Lowe Jon Boat

I have an opportunity to buy a 14' Lowe Jon boat with a 15 hp motor
and have a few questions, since I don't know much about boats.

Does anybody have any experience with these jon boats?

How stable are they in lakes and rivers?

Are they a decent boat?

Anything else you want to add.

Thanks in advance,
Chris

I have a 14' Lowe and like it very much.You don't mention what you want to
use it for though. One thing is for sure... wider _is_ better. Regardless of
the length of the boat I'd stick with something as wide as you can get. It
will be much more stable and offer more options. I built a fishing deck on
the front and rea of mine. It's stable enough but I still wish it was 16'
and wider. Also, I have a 8hp engine. While this was fine with no decking,
the decking has added about 150lbs of weight. The 8hp engine just barely
gets on a plane with two people. I think a 15hp engine would be perfect.

You can take a look at my boat at http://todd.copelandhome.net/ (just click
on the Jon Boat link)

"Chris" wrote in message
...
I have an opportunity to buy a 14' Lowe Jon boat with a 15 hp motor
and have a few questions, since I don't know much about boats.

Does anybody have any experience with these jon boats?

How stable are they in lakes and rivers?

Are they a decent boat?

Anything else you want to add.

Thanks in advance,
Chris

I e-mailed you privately about a poss. engine trade. Let me know if you recieve the e-mail. Bill P.
================================================== ==================

"Todd Copeland" wrote in message link.net...
I have a 14' Lowe and like it very much.You don't mention what you want to
use it for though. One thing is for sure... wider _is_ better. Regardless of
the length of the boat I'd stick with something as wide as you can get. It
will be much more stable and offer more options. I built a fishing deck on
the front and rea of mine. It's stable enough but I still wish it was 16'
and wider. Also, I have a 8hp engine. While this was fine with no decking,
the decking has added about 150lbs of weight. The 8hp engine just barely
gets on a plane with two people. I think a 15hp engine would be perfect.

You can take a look at my boat at http://todd.copelandhome.net/ (just click
on the Jon Boat link)

"Chris" wrote in message
...
I have an opportunity to buy a 14' Lowe Jon boat with a 15 hp motor
and have a few questions, since I don't know much about boats.

Does anybody have any experience with these jon boats?

How stable are they in lakes and rivers?

Are they a decent boat?

Anything else you want to add.

Thanks in advance,
Chris

The boat is 2001 and will be used for bass fishing

Chris




On Thu, 05 Feb 2004 04:18:22 GMT, "Todd Copeland"
wrote:

I have a 14' Lowe and like it very much.You don't mention what you want to
use it for though. One thing is for sure... wider _is_ better. Regardless of
the length of the boat I'd stick with something as wide as you can get. It
will be much more stable and offer more options. I built a fishing deck on
the front and rea of mine. It's stable enough but I still wish it was 16'
and wider. Also, I have a 8hp engine. While this was fine with no decking,
the decking has added about 150lbs of weight. The 8hp engine just barely
gets on a plane with two people. I think a 15hp engine would be perfect.

You can take a look at my boat at http://todd.copelandhome.net/ (just click
on the Jon Boat link)

"Chris" wrote in message
.. .
I have an opportunity to buy a 14' Lowe Jon boat with a 15 hp motor
and have a few questions, since I don't know much about boats.

Does anybody have any experience with these jon boats?

How stable are they in lakes and rivers?

Are they a decent boat?

Anything else you want to add.

Thanks in advance,
Chris

"Chris" wrote in message
...
I have an opportunity to buy a 14' Lowe Jon boat with a 15 hp motor
and have a few questions, since I don't know much about boats.

***Hopefully, they float. They WILL cost you money. They will break down
at the least opportune moment. They won't get used nearly as much as you
want them to be. Whatever one you get, it won't be big enough. They never
have enough storage. They're a great place to spend time with friends and
family. Does that help? :-)

Does anybody have any experience with these jon boats?

