seat.

Gotta buy more aluminum and rivits tommorow. future mods include a cd player. floor between middle and rear seat. rear deck lighting and some other mods. I will continue to post pics as the project moves on i hope to finish it this week. wish me luck!

Thanks guys

Joe

skillet reply :

REALLY looks nice so far!!! Like the framing you are useing. Keep us updated...

As Ever,

skillet

slice reply :

Nice! Love the aluminum.

NitroMan reply :

Boat looks great can't wait to see the finished project!!!

XcoM274 reply :

I've got the same aluminum holding my floor up. Solid as a rock, love it. I used 5/8" ply on top instead of the typical 3/4" and have had no issues.

The Crippled Angler reply :

Hey thank for the comments everyone. Thats good to know i was wondering what plywood i should go with i wanna keep as much weight off as possible. I though about using aluminum for the floor as well but its expensive and i think using wood will be easier to build the hatches with..

Joe

Wyatts dad reply :

Lookin good so far, you will be glad you used alum, I did one in a long time ago in wood and after it sucked up humidity fer a few weeks, you could hardley pick the darn thing up, man wood can really hold some water. Funny place the maker put the coast guard sticker, seems like I have always seen em on the transom. Ya mite outta make sure that can be seen later if ya do any river stuff. We are gettin geared up to do ours, came across a couple plastic foot lockers to house my batteries at wal-mart over near the auto stuff, they are real sturdy and the price was rite. (Acid and alum dont play nice together). We plan to place the batteries center and low with cable to where it is needed, sure made the last boat real stable.

rondef reply :

Looks good so far, I am looking forward to seeing the completed project.

Wyatts dad reply :

I tried to post some pics to give ya some ideas, but being newbie it would not let me.

Keep your eyes open, I will get the ten posts soon and hook ya up.

Dont be scared to take the benches out, it reall frees up some space and using the lower floor will make her really stable. We did a 1436 back in 1991 that morphed a couple times before we got it right. fill rivet holes with 1/4" s/s bolts and silly cone and nylon lock nuts, frame new stuff the same. It really worked great for us. A boatyard guy showed me to do this, I was skeptical but will be doing it agai her real soon.

skillet reply :

What size is the alum. you are using for the framing?

As Ever,

skillet

The Crippled Angler reply :

Thanks guys i diddnt get to work on it today due to work but am going to get some work done on it tommorow. The aluminum i am using is 3/4 inch 1/8th thick. now i got all the supports in its sturdy as a rock and once get my ply on it i dont think ill have any issues. Best part about it is it only added about 5 lbs so far and man is it easy to work with.

More pics tommorow guys thanks for the help!

Joe

The Crippled Angler reply :

Hey everyone just an update due to the rain last night and work today i havent dont any new work yet ( man i hate being at work)but i did have a few questions. My first question is this boat is rated for a 15hp motor i was wondering if i could get away with a 20 hp since i keep seeing them everywere but no 15s. And my second question in i want to carpet over the rear bench seat and as was pointed out earlier my capacity sticker is there. Has anyone ever removed theres and moved it to a new place without destroying it? Thanks for any help.

Low_Budget_Hooker reply :

Looks excellent. Great use of materials, weight will be excellent on this one

Keep the pics coming please

Evan Pease reply :

Were doing about the same thing to the same boat I used wood supports though and I did the deck slightly different. I would be a lot farther but I couldnt get carpet today.

The Crippled Angler reply :

Sorry guys i havent been able to update for a few days but work and rain has kept the build at bay. But i took a trip to west marine and picked up some lights and a switch panel and a bilge pump. I got to work on it today though got alot of the front deck done plywood and all. heres some pics for you guys.

By jirwin6985, shot with 503 at 2008-06-28

This is the front storage compartment

By jirwin6985, shot with 503 at 2008-06-28

Heres the rear compartment( i abandned the built in cooler idea for now.)

By jirwin6985, shot with 503 at 2008-06-28

And heres the whole deck...its pretty sturdy. on the very end of the sides it flexes a little more than i would like. i thought about making a braket that bolts it to the sides of the boat anyone have any ideas?

Enjoy

macmaster761 reply :

maybe some simple small L shelving brackets screwed into the side

GooseBoots reply :

70GameFisher, I did mods on the same boat. Looks like your doing a great job.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1207827196/0

Bruce

The Crippled Angler reply :

Thanks your boat looks awsome man. So befor it started raining on me again > I fixed the flexing problem. I pulled up the ply i laid and added another angle along the sides that really stiffend it up. And while i was at walmart i found the perfect cooler to mount were i was going to build a cooler in. I found it cheep so its easier to modify this cooler to fit then to build a new cooler from scratch.(gotta have somewere to put the beer ;D) Anyway if we ever get a break from this rain im hoping it will be done by this weekend. Thanks for whoever is still watching..

Joe

The Crippled Angler reply :

Hey guys got some work done today on the boat i know the pictres look the same as befor but i changed some plans.

I changed some framing and added some more angle on the ends wich has fixed the flexing problem. I also abandoned the fiberglass cooler idea for this coleman i found for cheap. Fits perfectly.

