BassKinG Posted March 12, 2006 Posted March 12, 2006 Hi, Im considering buying a 1542 Jon how stable is a 42" wide jon? THanks Quote
jagdbdg Posted March 12, 2006 Posted March 12, 2006 I would not go less than a 48inch bottom, especially that length, if your going to put decks on it Quote
BassKinG Posted March 12, 2006 Author Posted March 12, 2006 This is the boat right here: http://www.lowe.com/fishboats/roughneck/R1542V.html Quote
bassnleo Posted March 12, 2006 Posted March 12, 2006 Yes, as LBH said nice rig. I considered one of those when I was looking last year. You may want to look at the Tracker Grizzly jon's. I have a 1648, love it. Settled on the Tracker vs. Lowe due to a few factors, cost was one, hull weight was another. I'm thinking you will get into a 1648 Tracker Grizzly less than the Lowe 1542. Mine is very stable, just finishing project of extending the front deck. Quote
dervollender Posted March 13, 2006 Posted March 13, 2006 A River Hawk procaster is the only way to go. I will never go back to a Jon boat after buying this. Quote
Triton_Mike Posted March 13, 2006 Posted March 13, 2006 I don't think you'll have any problem with that Lowe's. I also have a 1648 Grizzly and chose it due to cost issues like the guy above. I just got a much better deal going with the Grizzly and I liked the way the front deck part was laid out compared to the Lowe's and War Eagles that I also looked at. I'd love to see how you end up decking your Lowe's boat out! Here is how I did mine www.tritonmike.com/boat.html T Mike Quote
BD Posted March 14, 2006 Posted March 14, 2006 A River Hawk procaster is the only way to go. I will never go back to a Jon boat after buying this. Can you say why you would rather have your boat over a jon? Also when you all ask about stability, are you asking for standing up reasons, or flipping over reasons? Quote
dervollender Posted March 14, 2006 Posted March 14, 2006 A River Hawk Procaster has a 60" beam. 15' 5" long. Runs in just a couple of inches of water. But it is the way the hull is designed. that makes it just about the most stable small boat you can buy. You can walk around in it just like a standard bass boat. I have owned a 14' Jon boat and will never go back to owning a jon boat again after buying it. I picked this boat up in Georgia for $1800.00 with the trailer, live well, seats and polling platform. New one runs about 2600.00 with trailer. Quote
fishn bear Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 Yeah it will be a good boat! One of my fishing buddies has a older 1542 alumcraft jon boat that we fish out of a lot and its stable enough for the two of use to stand and fish in all day. Its just a plain jon boat with no decks or anything but i think i would be fine for decks or a floor. Quote
Triton_Mike Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 I can vouch for the stability of the River Hawk (Gheenoe type boats). Very stable and float in only inches of water. The biggest problem I have with the River Hawk is lack of space. I'm used to a Tr-20 and I want to bring all my gear, sandwiches, cokes, tackle bags and rods and other crap with me when I fish and so does my partner. I can stuff my boat full of gear and my partners gear to the brim and still not trip over anything. Thats the advantages and disadvantges between the Riverhawk and the jon. THe river hawk will probably be much easier to slide down a river bank or into a creek without a launch. Great for going over shallow shoals as well. Just depends on your type of fishing. i will also say the river hawk can't handle the chop the jon can handle due to the higher sides of the jon. If you are fishing creeks and small ponds or lakes and don't have too much gear the hawk would be a great choice. If you fish bigger waters (regaurdless of electric or gas) you'll be better off with the jon from a safety standpoint. I know of folks in jon boats that have sunk on these bigger waters of 1000 acres or bigger. T MIke Quote
BD Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 Sorry to steal the thread away from the original author's question, but I still have some questions. So the 1648 is safe to use, how are people in jon boats sinking? Is it from the chop coming over the sides on a bigger lake? I want to get my own jon (we fish from my buddies skeeter currently) but don't want to worry I might drown! I am wanting to do something like what you have Mike, but are you saying I can't use this setup unless it's a 20 acre lake with no wind? More over, what is the difference I guess is what I want to know from a skeeter and a jon? Is it being higher off the water that's causing the stability, or the keel, or what? A 16 ft bass and a 16 jon boat are different I understand this, but WHAT is the main differences? Should I try and find an older bass boat, or will I truly be fine in a big jon???? :-/ Quote
