BigBendFishing.Net

From this.......






to this (actually its a Hendersen Micro Draft, I'm gonna build the clone, XF20...)....Ordered the plans today....




Whatcha think?

I think I would rather have a Phantom 18.
I was unconvinced on the "other" thread about the Henderson.

What happened to the Phantom 17.5..

Got to thinking about the fact that I hadn't made the journey yet (built a boat) and the cost....I can get into the XF20 for about a 1/3 of the total cost for the Phantom....So, it will be a learning experience..if it goes well the PH17.5 will be birthed ..Plus it will give me a boat to beat the bank with from Piney Island to Keaton...lots of creeks and bays to explore....

BTW, I will be happy to take a test ride in whichever one you build.

Should have room for a few more.....

Well good luck with the project and post them pics. I would love to build a CX19 Express... But do not see that happening.

Chalk, when I was a kid I went fishing a few times with some of my Granddads friends on the Flint River for Yellow Cats. These guys were about 90 years old.

They had homemade jon boats made out of pine 1x6s put together with common building nails. Essentially the same methods and materials that you would use to build a hog trough. The boats were stored in the water so they would stay tight. Get about three people in one and you didn't have more than two inches of freeboard, damn things felt like they were attached to the bottom though.

My point is, for very little money and probably an afternoon's work these guys had boats that got them to where the fish were.

My grandfather built every boat he owned. He comercial fished all his life, so he a had a lot of boats. I helped/watched him build many of them. Wished I'd had paid more attention now. Back then it was a "have to" chore he made me do.
If I'd just known the value of what he was trying to teach me back then, I'd paid more attention.

CS,

I know just how you feel. I'm the same way about how my Grandfather use to sugar cure all his own (Boone County) ham when he butchered hogs every year. He would spend winter evenings in his garage triming the hams and sholders just right and rub'n in the cure mix. Boy talk about something smelling good!!. Then they got wrapped in news paper and placed in a linen sack and then hung up in the barn loft. We never got to eat one of the hams They were too valuable. I remember the rual mail carrier would buy every one of his hams at what ever price Gramps wanted. We ate the shoulders which were good but still not a ham. I tried(begged) my grandfather to give me one for a wedding present but he still would not give in. Felt like it was wrong to eat something that other folks would pay such good money for. Sure wish I'd given a lot more attention to how he trimmed and cured those hams.

But I digress..... homemade jon boats.... I come from the Missouri Ozarks originally. Float trips down the Osage, White, Jack's fork, Norfork, rivers. Just like Ken spoke of ... common building materials.... some cypress, some pine, whatever...heavy as all get out!! some of them had pitch on the joints and again like Ken said .... felt like they were attached to the bottom. And it seemed like everyone of them was green. Shore lunch on a gravel bar... MAN!! That was a good time!

I was thinking about building the same, but I think I'm opting for aluminum. I would like to take a look at the plans. How much do you think you can build it for? Which plywood you using?

DSWilliams - after looking over the plans for the hybrid jon boat, I decided on the PH16 (flats boat)......I'm using BS1088 Meranti plywood...you can build the boat for less than 1800, less motor and trailer..Depends on options, etc.

I'm sure it will have two rod holders for trolling!

And maybe some removable down riggers for them good days out of Econfina