***Some experience. But much more in a v hulled bass boat.

How stable are they in lakes and rivers?

***You give the length, but not the beam (width) of the boat. The more beam
you have, the more stable it will be. But, in comparision to a vee hull
boat of similar dimensions, the jon will be less tippy. Rivers is the
environment they were designed for. Jons typically draft little water,
allowing you to get into places where a vee hull boat would ground.

Are they a decent boat?

***As long as you don't expect too much in performance and ride, they're
great. That hull design that allows you to travel skinny water comes at a
price. That price is ride and handling. If you get into some windy, wave
tossed water, you're going to experience "Jon Boat Slap". That's the
pounding of the hull on the waves. Where a vee will "cut" the waves, the
jon boat will pound on them. But, tons of fish have been caught in them,
and countless hours of fishing, duck hunting and other related activities
have been logged in jon boats.

Anything else you want to add.

***I say, if the boat is in decent shape, the motor runs good, and it makes
you happy, buy it. Everyone has to start somewhere, and it sounds like a
decent rig.
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

Thanks in advance,
Chris

Hi Chris,
A jonboat is great for small rivers and small lakes. They are not so good
on a larger lake that could develop chop of any size or sizable wakes from
larger boats. Their primary design plus is that with the flat bottom, they
sit shallower with a given displacement/load. If you had any choice,
though, I would try for a 16' boat with a 10 or 15 hp motor. In general,
more bottom area is less draft. The longer the boat, the easier they will
plane off, especially with some load. A 14 footer with some loading doesn't
like to plane off all that quickly.
The best width depends on how you will use it. More width makes them less
tippy, but narrow is better if you wanted to use oars while drift fishing a
river, etc.
Bill

"Chris" wrote in message
...
I have an opportunity to buy a 14' Lowe Jon boat with a 15 hp motor
and have a few questions, since I don't know much about boats.

Does anybody have any experience with these jon boats?

How stable are they in lakes and rivers?

Are they a decent boat?

Anything else you want to add.

Thanks in advance,
Chris

Great advice from everybody...I have owned Jon boats, and for the design
purpose they are great! But last year I helped "rescue" an older couple
that ventured out on Kentucky Lake in nasty weather in one. Don't go out
when in doubt!
JK

I would like to Thank everyone who helped me out with my questions.
The boat was a Lowe L1448, with a 15 Hp. Johnson and trailer. Paper
said $2500, when I got there person said price was a miss print and he
will not take less than $3000, also said everything new cost him $3800
so I think I would rather spend the extra 800 for a new one myself.

Again Thanks everyone,
Chris


On Wed, 04 Feb 2004 21:35:25 -0500, Chris
wrote:

I have an opportunity to buy a 14' Lowe Jon boat with a 15 hp motor
and have a few questions, since I don't know much about boats.

Does anybody have any experience with these jon boats?

How stable are they in lakes and rivers?

Are they a decent boat?

Anything else you want to add.

Thanks in advance,
Chris

quote-
(Chris)
I would like to Thank everyone who helped me out with my questions. The
boat was a Lowe L1448, with a 15 Hp. Johnson and trailer. Paper said
$2500, when I got there person said price was a miss print and he will
not take less than $3000, -quote

quote-
(Chris)
I would like to Thank everyone who helped me out with my questions. The
boat was a Lowe L1448, with a 15 Hp. Johnson and trailer. Paper said
$2500, when I got there person said price was a miss print and he will
not take less than $3000,-quote

1st, sorry for the other post accidentally hit send.

You might want to shop around a bit more for better deal. I bought a
14' jon boat, 5hp/trailer, 2 seats 30lb trolling motor for $550; used it
for 4 1/2 years trouble free. I see in the paper close to this type of
combo quite often. Plus a reliable used 10-15hp motor can be found for
$600-700 or so. Keep looking you find something.