Update on my jon boat project :) (lots of pics)

[Triton_Mike]

another site

I've just been poking along and taking my time with my all electric jon boat project. The only thing I really have left is to install the 2ea 3 bank Dual Pro chargers (on order), Buy 6 batteries (ouch!), install a bilge pump, glue down the front deck carpet and wire the 2 big foot switches and it should be ready to roll provided I wired it all right LOL.

Just in case you interested I have 3ea 82lb thrust Motor Guides (total of 246lbs of thrust arrgh!!) A humminbird 987SI and I built a special bracket that I thought was pretty neat for the GPS puck. A 120qt ice chest with a special hatch in the lid along with a Longer life aereator for a livewell.

Here is the little website I made to show the progress of the boat. Scroll down for the newer pictures.

www.tritonmike.com/boat.html

T Mike

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Watch out Varner hawgs.  That's an awesome rig you got there.

I will be starting my Jon boat coversion tomrrow.  I finally got some descent weather and some free time.  I am hoping to finish it by the middle of March.  I'll be sure to post some pics along the way.

[Nick_Barr]

AWESOME!!, Nice Boat!!! looks almost like a new brand of tritons!

[5bass]

Looks good man.Can I borrow it sometime? ;D

[bassnleo]

That is a tight rig! I want to see the wake it will throw, LOL.

I'm starting my conversion soon.

Trition Mike, what is a longer life aereator ? I to have one of those style coolers, they work pretty good!

[benzo73]

Awesome!!!

[dink]

My old 14' V is next Mike. ;D  That rig is top-notch!  Good job.

dink

[cgs2004]

Holy cow!  You could pull up a skier with that much power ;D

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Looks great Mike!

I'll never understand the multiple t/m thing. A boat has a mean off plane speed which for a flat bottom is roughly between 4 and 6 mph. This is the max speed that can be reached before going on plane. My boat has a mean speed of 4.6 mph and I know I get that from my T/M according to gps. I cannot go any faster before breaking plane which the math says would be about 14-18 mph depending on weight. Any more power I add once I have achieved 4.6 mph is just wasted power because all though it may seem like I'm going faster, I am not. I'm still going 4.6mph but I'm pushing alot more water unless it's enough power to reach plane.

Plus, 2 props rotating in the same direction, side by side creates prop wash and cavitation reducing each motors efficiency. If there is somthing to running 2 t/m's, when are they going to come out with directional props?

I know that 2 outboards will get you a little more speed but only when on plane. 2 engines essentially allows you to run them at a much lower rpm and achieve the same speed, saving on wear and tear.   It also is an offshore safety factor to have an extra motor. I can't see this applying to t/m's, especially when both props are turning in the same direction.

Sorry for the off-topic, the pic got me on it again.

Boat came out awesome! Do you have an overall weight for the finished product? You can go to a gravel yard and ask if you can pull on the scale to find out. My complete mod added 104 pounds to my boat. Not bad at all.

[Bass Hammer]

Sweeeet Mike!

[hipster_dufus]

good looking job, one tiny question. how are u plugging in your bow mount? what type of plug are u looking for?i am looking for something that will take 6 ga wire. does anyone make one?

[Triton_Mike]

Lowbudgethookers.  Randall Kirkpatrick my electric boat genius says anything more than 2 motors on the back is not gaining you much in the form of speed.  If your going 4.6 with one T motor maybe you can get 6 with 2????  I agree there is diminishing returns until you can get the boat up on plane.  Worst case sceneario I have a Trolling motor to sell.  Best case scenario I'll be going faster??  

hipster,  The plug that I have is a marineco plug.  The wire is 8 gauge that connects to it tho.  Thats the best I could find.  Any marine dealer can order it for you.  

Mike

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Mike- my main reason for investigating this is because I was looking at the 82lb thrust motors for speed but after reading, I realize I'm already going as fast as I can so why add the weight of another battery (24v system)

With this in mind, would removing all the extra batts and t/m reduce the weight enough to make up for any thrust that was lost by removing it.

In other words

1 motor, 2 batts, say 1000 pounds and 5.5 mph

2 motors, 4 batts, say 1200 still so close to 5.5 that I couldn't be able to justify the cost on 2 batts and another motor.

If I'm way off, please say so, this is all self education stuff from me. JMO.