Pic with the floor ontop in place

Last one

sorry the progress is slow but work and weather seems to be working against me right now. i want to run the electical next thanks for looking

Joe

The Crippled Angler reply :

Got the front of the boat done gonna sart working on the rear now but the front deck and floor is done so let me know what you think so far..

enjoy..any suggestions?

The Crippled Angler reply :

some more pics of the front deck..

enjoy

skillet reply :

You do GOOD work, my friend ...

As Ever,

skillet

The Crippled Angler reply :

Hey everyone after lots of rain and work i finnally took all day yesterday to finish the boat. I ran all the wiring and built the rear deck. Gonna take it out tommorow and see how she handles with the added weight. Thanks for all who have kept an eye on the project.

here she is as she sits

front deck

rear deck

rear hatch open

front storage compartment

cooler and livewell setup

electrical wired up with lightws front and rear for night fishing for cats>

anyway after its voyage tommorow im will see if i want to mov the trolling motor to the front of the boat or not. I have a few other things like fire extinguiser to add but 99% of it is done. Thanks for looking enjoy!

Joe

jeremyt reply :

Man thats sweet, it looks like it came from the factory that way. I bet you could make a lot of side money doing that. Great job.

The Crippled Angler reply :

Well the test run went well I took it out today with my not so light freind and myself.(about 450lbs of people) and it handled great. They fished off the front deck while i fished off the rear deck. Moves are definatly calculated but once we got our sea legs everything was fine. the only way i could see tipping this thing is iff both of us were on the same side of the boat and one of us jumped. I tried it and the gunwales came within a few inches. All in all i would call it a success.

Here a pic of the boat and trailer along with my tow vehical.

let me know what you think.

Joe

thefishingone reply :

How much did this project cost you? Even include the boat price in it.

The Crippled Angler reply :

Well lets see...

boat $700 after tax and tags

Trailer was $500 tax and tags

gas motor was $200

electric motor was $150 with rebate

battery was $50

aluminum was about $60

Plywood was $25

Carpet i cut pre cut for $45

Misc wireing plugs switches about $150

Im sure im forgetting something But right around $1800-$2000 sounds about right. But again that including everything.

Thanks

Joe

BassMaster_17 reply :

Great Job!!!!!!! You should enjoy that for years to come!!!

thefishingone reply :

After I saw this I was like wow I want to do that. Just wondering could you weld the aluminum to the boat and weld the other aluminum together? Or would that be harder to do?

spin king reply :

Unless you know someone who will weld for free, it would be a whole lot more expensive to weld the frame.

How did you attach the deck to the frame?

The Crippled Angler reply :

Yea the rivits were a whole lot easier i think. I just drilled all my holes in the frome then ran around with my rivit gun and rivited it all together. I fastend the deck to the frame work using self tapping stainless steel screws. Worked pretty well just make sure that you pre drill the holes because i snapped plenty of screws learning that the hard way.

Good luck

Joe

tennwalkinghorse reply :

Looks great so far keep use posted and keep the pic coming :)

Certified Public Angler reply :

man good looking boat there. Im jealous, Ive been searching craigslist forever looking for something that will leave me enough cash to mod it. Great work man.

Big Tom reply :

Awesome job. It turned out awesome!!!

MikeFromOleMiss reply :

where do you buy angled aluminum like that? lowes or something? Also, im a big guy, 6'4 300lbs, would the aluminum support me or do i need to try wood?

The Crippled Angler reply :

Thanks guys im currently looking for a fishfinder around a hundred bucks to add as well. Yes i bought the aluminum at lowes. Looking back i spent way more then i should have as my local scrap yard has scrap aluminum for cost. Would have saved me about half my cost. Good Luck with your project. As far as support my deck can support me (200lbs) and my freinds (250lbs) With only alittle bit of flexing. So if you smart about it and were you put your supports you should be fine. I know some other guys on here frame different ways you might want to check out theres and find out what looks best to you.

Joe

MikeFromOleMiss reply :

Quote
As far as support my deck can support me (200lbs) and my freinds (250lbs) With only alittle bit of flexing. So if you smart about it and were you put your supports you should be fine. I know some other guys on here frame different ways you might want to check out theres and find out what looks best to you.
Joe

thanks man, ill do that. Im thinking about a wood/aluminum combo.

ad870 reply :

Boat looks great. You do great work. Two things I noticed that I wondered if you would change if you were doing it again.

1. Does the cooler get in the way when fishing? I thought about doing this on mine but was worried about that part of it.

2. On your back seat can you use your tiller from the pedastel mount and if not I'm afraid you are going to have a wet butt quite a bit of the time from your carpeting on the bench.

Not being critical because I took on a similar project and yours looks 10 times better then mine.

The Crippled Angler reply :

Hey your not being critical at all. I enjoy being able to help others with there projects if i can.

1) the cooler does get in the way a little bit when moving around the boat not so much when fishing. Im thinking of making a carpeted peice to cover the hole so i can pull out the cooler and use the whole front deck if need be.

