Jon Boat size for Rim Lakes

[CouesFanatic]

I'm looking at buying a Tracker Topper 1036 Jon boat. Just looking to get me and my 7 year old son out trolling some of the Rim lakes. The boat is 10 feet long and 36 inches wide with a beam of 4 foot 4 inches. I picked up a 55lb thrust Minn Kota trolling motor recently. I don't really want to go any bigger as I'm trying to avoid going with a trailer. My truck bed is 7 feet long with the tailgate down. I'm not needing to stand on the boat, I realize it won't be terribly steady, just want to get out on some tiny lakes like Woods Canyon, Knoll, Bear and Black Canyon. BTW I weigh 190 and he weighs 50. The boat has a person max of 330 lbs and a total weight max of 710 pounds.

 

Anyone use a 10 foot boat? Any advice?

[Jnj13]

Not trying to talk you out of anything but last summer I saw a similar small (tiny) jon boat go under in less than a minute while he was trying to get off the lake on a windy day.

 

We helped recover and he was fine but something to consider with your 7 year old.

[wildwoody]

Also trailer isn't a bad thing, trying to load and unload a Jon boat by yourself and the motor and battery, with the trailer every thing is in it and ready to go, your son can even learn to load it, anyway I wouldn't go less then 12"and the motor is plenty big

[PRDATR]

The battery will add 50#'s, maybe more.

[rcdinaz]

The smallest one when you are towing it and the biggest one when you are on the lake with all your gear and friends.

 

We have a little aluminum boat we use on the rim lakes but it is a v-hull not a jon. With as much wind as you get some days water can easily come in the jon boat and steering it can be a major pain. just my $0.02

[trphyhntr]

i had one of them 2 man boats growing up, it took rough water pretty good

[rtnbull]

Honestly, I wouldn't get a job boat. I had one, and me and my 10 year old son at the time, nearly didn't make it back to shore on lake Mary. Wind came up, and the boat just spun in circles. Really scary. Sold it as soon as I got home.

[dse]

Like others have said I wouldn't go under 12 and a 14 is a ton better! My 14 will move pretty well with a 40lb thrust motor and is way more stable than the smaller boats I've had.

[CouesFanatic]

DSE is yours a jon or v hull?

 

Thanks for the info guys, might be saving me a big headache.

[Coues assassin]

I have a 14' Vhull and have crossed Roosevelt in some nasty wind with no problems. It's on a small trailer and easy to tow around, like someone else said your going to like the trailer instead of taking it in and out of your truck. I spent about $100 in material and a day of my time and turned the front half of it into a deck but I still get the stability of a V hull

[Roosevelt Mark]

Like others have said I wouldn't go under 12 and a 14 is a ton better! My 14 will move pretty well with a 40lb thrust motor and is way more stable than the smaller

 

boats I've had.

 

Exactly! Try to get a 14 footer, you will be alot happier.

[Ringer]

I have a buddy that bought a 14' jon boat for his place up in Show Low. He is a big boy and when we launched at Fools Hollow I noticed there was only around 2" of freeboard at the transom with his fat arse back there. He got rid of it and bought a 16' deep vee.

[Guest akaspecials]

10 ft is fine for two if your kid isn't too wild and can swim. Just watch the wind and don't try to cross a lake like Roosevelt or go on any lakes with motorboats. I use a flat bottom 14ft Jon and can fit 5 people and 2 dogs as long as its not windy. I will always pick flat bottom over v cause you can get into really shallow water in the flat bottom. We just don't have enough wind or waves on the rim lakes for me to justify a v hull. My next one will be 18 ft though so I have more room for duck decoys and coolers.

I would however get a trailer. Loading and unloading jon boats off pick ups is not my ideal way to start a relaxing morning on the lake. And if you're gonna trailer, you might as well go bigger for the room and stability, but you'll be just fine with 10ft.

[jim]

With a kid I wouldn't go with less than a 12 footer deep v.

[CouesFanatic]

Something like this?

 

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/boa/d/12-aluminum-triton-fishing/6546781671.html