Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Property Projects & Construction Jon boat storage

Just curious what you do with your Jon boats that are left at the lake without a trailer? How do you stole them? Any photos or ideas are greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!

I would probably turn mine upside down on saw horses just to keep rain out and snakes from underneath.If you were worried about wind you could cable or strap it down to the ground with some screw in augers of sort. I have a peddle boat and a small bass boat and I just keep them both tied off to the dock. I have a small 110 volt pump at the dock for any water that might get in them.

I used to lay mine upside down until one time I got close an two water snakes ventured out from underneath. Now, I lean it one gunnel against a tree so it's mostly upside down but I can see the underneath!

Welcome to the forum
Half the time I just pull mine up on the bank and leave it .... sometimes I have to bail it out after a rain. Sometimes I flip it over. Several times there was a snake under it , but so far no poisonous ones, both were ribbon snakes that I haven't seen in years. Just have to be wary of them bad boys that might be there.

My little 12 footer sits on top of the dog's house (upside down). It acts like a front and rear porch overhang. I use two turnbuckles, one on each side, one end hooked to the oar pocket/hole and the other end hooked to a heavy eye lag screw drilled into the dog house lower frame. It looks a bit hillbilly, but the dogs enjoy the extra cover and shade,the boat stays up of the ground and anchored from heavy winds. A few turns of the turn buckles, a buddy to help flip it over and carry it to the pond and we're floating. I suppose one could put together a 2 by 4 frame/sawhorse-like base and weigh the base down with some cinder blocks and use the turnbuckles to secure it if a dog house is not available. I'll try to get a picture tonight, you'll get a kick out of it!

Like FLAME said above, store them on sawhorses. I have some old fold-up plastic Stanley saw horses.

However, after the first season, I found my canoe and my jon boat both floating right-side-up on the other side of the pond after an overnight thunderstorm. I installed four dog-leash anchors near where I put the saw horses.



I screwed them into the ground so that there is well less than an inch sticking above the grass -- otherwise they have a way of dulling my lawnmower blades.

I bought some cheap cargo straps to go over the boat or canoe that I connect to the dog anchors to keep them from flying off during high winds.



When I figure my jon boat isn't going to be used for several weeks or more, like during the winter, I get somebody to help me turn it upside down on its trailer.

Right now, it is time to go hook the jon boat and trailer to the truck and take it to a local lake that re-stocked with trout yesterday for the last time this season, and where there is a good crappie bite reported.

Ken

Here is the picture I promised. My memory isn't what I thought and I actually have an eye bolt through the oar pocket instead of the turnbuckle hook with a chain piece hooked to it. You can see it in the picture if you zoom in.

Thanks for the replies. I use saw horses now and I guess that's the best way. I was just hoping there was some really fancy way someone had thought of. You know something to spend more money on!😂

I waste most of my day thinking about cool stuff to do around my lake as I'm sure we all do!

I just turn mine upside down on the bank. I flip it over and jump back in case there is a snake. That's only happened once. However, one time there was a young, about 3/4 grown, skunk. I lit out running with it after me. I looked back at about 30 or 40 yards and it was turning around spraying in a circle.

Dangit Dave I would have paid admission to see that! Lol

Dave that jumping back and running stuff ain't as easy as it used to be for me. The day may come you might have to modify your methods and behavior.

Dave,
Think hydraulics!

Or saw horses.

Oh, and I would have bought that ticket as well

I doubt that I will ever get too old to out run a skunk.

Growing up in Okla and later living in La and Texas, I am always quick to respond to any snakes that my be laying under such items as a overturned boats along the shoreline. And like Dave, I have not lost my spring jump that I have in reserve for such things lol

Funny how it is that I can limp & hobble around like an ailing old man, and all I gotta do is come across a snake a couple of feet from me, and all of a sudden I have the dexterity and speed of a cheetah...for 10 yards at least. Adrenaline is an incredible thing. Ha!

Probably what the skunk says about you too!

I guess it had to stop and turn around to spray my direction. Then got confused and just kept turning and spraying.

row boat gets pulled up high on the bank and tied off - its pretty easy to flip over and drain out

Our jon boat still needs bailed lol - I found it stuck in the mud last summer, rumor has it the HOA members haven't used it in years.

First ... (to Dave)

Wuss!

Just don't ask me to help prepare the boat the next time we go fishing together.

Your MUCH younger old friend,
Ken


Second ...

I went fishing in my jon boat last week. I got home after dark. So, I parked the boat and trailer in the driveway, in lieu of needing just one more item needing body work.

I went off to work on a two day community event.

My boat is designed to float even when filled with water. While I was gone, we got about 7 inches of rain. It didn't float.

I hadn't pulled the drain plug before parking it. It filled to the brim.

This is not my recommended method of storing a boat.

Ken

Did all that weight bend the trailer frame or axle?

John,

As far a I can tell, there hasn't been any serious damage. The boat looks OK. It is hard to tell on a 40 year old trailer. I may not know how well the trailer survived until I'm​ on a one-lane dirt mountain road with deep rain-eroded ditches, and many miles from cell phone service.

My biggest concern regards the deep-cycle electric motor battery, and what its acid may have caused. The battery box was totally filled with water, with the entire battery assembly submerged under several inches of water. The battery cells are not sealed so they can be refilled if necessary.

I pulled the battery and put it in the sun on a good multi-step deep-cycle charger yesterday. The battery seems OK.

Hopefully, if any battery acid escaped, it won't eat holes in my boat.

Regards,
Ken

If your battery is still good, not much acid leaked. At any rate, it would be too diluted by the rainwater to harm your boat. The biggest danger to the boat is waterlogged floatation, but two days is not nearly enough to waterlog it. Two or three weeks might do it in.

Battery acid is heavier than pure water, and tends not to float upward unless disturbed.