What type of bottom on a wood john boat?

First off let me start by saying , I am a new member, and this seems like a great site!

So, I have decided to build a wood john boat, following instructions from a video I have.. The boat is very simple they make, and takes only 2 days to build. However they use 3/4 inch plywood for the bottom, and one inch for the sides and transom..

I live in east tennessee and will be fishing alot of skinny water, so I thought the boat they built would be a little heavy for here. So my idea was to make the boat hull and transom out of 1/4 inch and coat it in systems west 105 epoxy, on the outside, and still use a 1inch tansom.. Would this work? I just need some advice from some experienced guys.

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Permalink Reply by Brandon Hollaway on August 5, 2012 at 11:26am
Permalink Reply by Randy Dersham on August 5, 2012 at 12:36pm

Very interesting.  That boat is obviously going to be quick to build.  I would think the sides could be made from 1/2 marine plywood; however, the poplar might be lighter weight.

You could save a lot of weight by making the bottom with Plascore, or you could make the entire boat out of plascore.  

My guess is that the materials they have chosen for this build are the least expensive and best weight distribution for that type of build.  If you want a lighter boat you might look at one of the 10 or 12ft river prams listed on this site.  The 10ft pram can easily be lifted by one person but the build is a little more complicated.

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