Choosing the Right Boat

I have been deliberating long and hard about what type and size of boat will be best. In the past, I’ve only fished off of larger saltwater fishing boats and a 10’ aluminum, oar powered jon boat. Like many others I’ve come across on the WWW, I’m concerned about stability once I add decking which will raise the boat’s center of gravity. I am considering either a flat-bottom 14’ jon boat or a 14’ v-hull boat. (See below: top - jon boat, bottom - v-hull, post-conversion)

I have heard on multiple separate occasions, people endorse either one over the other as being more stable. Having never been in a v-hull or jon boat that size with decking built in, I really do not know for sure. But, I do have some experience in a small jon boat.

My friend Chuck (who stands 6’4” at 240 lbs.) and I used to fish from a 10’ jon boat on an extremely small pond. Although the boat was small, we would often stand up to fish at the same time. Although it wasn’t the most stable of situations, we never ended up in the drink.

Considering this, I have been leaning towards the jon boat since I will be looking into a 14’ x 36” model which will be even more stable. Also, although v-hull modifications are nice, I really like the look of the elevated decks on the jon boats as opposed to the basic “flooring” installed on most v-hull conversions. I'm also very wary of putting decking near the top of a v-hull (see above). Maybe someone with more experience in both of these types of vessels could make a better decision. For now, I’m looking for a jon boat.

If I do convert a 14’ jon boat, I will definitely install two pedestal seats to keep the anglers’ weight toward the center line of the boat and help maintain balance. I made this a priority in my mind after watching this demonstration.

I am currently looking into buying a 2003 G3 War Eagle 1436 Jon Boat with a trailer, 2 trolling motors, and an unknown Johnson outboard that was listed on eBay. Asking price is $1,300. Hopefully, the motor will be in good shape and I’ll still be able to walk away with the package for not much more than $1k. If all goes well, she’ll be mine by the weekend.