# jonboat poling platform



## Capt. Eli Whidden

Custom made out of 3/4 electrical conduit. Do you anybody that welds?


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## strmiskam

yea 1 guy here in town welds for us, but would that be cheaper than getting it made?


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## Capt. Eli Whidden

Going the aluminum route, your probably going to spend at around 500. Have you searched the internet for prefab platforms?


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## strmiskam

yea the only platform ive found that might work is this one $580.http://www.gatortraxboats.com/p-75-standard-poling-platform.aspx
didn't know if I could get it cheaper though?


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## permitchaser

Making your own seems to be the cheapest way


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## mark_gardner

you could fab up something decent with 1.5" square aluminum tubing and make the deck portion out of starboard or marine ply, it'll look semi primitive but functional, between buying the tubing ,starboard(or plywood) stainless bolts to secure it and pay a welder to glue it together your gonna have a few hundred invested, to make one out of electrical conduit would be a little cheaper but look like a horses azz, be heavy and subject to rust. to have one custom made out of aluminum tubing all welded up and looking good expect to pay $400-$600


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## lemaymiami

The best poling platform for a smaller jonboat that I've ever seen wasn't a "poling tower" at all it was simply a generous sized cooler that you mounted right in front of the motor as you came up to each flat. You can leave it there permanently but the most utility is achieved when you keep it on the floor of the skiff until it's needed as poling platform.

Years and years ago there were no "super coolers" like Yeti, Engel, etc. so most would add a thin piece of plywood to the surface of the cooler (and that piece of plywood was covered with indoor/outdoor carpet, or something similar). Nowadays with a high end cooler to stand on all you need is a proper anchoring system and you're in business. I think there's an noticeable advantage for small skiffs when the poling platform is a bit lower than the usual "mount on the transom with platform above the motor" proposition....

I knew a few (Bob Stearns among them) that used their cooler meant for standing on as a dry storage compartment instead of cooler, since coolers make very good dry storage... Space on any small skiff is always at a premium and this was just one more way of dealing with that problem....


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## GSSF

I bought a new poling platform designed for a gheenoe, and it fit my Tracker Grizzly perfectly. 

It was the one that was designed to bolt to the rear deck. 350 bucks complete at the gheenoe dealer (back then, anyway)......


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## DuckNut

I have seen someone use one of those aluminum bed extender that is found in the back of a Ford Sportrack and a couple of other makes. Call some junkyards.

Seemed to work well for that dude.


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## mwolaver

Agree 100% with Bob. We use one cooler for dry storage and a casting platform and one for a poling platform. Both have the same hold-down system (off the shelf). As I'm sure Bob would also tell you, these boats pole better from the bow (pole backwards). MUCH quieter and the motor isn't in the way of the pole. So, mount whatever you pick for you poling platform in the bow.


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## silverking91

Tiedye is absolutely right, the boat will probably pole better from the bow (moving backwards) I'd either use a cooler like Capt. Lemay said or just get a simple casting platform made that you could use on the bow or stern. A casting platform can be described easily and built by almost any fabricator so you can really shop around. 

If you're set on a traditional poling platform check craigslist, specifically south florida, for transom mount platforms. They will fit just about any boat.


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## CoolRunnings

I think the guy who does strong arm products came out with a jonboat series of accesories. He made a pretty nice poling platform. not sure if he has any width limitations but itd be something to look into.


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## skifflife

I've tried to find one that will fit my johnsen skiff but only one I can find is from skimmer skiff


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## Pudldux

Painters platform held down with cable and a turnbuckle. Perfect and under $100. Would post a pic of mine but the photo thing on this site sucks.


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## Backcountry 16

strmiskam said:


> do you guys know where I could find a smaller, lighter, poling platform for a 1444 weldcraft johnboat?


Get a small casting platform and attach to the front with turn buckle. You are going to have to pole backwards anyway to reduce hull slap. I have a flip pallot edition 16 ft john with modified v and mine has a casting platform bolted to the front deck and makes it fairly easy to pole backwards.


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