Trying to learn so I'm asking guys that use this heavy system of thrust.' My opinion is that first of all we are talking about 1 or 2 mph at most.  Another $4-600 for 1 or 2 mph seems crazy to me.  It would seem that 1 or 2 mph could be just as easily gained by removing a little weight i.e, if you're gonna do compartments and full decking, use fiberglass.  You could then also use mold to make same set-up for anyone with same hull as you and make some quick easy money.  First one takes some time but they knock right out after you've made a mold.

or

you could use 1/4 inch ply and add strips of chop mat to reinforce even stronger and about 2/3 the weight of 1/2 inch marine grade.  That's alot of weight reduced!

Just thoughts.

[Triton_Mike]

Low Budget,  Trust me I'm not wizard in this.  Randall Kirkpatrick of Fish Atlanta is the guy you need to talk with.  He has a freakin formula to determine speed with trolling motors LOL.  Weight is one thing but width of boat is another.  If you have a 12ft boat 36 inch bottom and a 12ft 48 inch bottom the 48 inch bottom will come out on top everytime as far speed is concerned.  Thats what Randall tells me.  You have more to gain by bottom width than you do about worrying with weight of your boat.  Randall just had a sudden emergency (see post in General fishing) so it will probably be a little while before we see him.  But Randall is the guy that can answer your questions!!

T Mike

[Cujo]

That is just too cool!    8-)

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

from Motorguide

Every boat hull will have a maximum speed. Here's the formula for estimating the maximum speed for a given hull. Multiply the square root of the length of the hull at the waterline by 1.3. This will give the theoretical maximum speed in knots. Most small boats will max out at 3 to 5 miles per hour. You can push harder, but you will just make more waves, not more speed.

Mine came to 4.6

[Triton_Mike]

Low budget,  Thats the formula!! I was going on what you said in your post about max speed 4-6mph.  I don't have a clue.  I just wanna get from point A to B and catch fishies in between ~

T Mike

[Mo_Tick]

LBH, i have to ask, im adding floors to my Boat and was going to use 3/8 ply until i cut the first peice, laid it in and walked on it....NOPE...to thin, i was going to get some 1/2" but id like to save weight... WHAT IS CHOP MAT!?

and how is it used to assist in strenght.

[Triton_Mike]

Mo tick,  I used 1/2 inch myself.

T Mike

[wheasle]

T-Mike that boat came out awsome... ive been looking for a 14' jon boat for a few months now... trying to get a "low budget" one, and deck it out like you did. Hah love the 3 trolling motors, great job

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Chop mat is fiberglass cloth, comes in sheets.  I use chop alot so I have it around but if I were going out to buy it new, I would get "woven" sheets.  Those are the 2 styles that raw fiberglass comes in.

You cut some strips about 4" wide and apply to the wood with fiberglass resin.  Sloppy but real easy, simply soak it through and brush out the air bubbles.  They make a slotted roller for this too but not really necessary to get that perfect for boat floor as it will be carpeted.

Anyway, do 1 strip at a time about every 4-6 inches apart and make a criss cross or diagonal pattern.  Try not to leave much resin on finished product.  Overkill is not necessary and will add weight.  Let it dry and do the other side.   Let some strips wrap to the other side for torsional stability.  Figure in for material thickness on the edges before you cut, allow an extra 1/4 inch.  This is how you would do a plain flat deck.  Lots of tricks for glassing multiple surface angles.

A brace can also be applied to the bottom of the deck to the floor of the boat.

Seeing as how you already have the wood and it's no good to you right now, give it a shot.

[fishn bear]

WOW!!  Now thats a jon boat!  Great job, one of the best i have ever seen.

[Mo_Tick]

well, after i read your post, i did a little research because i couldnt Visualize it. Now i can. basically this method is like putting a "CAST" around the wood. when you lay your strips, / on one side and\ on the other are they going across the sheet end to end?. did i see right? you used 7/16 ply?

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

yes, if that's not stiff enough, rough up cured surface with a fine sandpaper, remove all dust and do some strips in opposite direction (from top left to bottom right)

[Mo_Tick]

LBH, thanks, thats a Great help, i would have never thought to do that. i dont think it will stiffen 3/8 enough but 7/16 it should.

Tom