Triton_Mike Posted March 16, 2006 Posted March 16, 2006 BD, The riverhawk has low sides. It's not equipped with the high sides that a jon boat has. So if your in a GOOD windstorm while on the lake your chances of not dying LOL are better in the jon with high sides. But that is IF your in a GOOD windstorm and it's got some sizeable waves. Like I said it just depends on what you want to use the boat for. Does the lakes you fish have big waves? I know of lakes that are 11,000 acres and don't really have big waves due to the layout of the lake and then again I know of lakes that are 1000 acres that can get rough in a hurry. Just depends on your usage and the lake. You might be just fine with the Riverhawk idea. It's a great boat but it has it's limits (big waters) just like the jonboat (skinny waters). I have looked hard for an ALL around boat. and one just does not exist to cover every need. Thats why I have 2 boats. I could easily have 3 for a 3rd use. T Mike Quote
dervollender Posted March 17, 2006 Posted March 17, 2006 Mike, Sorry I have to disagree with you. The River Hawk sits higher out of the water. Just put a jon boat in the water and load it with gear. Fully load a River Hawk and sit it in the water. Your lucky if the river hawk sinks 3/4. Also I was on the Potomac with 20-30 mile winds the other day. I would never put my old jon boat in the water. And it holds just a little less gear as my old jon. So I use my live well as a cooler. Space problem solved. But alsomy piont also is money. Sure a Nice 16ft grizzly welded hull $3500.00 with out trailer. B60 procaster with trailer $2600.00. Mitchell Quote
Triton_Mike Posted March 17, 2006 Posted March 17, 2006 Mitchell, Your saying that the river hawk has higher sides than this and sits higher out of the water?? Your kidding me right? Now some jon boats with lower sides that might be true. But he is asking about a 1648 which has a 71 inch beam, rated for a 50hp motor, and 24 inch sides. The biggest riverhawk I have found is 15ft 8 inches and only had a 60 inch beam (11 inches less is ALOT of boat), rated for a 15hp and I can gaurantee you it doesn't have 24 inch sides regaurdless of how deep the grizzly sinks in the water. Regaurdless the riverhawk was not designed to be ran in rough water thats partially why it's called a "RIVER" hawk. The advertisements I have read on the Riverhawk clearly state river or small lake boat. Granted I have been stupide enough to 20 miles off shore to the Chandaluer islands in a 12ft jon boat but that doesn't mean I would do it in a Riverhawk. Mike Quote
Triton_Mike Posted March 17, 2006 Posted March 17, 2006 Mitchell?? $3500 for a grizzly without a trailer?? I paid like $1200.00 for mine without a trailer???? Granted I got a left over model from the previous year and BPS gave me a good price break. They retail for 1899 without a trailer and I bought a used Magic tilt type trailer seperate for the boat and I came out like $1700 for boat and trailer. I came out $1000.00 cheaper than you did . Enjoy your RiverHawk it's a great quality boat. I fished out of a friends Gheenoe for alot of years. Great boat. T Mike Quote
tbone975 Posted March 29, 2006 Posted March 29, 2006 You may want to look into Xpress VJ series jon boats if you decide to stick with the jon boat. They are along the lines of the Roughneck and Grizzly and all welded with a little wider bottom. The front decks on these seem to be a little better setup for a bow mount trolling motor and the wiring harness/running lights if you choose to add those accessories on. I bought the 1546VJ and my buddy and I fish and duck hunt out of it just fine. As for stability, it will get too rough for fishing/hunting before it gets too rough for your boat. Quote
Triton_Mike Posted March 29, 2006 Posted March 29, 2006 I know Triton and Xpress are top of the line aluminum jons. YOu pay dearly for them too. But they are very well built. T Mike Quote
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