# Boat choice



## moondancer

Ok I have a chance to barter for a canoe or a small jon boat . They both have there merits but want outside opinions . I'll use it for fishing and trapping on lakes and large creeks not rivers I have a friend with a larger boat for the river . All though if I put a larger motor on the jon boat it would be river usable 


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## jeff47041

My opinion. Canoes sound dangerous. I hear of lots of canoeing accidents where people (including me) have lost lots of their guns.
Seriously though, I have a small john boat. It's almost impossible to tip over. I have a small gas engine for it, as well as a battery operated trolling motor, and oars (which is what we use most of the time). There is also a lot more room for hauling your trapping supplies and your catch. 
The only down side is that you can't just throw it over your head and carry it where you want it by yourself.


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## moondancer

jeff47041 said:


> My opinion. Canoes sound dangerous. I hear of lots of canoeing accidents where people (including me) have lost lots of their guns.
> 
> Seriously though, I have a small john boat. It's almost impossible to tip over. I have a small gas engine for it, as well as a battery operated trolling motor, and oars (which is what we use most of the time). There is also a lot more room for hauling your trapping supplies and your catch.
> 
> The only down side is that you can't just throw it over your head and carry it where you want it by yourself.


All my same thoughts . I'm not getting younger so stability in the water sounds good . The boat is a 14 footer with a trolling motor and trailer. I'm providing labor to install a drop ceiling in exchange

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## ddowell73

You can put more gear in a much more stable platform with a jon boat. Also there are some decent propulsion options available for them.


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## OldCootHillbilly

I've had several boats from power boats, jon boats an canoes.

I can't tell ya how many times that jon boat got swamped an sunk. I don't own one no more. It had it's place, but a good square stern wide flat bottom canoe does the same thin an even more.

I've gotta canoe now (fer several years), it's a Pelican 16 1/2 footer. Easier ta handle, moves around quite well with a electric motor an yet be easy ta paddle. We do small creeks, rivers an ponds as well as a small lake. This canoe is not "tippy" at all. My wife an youngest son don't do well in a standard canoe. They move to much and over react what generally means somebody gonna get wet. The Pelican I got is super stable an everbody enjoys bein out in it. I kinda look at mine as a cross between a canoe ana jon boat with perty much the besta both worlds.

My oldest boy has a more traditional canoe, narrow beam an very responsive, but with that comes the "tippy" part to. Experienced folks wouldn't have much trouble in his, but ya don't always have that luxury. So the wider beam an square stern fixes that.

Just my experience with boats.


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## OldCootHillbilly

Here be a stock pic a mine from the top:

I added some swivel seats ta mine. Makes fishin nice.


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## jeff47041

moondancer said:


> All my same thoughts . I'm not getting younger so stability in the water sounds good . The boat is a 14 footer with a trolling motor and trailer. I'm providing labor to install a drop ceiling in exchange
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Survival Forum


That's great. I love bartering labor for stuff. Wish you were closer to me, I'd come help do the ceiling so you can have your boat.


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## moondancer

Jeff that's nice thank you 


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## backlash

Canoe is an old Indian work for you're going to get wet.
I have owned both and the Jon boat was much better for what I used it for.


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## bugoutbob

Depends on the canoe. Growing up we used an 18 foot freighter canoe. 64inches wide at the beam, took a small outboard, load weighted for over a ton. Could haul a family of six and their camping gear or two men and a moose with no problem. Now that kind of canoe is worth its weight in gold.


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## JustCliff

I have had both and still have my canoe. A couple of things to think about I have not seen mentioned. What is the canoe made of? I guess the jon boat is made of aluminum? What type of beds do the waterways have that you will operate in mostly? If they are sharp rock like around here, it doesn't treat aluminum very well. How will you repair it in hard times? How noisy is it while doing anything in it or with it? How well will each power through the water with one person and a load? 
I prefer the canoe. Mine is fiberglass, 20 ft long and pretty wide. I think it is a Chippewa made in Michigan many years ago. I have had it since I was 13 and it was used when I got it. So. I know it is at least 35 years old and still seaworthy.
I can repair it without a whole lot of tools. It is quiet even if I move around in it. It is easy to build up the bottom of fiberglass without add too much weight and adding a great deal of strength and durability. You can make out riggers for it if on open water and carrying an unstable load. You can even attach a small sail if you will be on an open waterway.

Ok. That's my 2 cents


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## Iafrate

i have an 18 ft wooden biadarka that I built with a bifurcated bow. My powered boat is a 24' Boston Whaler.


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## jeff47041

Just curious Moondancer, did you get your boat?


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