# 14ft aluminum jon boat conversion to a duck boat?



## Hunter22

I have a 14ft flat bottom aluminum jon boat that im thinking about converting into a duck boat. I want to take of the 25hp johnson and replace it with a mud buddy or go devil possibly and put a blind on it. The only problem at the moment is funds and I honestly dont know much about go devil or mud buddy motors. Im posting a picture of what my jon boat looks like (the one in the picture isnt mine but its exactly the same). Any suggestions? I would keep my motor I have not but its not running right and would need a new motor more in likely!


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## duck-dawg

Without getting too specific in regards to "limited funds," my advice to you would be to prioritize. I've been in college for 3 years now, so for me "limited funds" means just that. As a result, my boat has been a steady ongoing project...adding things when I can afford them. I've had mine for 3 years, and this was the first season I had a real motor (10hp mud motor), as well as a blind which was given to me as part of the motor deal.


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## frydaddy40

*Duck boat advice*



Hunter22 said:


> I have a 14ft flat bottom aluminum jon boat that im thinking about converting into a duck boat. I want to take of the 25hp johnson and replace it with a mud buddy or go devil possibly and put a blind on it. The only problem at the moment is funds and I honestly dont know much about go devil or mud buddy motors. Im posting a picture of what my jon boat looks like (the one in the picture isnt mine but its exactly the same). Any suggestions? I would keep my motor I have not but its not running right and would need a new motor more in likely!



   Where is this boat place? I would like to have one of those V bottom boats.

   As for the funds problem everyone fills your pain.

  Now that size boat would be a great duck boat ,  you 
 could put a 23 hp mud buddy on that boat on problem.
  You should brace your transom well and us a transom 
 jack to take the weight off during transit.  
   Just get a stock mudmotor first and you can mod it up 
 as you go. But  23 hp should be enough.   Also put a 
 bilge pump in the boat before you take it out. It will keep
 you from sinking till you get us to driving a mud motor.
  Water comes over the back if you slow down to fast.

   But there will be almost now where you can't go, you 
 just need about 6"s of water and you can run. It will run
  soupy mud, vegetation that would stop a outboard.
  It will go over stumps, logs you name it.  And it never 
 runs hot (no water pump).  Gas mileage that you will not 
  believe.   
                   Good luck , frydaddy40


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## Larry Young Jr

If you got a 25 hp motor fishing season is coming up. you can sale that and put some more with it and get you mud motor. That would be the first thing. then run your lights and and other electcial things like, depth finder with gps,bilge pump,etc and paint the boat. Then worry about a blind. because you can always find natural things to hide the boat. Bambo is awesome and you can carry it in with you.
Or you can hunt next year with the outboard and do your electcial ,painting and put a blind it.  It is just what kind of funs you do have. It would be nice just to it all but sometimes great things come to those who wait.
Good Luck and besafe
Larry


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## Barroll

In my opinion, it is not worth putting any surface drive motor on a ribbed bottom boat like yours.  There is nothing wrong with your boat, they are just not ideal for a sd.  I think a long tail will work better on a boat like yours.  It wont be a speed demon, but it will get you where you want to go.  It wont be great for long runs, but i wouldnt wat to be taking a 14 foot boat on runs farther than a few miles anyway.  Id say stick with a 20hp or so longtail depending on how wide your boat is


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## Hunter22

If yall had to pick between a Gator Tail, Go Devil, Mud Buddy, or Pro Drive motor which would you pick and why? I have looked at em all and looked at alot of reviews and havent found anything bad about any of them.


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## bama113

check out copperhead mud motors.  They offer small hp surface drives that get good results on this type of smaller boat at a fraction of the cost.  You may find that getting a larger hp GD, GT, MB, PD, etc, will not get good performance due to the boat not having much surface area and not having a slick bottom.

I would probably stick with a short shaft outboard, rig up some good lighting, install a bilge pump, slap on a camo paint job, and then worry about a blind.


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## Hunter22

I decided to just save up for a new boat and motor so it may be a while til I get it. I dont want to convert something that isnt meant for what I want to do with it so I will wait. Im probably going to get a Pro Drive motor or a Mud buddy motor with about a 17' or 18' boat so I can fit 3 comfortable in it. I would already have a duck boat if I didnt just recently buy a flats boat.


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## duckhunter2010

Hunter22 said:


> I decided to just save up for a new boat and motor so it may be a while til I get it. I dont want to convert something that isnt meant for what I want to do with it so I will wait. Im probably going to get a Pro Drive motor or a Mud buddy motor with about a 17' or 18' boat so I can fit 3 comfortable in it. I would already have a duck boat if I didnt just recently buy a flats boat.



thats why you should've gone with a Gator Flats and a remote steer mud buddy


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## Hunter22

duckhunter2010 said:


> thats why you should've gone with a Gator Flats and a remote steer mud buddy



I didnt buy the jon boat. We have had the thing for about 10 years and thought it might be a try to convert it but since its not the right type of boat il just save up to buy one. I still dono what type of motor im gona get. Either a mud buddy or Pro Drive.


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## Sling

Good decision. You don't want a boat that can't handle the places a mudmotor will take you.


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## Hunter22

ya, I was thinking about selling my flats boat but I wana keep it. I had to sell my 4-wheeler and waverunner to the buy the flats boat but it was well worth it. Cought alot of redfish and specs out of it and they taste pretty good blackened but havent found anything as good as duck yet.


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## duckhunter2010

Hunter22 said:


> I didnt buy the jon boat. We have had the thing for about 10 years and thought it might be a try to convert it but since its not the right type of boat il just save up to buy one. I still dono what type of motor im gona get. Either a mud buddy or Pro Drive.



i know. i mean you should've gotten a Gator Trax flats model with remote steer for flats/hunting DP. not telling you what to do by any means, just busting your chops....http://gatortraxboats.com/Gatorflats.htm


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## Hunter22

duckhunter2010 said:


> i know. i mean you should've gotten a Gator Trax flats model with remote steer for flats/hunting DP. not telling you what to do by any means, just busting your chops....http://gatortraxboats.com/Gatorflats.htm



Haha I know. Everyone gives everyone crap on here.


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## Gaducker

This one has both your needs covered. just pop in the pit covers and instant flats boat.


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## Larry Young Jr

Nice looking rig gaducker. you make that are some one esle do it for you. Add a little brush you got it all. 1 question how wide is your boat and how much room does each shooter have. I am 6.2 and looks kind of tight. I love the rig and Idea. What you power it with mud motor. Thank for the pic.
Good luck and be safe
Larry


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