Clueless Newby w/ 18' Jon boat

[michael.magorian]

Hey fellas, I acquired a legendary boat from the widow of the guy that taught me everything I know about cleaning rough fish. This boat is pretty rough, but it is a local legend for fishing boats.

Top 3 questions
1. The transom leaks like a siv from the bolts that are going through it. I know I need to replace the wood, but what do you do to seal bolts going through the transom, the support (aluminum or steal), and the wood on the inside?

2. How much support do bench seats provide for the structure of the boat? I have one that I would like to remove, but the boat shutters pretty good the way it is going down the river. The boat is 18' x 6', so it is fairly large for a rivetted Jon.

3. What kind of wood do you recommend for decking? I had a guy tell me when I did my pontoon boat that green-treated is better than marine plywood. I have learned from this site, that spar urethane is the ticket for water sealing, but what should a guy start with?

 

[ReelLowBudget]

Not 100% sure but i think pressure treated and aluminum do not mix well... i would go marine grade or spend a little more and use aluminum...

 

[rscottp]

Don't use PT wood in aluminum boats!

 

[jethro]

You can use untreated but it must be sealed which you would want to do anyway. Or use aluminum. In some jon boats I've seen synthetic deck boards utilized pretty well.

 

[michael.magorian]

Thanks fellas. I didn't realize that treated was not a good combination with an aluminum boat.

 

[will15120]

You can use treated wood but you have to check with the maker and check to make sure it won't be corrosive on the aluminum.