Making A Jon Boat Into A Cuddy Cabin

[Meerkat]

I was thinking about putting a sleeping area on our jon boat into. Also want pontoons on it.
Boats widest area is 8 feet wide and 18 feet long. Big for a jon boat. One of our cuddy cabins wasn't but 18 ft. long, wider but not that much.

What do yall think? Not this much cabin, just enough to sleep in. Any other cover would be canvas. Need to figure out where to put steering wheel. Hubby has a 65 HP motor. And we want to get a little troller in case. He has been working on this eon for years just piddling not he wants it in the water this spring. I want cover on it to be out of sun.


Pic we took this summer. It is a 1978 boat.

 

[Meerkat]

I think it would be better to run them all the way instead of just in the middle.

 

[bargeahead]

Just curious Meerkat, with a 8' beam what is the reason for pontoons ?

 

[hiwall]

Just curious Meerkat, with a 8' beam what is the reason for pontoons ?

It would handle much more weight.

 

[The Innkeeper]

I love the diversity of experience on this forum. I had to go look up “cuddy” as I never encountered the word before.

 

[Meerkat]

Just curious Meerkat, with a 8' beam what is the reason for pontoons ?

I don't know maybe get little extra room and less rocking ? We have never had this boat in the water, just have in last couple years got the bottom, sides finished. :thumbs up:

 

[Meerkat]

It would handle much more weight.

Yes and maybe a little more space?

I love the diversity of experience on this forum. I had to go look up “cuddy” as I never encountered the word before.

yes it just means a small drid in area. We had one and loved it. Not too big but it got you out of teh weather.
They don't know how to build boats anymore. . They make them so hot you almost smother inside in the summer. Our little !964 Larson had the cabin above deck. If we'd known then what we do now never would have gave it to SIL who just sold it. :thumbs up:

 

[gumpy]

Yes and maybe a little more space?



yes it just means a small drid in area. We had one and loved it. Not too big but it got you out of teh weather.
They don't know how to build boats anymore. . They make them so hot you almost smother inside in the summer. Our little !964 Larson had the cabin above deck. If we'd known then what we do now never would have gave it to SIL who just sold it. :thumbs up:

Hind sight is 20/20 isn't it?

 

[gumpy]

It's looking good so far. If you would, keep us updated with pictures! O like pictures!

 

[bargeahead]

I don't know maybe get little extra room and less rocking ? We have never had this boat in the water, just have in last couple years got the bottom, sides finished. :thumbs up:

I can see a slight reduction in rocking but then where do intend to go with it ? IMHO if you load it down to the point the pontoons are really needed they would have to attached in a very robust manner lest wave/rocking action stress the anchor points to failure. Then the added weight could cause one to have a very bad day.

I'm no "expert" but retired from a maritime career and worked for a boat builder when laid off from regular boat job and bought and rebuilt a '67 Cal 25 with serious rot problems. Lived on it for one of the best 18 months of my life until I met ex wife and bought her a house.

 

[Meerkat]

Hind sight is 20/20 isn't it?

Always.

 

[Meerkat]

It's looking good so far. If you would, keep us updated with pictures! O like pictures!

Ok will do and any advice is more than welcome.

 

[Meerkat]

I can see a slight reduction in rocking but then where do intend to go with it ? IMHO if you load it down to the point the pontoons are really needed they would have to attached in a very robust manner lest wave/rocking action stress the anchor points to failure. Then the added weight could cause one to have a very bad day.

I'm no "expert" but retired from a maritime career and worked for a boat builder when laid off from regular boat job and bought and rebuilt a '67 Cal 25 with serious rot problems. Lived on it for one of the best 18 months of my life until I met ex wife and bought her a house.

Tanks BargeA. I welcome all advice yall can give me. Hubby is not too fond of the pontoons either. I just saw them on a jon boat and thought don't need any rocking at our age it won't be a good thing.

 

[Meerkat]

I can see a slight reduction in rocking but then where do intend to go with it ? IMHO if you load it down to the point the pontoons are really needed they would have to attached in a very robust manner lest wave/rocking action stress the anchor points to failure. Then the added weight could cause one to have a very bad day.

I'm no "expert" but retired from a maritime career and worked for a boat builder when laid off from regular boat job and bought and rebuilt a '67 Cal 25 with serious rot problems. Lived on it for one of the best 18 months of my life until I met ex wife and bought her a house.

St.Johns River aka ICW and Matanzas Inlet or bay. No ocean for sure. Suwannee River.

 

[bargeahead]

St.Johns River aka ICW and Matanzas Inlet or bay. No ocean for sure. Suwannee River.

I'm not familiar with that area but bays and inlets can be rough, very rough for a flat bottom. So very glad to know you won't be going outside.

I worked on the Ohio, Illinois, and Upper Miss' and saw commercial fishermen in boats of your size operate with no issues providing the operators were safe in their navigation. The boats I worked on had wheels ( props ) 9' in diameter and could create quite a wake.

Have y'all taken a safe boating course like from the USCG Aux' ? If not, please do. You can gain local knowledge of the area in addition to the regular course material.

Very best of luck. GBSS ( God Bless stay safe )

 

[Meerkat]

I'm not familiar with that area but bays and inlets can be rough, very rough for a flat bottom. So very glad to know you won't be going outside.

I worked on the Ohio, Illinois, and Upper Miss' and saw commercial fishermen in boats of your size operate with no issues providing the operators were safe in their navigation. The boats I worked on had wheels ( props ) 9' in diameter and could create quite a wake.

Have y'all taken a safe boating course like from the USCG Aux' ? If not, please do. You can gain local knowledge of the area in addition to the regular course material.

Very best of luck. GBSS ( God Bless stay safe )

We took a boating safety course in 1990 in Jax and joined Power Squadron. But did forget some of it of course. No boat since 1998 except rentals. So it has been awhile. Last boat we had was a real money pit. It was 24ft Seabird with twin 4 hp engine money pits. Had both engines rebuilt parts from After Market Marine new carb rebuilt props, etc,etc,etc. Hubby use to paint classic autos a very good painted and he put custom paint job on the pit too.

I took it to parking lot on busy intersection put sign on it $3000 trailer was worth that! Then some foolish woman comes up and wants to talk me down. . Said she only would pay so much I said then get the heck away from here, I was so mad just thinking about the loss and not ready for some lunatic. She couldn't have got the paint job for that. I had all paperwork on all work done.

Thanks BargeA. And God Bless You Too. :thumbs up:

 

[Meerkat]

It would handle much more weight.

I like the way you think Hiwall!

 

[Meerkat]

I'm not familiar with that area but bays and inlets can be rough, very rough for a flat bottom. So very glad to know you won't be going outside.

I worked on the Ohio, Illinois, and Upper Miss' and saw commercial fishermen in boats of your size operate with no issues providing the operators were safe in their navigation. The boats I worked on had wheels ( props ) 9' in diameter and could create quite a wake.

Have y'all taken a safe boating course like from the USCG Aux' ? If not, please do. You can gain local knowledge of the area in addition to the regular course material.

Very best of luck. GBSS ( God Bless stay safe )

After you mentioning how dangerous inlets ,etc, can be I looked it up and your right of course.
Matanzas Inlet is one of them with bad currents and such. Just the name Matanzas alone is a warning, it means slaughter in Spanish. I found that out in my history studies of Spain and Settlers wars and American Indian slaughtered at Fort Matanzas .