2) Yes i can reach the trolling motor just find while cruising on the pedestal seat. Its quit comftable acually but the shaft on my trolling motor is pretty long so i have alot of adjustment. In order to run the regular motor i just remove the pedastal and put the seat directly in the base. Im pretty happy with it overall though.

Joe

The Crippled Angler reply :

Hey guys just an update will post pics tommorow but i just got home from picking up a 1959 evinrude sportwin 10 hp outboard. The motor look like new! Pumps water started on first pull shifts through all gears and picked it up with the tank all for $150! Cant wait to try it out on the boat. Will get pictures tommorow. Any recommendations for this motor for me to look out for or do? What would a proper fuel mix ratio be. I also noticed it has a [ressurized gas tank and i just purchased a new tank for my other motor and i was wondering if i could modify that tank to work on this motor wich runs on the pressurized system. Thanks guys will get pics tommorow.

Joe

done reply :

Nice work. I got the exact same boat except a 8 HP Mercury motor on it. You have any issues with the weight on it riding too low.

I have been looking to do what you are doing there but to date, have been concerned about the weight. It does ride pretty low in the back and I have been worried about it getting swamped by some of the less than courteous boaters I have run into who do their best to do so.

What thickness was that on the plywood you used for the deck? Also, if you were to guess what do you figure the total cost was for you on this one?

Thanks for this post dude. You have given me some awesome ideas.

The Crippled Angler reply :

Hey thanks for the reply. I still have plenty of free board left on this boat im not too worried about it. And total including the new motor would be somewere in the $2200 range since im selling the old motor.

Here are some pics of her i took it out this morning and it took a few pulls to get it started and it idled kinda ruff. once it was opened up it ran great but just did not wat to run at idle speed. Thinking of runing a can of sea foam through it and she if it helps. PLugs look new as do the wires. any ideas? I messed with the idle adjustment knobs and diddnt notice to much of a difference.

I also took a video while i was out driving and man ill tell you what this little boats flies once i got it planed out.

Enjoy and thanks for the help..

Joe

done reply :

Not too sure on that. My tracker is my first outboard. We had a mess of I/O when I was growing up. Probably am being paranoid by the chance of getting swamped. With the boats my father owned growing up, having a wave go over the side was never an issue. Actually, the times it is really a concern are when I am sitting still and get hammered by some dude screaming right near me in a ski boat. If I see 'em up front I can use the trolling motor to take the waves up front. Probably nothing a half decent bilge pump couldn't handle if it did anyway.

Also, how is the stability with it? I know most folks on here highly recommend jon boats no less than 42" wide. I have found with mine currently if I am alone standing and casting is fine. If I have 2 folks on there, sitting is really better unless you have 2 REALLY balanced folks on there.

done reply :

Did you put any finish on the plywood? I have seen posts here suggesting not to do so. Just curious. I just about have the entire aluminum superstructure built on it.

I really appreciate you posting this in such detail. I am actually, going to something extremely similar to mine. I am moving the battery forward though behind what is the middle seat since that space is not used at all right now and i could use the extra weight up there to help plane it out more with the 8 hp motor. I am also adding some extra flotation stuff under the parts of the deck that are not part of the storage area. I probably would not have thought of it if not for this post.

What, if any superstructure did you use for the middle section flooring? I was nervous about just putting plywood down as is.

The Crippled Angler reply :

Sure no problem just post pics of your project when your done so we can see it! As for the floor between the rear and center seat there is no frame. By the bench seat there is a 1x2 screwed to it since there is not ribs there but everything else is supported by the ribs themsef and it is pretty sturdy. I treated what little wood i used with thompsons watersealer befor installing. I think what you read was that most recommend not using pressure treated wood since it can ruin the aluminium over time. Good luck with your project.

Joe

done reply :

Did you use marine plywood? I am having issues find some around here. Probably end up with normal plywood and indoor/outdoor carpeting cause nobody carries the carpeting either.

The Crippled Angler reply :

Nope marine plywood weighs a ton! Most people just use regular plywood and treat it. the marine carpet is avaiable through lowes is you have one near by. it is rubber backed so the glue doesnt seep through when you use it.

Joe

Wilson reply :

you like that ten horse. There is one for sale where I am and I want to upgrae from my 4.5 to a 9.9 so 10 will be fine. My 4.5 is 1980s and I am concerned about the older age.

The Crippled Angler reply :

I love the ten hp! I was concerned at first because i diddnt think it would be that much of an upgrade from the 4 i had. Man was i wrong this boat moves now. With just me in the boat i have to move everthing i have to the front of the boat to keep the front down. As far as age 1980's isnt that old for a 2 stroke as long as it was aken care of. My 4hp evinrude was from the 70's and my new evinrude is a 1959 and they are both in great shape. i need to rebuild the seals on the carb but it runs like a champ and starts on the first of second pull everytime. I have no regrets.

Joe

northtexasfishmaniac reply :

wilson i dont think that it matters what year it is as long as you take care of it ive got my great grandads '76 9.5 johnson evinrude

redskinsfan360 reply :

When putting carpet on wood, do you have a problem with water soaking into the carpet which is then sitting on the wood, therefore causing mold. Nice boat! I love it when people make changes themselves!

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