V-Haul Conversion vs Jon Boat

[greenchicken]

So I bought my first boat: a V-Haul Aluma Craft 14 footer. I am a bow fisher at Big Bear Lake, CA.

I had zero experience with motor boats when I bought it, it was cheap and local so i went for it.

Before I begin my massive off-season conversion I wanted some opinions on the V-Haul vs Jon Boat. There has to be benefit to the V-Haul design to generate all this effort in converting their interior to be more like a jon boat is to begin with.

I want to make this boat work for me and I am excited about the project, I just wonder if I should just buy a jon boat instead.

 

[25yamaha]

there is a benefit to the v shape it cuts water much more smoothly than a jon boat providing a dryer ride in rough conditions but they don't go as shallow as jon boat... imo v hull works best for me 8)

 

[great white]

Better ride in rougher water.

Which can be anything from a wake to whitecaps.

I find mine runs a fair bit smoother at speed and dealing with chop. My friends flat Jon isn't quite as much fun running any chop. I find it pounds quite a bit, but that can be different from hull to hull.

I actually don't see any big difference if its just a lake boat and you mind the weather.

I use mine on the atlantic , so the semi v works better for me.

 

[itsogood]

V-hulls do a lot better in chop but with that benefit you lose a lot on speed. Flat bottom boats ride up on top of the water or plane out a lot easier than v-hulls do and it takes a lot less HP (weight on back of boat) to plane out too. For instance with my 14' v-hull I can mount my 7HP Evinrude on the back and get up to about 15 knots after planing out. With the flat bottom it's hold onto your hat because you're gonna plane out and be flying across the water in no time. Without a passenger in the front it's a bit unwieldy and losing control is easy if you aren't paying attention until you plane out even after planing out for that matter. The front end pops up and going side to side is easy with the flat bottom, which means you can get out of control quick. Passenger or extra weight of some kind in the front is way better and you can control it easier. I have a 12' flat bottom that is doing around 30-35 knots with the same 7HP motor in no time flat with just me in the boat. So the V-hull is a better choice on windy days even in a lake or of course salt water use. Flat bottom on the calm days out on the lake gets me to my fishing spot in a big hurry comparatively. So there are pluses and minuses with either or. Craiglist has made it so I can have both worlds ... look up the weather report the day before and trailer up the right boat on my truck the night before.... lol. Hope this info helps ya.
Tony

 

[derekdiruz]

If you're a bowfisher, sell it and buy a 15 ft mod v or flat bottom. Then you can build a big deck up front with recessed lights to spot light them and get a higher angle on the shot. Plus you can take that flat bottom into reallllly shallow stuff for those grassies. My 12ft v I have would work for bowfishing, but not nearly as well as the flat would, and if you can start with a better platform, why not?

 

[richg99]

I agree with derek....

if you want stability while at rest....for aiming and shooting, (or fly fishing etc.) a flat bottom will be more stable and go shallower.

Everyone else is correct re the V-hull cutting the wakes better and should be better for big water, lots of waves, etc.

No one boat does everything well. richg99