Flyrod04

Looking for some opinions on a boat that I can do a little bit of everything with. I own a big center console, but I will be moving to Summerville in June and i want something I can fish for bass on Santee Cooper as well as creeks and flats for redfish. I also duck hunt a dozen days a year.

Some wants and needs -
Tiller
poling platform
trolling motor
a flat floor - ( no stringers showing, I fly fish and they can be a nuisance)
MUST fit in a garage on a trailer.
must hold a 6 pack of beer

What is every ones thoughts?

seabassassassin

I think a mod V 16' jon boat is going to be more useful. Get one with the aluminum deck already in it. Isn't going to pole quite like a flats skiff, but will have much more room than the gheenoe.

Flyrod04

That is where I am leaning. the price point used seems better. The only thing with a Gheeneo that draws me is they are super cool... haha the style is unmatched, but i think you are right, the Jon has more uses.

ECU_Pirate

1448 Jon boat. Put a 15-25hp tiller on the back and it will fly. Easy to launch with one man. Can be all in for less than half the cost of a 16ft job boat. A 1448 will fish two people comfortable as well. Brands like seaark and alweld can be somewhat customized. Can get them with floors, pods, and other stuff. No middle bench seat in them either because they are all welded. This opens them up a lot more.

Flyrod04

so do you think a 1448 is "better" then a 1648? I mostly fish alone or with my daughter who is 7 now. is the extra 2 feet of the 16 worth the money and effort?

4/0

If it was me I would go with the 16'. You get quite a bit more for the extra two feet IMO.
Having your daughter with you and also hunting out of it the 14' will get small quick. As mentioned the SeaArk is a nice jon boat. I know a few that fish them and they will not get anything else.
If your buying used and cannot find one with a floor it would not be hard to put down some 1/2 " treated ply.

https://www.seaarkboats.com/boat/94/1648-mv-special
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Chevymanrc

I have a 2012 Carolina Skiff J16 that might fit the bill. It has a 15hp Yamaha 4 stroke tiller but no poling platform.

Tperkerson

It really depends on what kind of gheenoe you are looking at.

I have a 15' highsider . I love it for what it is, but it just isn't the kind of boat you can put a poling platform om because it is so narrow, however, I can take the engine off and put it on the roof of my 4runner pretty easily.

A 15' classic could easily accommodate a poling platform and there are tons of builds out there for guys who fish them hard all throughout Florida.

Then you have the NMZ and LT models that will out complete most john boats as far as room and stability.

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Flyrod04

I was originally looking at the LT25- I have seen a number of builds with platforms and tillers. The part that gives me reservations is the stability aspect. I don't want to lean over to release a fish and have my daughter go for a swim...

Tperkerson

​​​​​​They are a lot more stable than you think.

My highsider is probably the least stable out not all of them and the only time I've ever felt like I was going to tip over or fall out was when I was being a dipshit fishing in some heavy current and thought it would be a good idea to try to lean over the back of the engine to net a fish.

You gotta remember, these things were designed buy guys hunting alligators. They have to lean over the edge constantly.

Flyrod04

AHHHH I did not know that was their first intended use! thank you for the information- I now have more research to do!

Corndog38

If you get a jon, don't worry too much about length, get width.

I have a 1254 with 8hp, it is perfect for me at 180lb and my lady at 110lb. Scoots along fine with 8hp. If we bring third girl at about 130lb, it sorta planes and is a bit unstable.

If we ran three in the boat often (we don't), I'd look a 14 doublewide and about 15hp. Length does not help stability, width does.

I think my 1254 is 12' long and 54" wide, so called a "wide and a half" Sorta like trailers: you can get a single wide, wide and half, and a double wide.

And you are talking about a poling platform over the motor? To stand on? Gonna need a pretty big boat for that unless you are 95lb.

Fishorwife

https://www.jonesbrothersmarine.com/jbm_bateau_17.htm

This is a good choice. It’s flat in the inside, stable and you can get it with a 40 Tiller Drive. If you get a trailer with a tongue that folds should fit in your garage. These are tough little boats and can take a pounding.

Not a cheap boat but compared to a 16 jon boat with a floor the price want be to far apart.
I’ve owned both and a metal Jon boat would be last on my list to purchase.

fowl intent

I have had a Gheenoe 13' for 30 years, and love it. Recently got a 15' and love it too. But not enough boat for what you want. Trust me, I went through the same process you did. Ended up with a 1542 semi-v with 25 hp Yamaha 4 stroke. Love it.

ECU_Pirate

If I'm going 16 ft I'm going 1660. The width makes a bigger difference than the length. But it's not that a 1448 is better, just that I don't think you really need a 1648. Me and my dad fished out of a 1448 for years. Caught more fish in that boat than any other since. I still have it and it's so easy to use. If buying both new with a motor and trailer the 14ft will cost half or less the 16ft. 1448 with a 15-25 will haul two people and decoys no problem. Also a great boat for your daughter to learn on.

ECU_Pirate

Another plus of an aluminum Jon is that they are maintenance free. Since it's your secondary boat you don't want to spend a bunch of time on up keep. Can beat it up and not worry about it. It will handle oysters and all the other stuff. Don't need to wax or wash it off.

Flyrod04

Thanks for the honesty!!!

I am looking hard at the 1448-1648's and everything inbetween. My new HOA says no boats parked in the driveway so it has to fit in the garage, which is fine, but it kinda dictates what my setup is. the garage will be 18'6" deep by 20 wide. I will put a swing away tongue on the trailer if i have to.

MSutton180

Are you looking to sell it?

ECU_Pirate

An 18'6 deep garage means it's going to have to be under 16ft almost certainly. The motor will add a foot and even a swing away tongue is still an extra foot at the minimum.

maintenanceguy

A 16 is going to be a lot more room and a 16 feels a lot more stable than a 14. Your daughter won't be 7 for long and if she wants to bring a friend or two and a 16' can do that. I have a 1751, not much bigger than 1648 and it's very comfortable with 4 on board. I have a side console on mine. If you go with a tiller, you'll have more open floor than I have.

I agree with what's been said before, that a modified V with a 25hp outboard is the way to go - Very stable and will be comfortable on the little bit of chop a big lake can have on a breezy day.

A 16 on a trailer with a swing away tongue can fit in 18'6 but I think you'll have to remove the motor to make it fit. I don't think that's a big deal if you're set up to do that and I think it's worth the extra work to get the stability and room of a 1648. A chain fall hanging over the middle of the boat lets you grab the motor by the eye and lift it off in 5 minutes.

Back in half way >> lift the motor and leave it hanging for next time >> back in the rest of the way. You can have the motor back on just as fast.

I would want more than just the screw clamps holding the motor on and would weld up some sort of quick-connect bracket but even if you were removing two bolts each time (as a backup to the clamps), it's still only going to take 5 minutes.

I would go 1648 for sure.