# Jon boat renovation



## Cronced (Nov 18, 2016)

My dad first got this jon boat new in 96 when I was 15 and it's been in our family ever since. Last month I stripped it all down and my wife and I painted it. I put it back together with the console/leaning post and the bare essentials, along with the carpet. Filled and ground all the holes from all the old stuff mounted to it. It turned out really nice and I am super happy with it.


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## Chad Cohn (Mar 8, 2018)

Love tin boats. Very nice job.


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## makin moves (Mar 20, 2010)

Lot more action left in it. Great redo.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

What paint and bottom coating did you use? It looks nice!


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Great looking job!


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## Cronced (Nov 18, 2016)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> What paint and bottom coating did you use? It looks nice!


Rustoleum professional from home depot. Flat black and gloss gray. It looks like a totally different boat from the traditional jon boat brown.


makin moves said:


> Lot more action left in it. Great redo.


That's why I love aluminum boats. No fiberglass or wood boat boat would have held up to the beating this thing has taken over the last nearly 25 years. And it can handle another 25 years without breaking a sweat.


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## Guest (Jan 16, 2020)

Nice work, she’ll be kicken a long time!


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## Cronced (Nov 18, 2016)

The whole point of the redo is to make it as nice as possible for my brother-in-law in Oklahoma. He doesn't know it yet, but he will be getting this boat later this year. He is a really good guy who works hard for his family, and he and his wife and kids (my nephews and newborn niece) will hopefully get as much enjoyment out of it as I have with my family.

I've been with my family and closest friends on this thing from Lake Ontario to the Florida Keys and a lot of places in between. The Susquehanna River was its home until 5 years ago when he gave it to me. My mom and I drove it down to Jupiter, FL from Pennsylvania in one day because my mom is cool like that. The first time I ever took it out after he gave it to me was when my wife and I went on a first date of sorts that we didn't know was a first date. My dad, brother and I spent a cold and rainy but really fun day catching bluefish inshore in north palm beach in what would turn out to be our last trip with the three of us. The best catch on it was a 130 pound tarpon that my wife caught when I was teaching her to fish. And I'll never forget my dad and I heading out on a beautiful evening in the keys and hammering BIG lane snappers on it.

After my dad died a few years ago we scattered his ashes from this boat. Actually his ashes were in a biodegradable salt receptacle because he was kind of a naturalist hippie, although way more blue collar farmer and not much at all tree hugging pacifist. He would have wanted it that way.

I fish so often that I don't actually think of him every time I go out. But I'm thinking about him now and man are my eyes sweaty! He would have wanted me to fix this boat up and let it be a blessing to someone else. I finally am at a point where I can let it go.

(Sorry about the long windedness)


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## Guest (Jan 16, 2020)

Cronced said:


> The whole point of the redo is to make it as nice as possible for my brother-in-law in Oklahoma. He doesn't know it yet, but he will be getting this boat later this year. He is a really good guy who works hard for his family, and he and his wife and kids (my nephews and newborn niece) will hopefully get as much enjoyment out of it as I have with my family.
> 
> I've been with my family and closest friends on this thing from Lake Ontario to the Florida Keys and a lot of places in between. The Susquehanna River was its home until 5 years ago when he gave it to me. My mom and I drove it down to Jupiter, FL from Pennsylvania in one day because my mom is cool like that. The first time I ever took it out after he gave it to me was when my wife and I went on a first date of sorts that we didn't know was a first date. My dad, brother and I spent a cold and rainy but really fun day catching bluefish inshore in north palm beach in what would turn out to be our last trip with the three of us. The best catch on it was a 130 pound tarpon that my wife caught when I was teaching her to fish. And I'll never forget my dad and I heading out on a beautiful evening in the keys and hammering BIG lane snappers on it.
> 
> ...


Dude, this is so awesome! And I had one of those moments today myself, I feel ya!


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## Chad Cohn (Mar 8, 2018)

That's awesome, you're a good dude for sure.


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## LowHydrogen (Dec 31, 2015)

Cronced said:


> The whole point of the redo is to make it as nice as possible for my brother-in-law in Oklahoma. He doesn't know it yet, but he will be getting this boat later this year. He is a really good guy who works hard for his family, and he and his wife and kids (my nephews and newborn niece) will hopefully get as much enjoyment out of it as I have with my family.
> 
> I've been with my family and closest friends on this thing from Lake Ontario to the Florida Keys and a lot of places in between. The Susquehanna River was its home until 5 years ago when he gave it to me. My mom and I drove it down to Jupiter, FL from Pennsylvania in one day because my mom is cool like that. The first time I ever took it out after he gave it to me was when my wife and I went on a first date of sorts that we didn't know was a first date. My dad, brother and I spent a cold and rainy but really fun day catching bluefish inshore in north palm beach in what would turn out to be our last trip with the three of us. The best catch on it was a 130 pound tarpon that my wife caught when I was teaching her to fish. And I'll never forget my dad and I heading out on a beautiful evening in the keys and hammering BIG lane snappers on it.
> 
> ...


Helluva job, boat looks great and the backstory makes it that much better! Glad it's staying in your family.

Tight lines!


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## Cronced (Nov 18, 2016)

Well, the boat is gone and with its new owners, that being my brother-in-law Steve and his family. My wife and I towed it from Port Saint Lucie, FL to Muskogee, OK last weekend and spent the week hanging with them, going fishing on a few lakes. The big surprise came yesterday and we got everything all signed over last night before I started driving back to Florida today. He wasted no time in taking it out with his sons and they got on some bass today. I'll miss that boat a lot, but it really makes me happy to see it in action.


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## Indoman (Jul 25, 2013)

That’s awesome!


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

Whats your next boat?


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## Cronced (Nov 18, 2016)

Backcountry 16 said:


> Whats your next boat?


2 next boats! I'm building a lumberyard skiff and later this summer I'm getting an 18-21 foot aluminum bay boat, possibly Xpress, Lowe, SeaArk or the like.


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## fishnpreacher (Jul 28, 2018)

The smiles on those boys faces say it all! Nice work on the restore, and great of you to pass it on. One day those smiling boys will carrying her out with their boys. Blessings!


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