{{Short description|Flat-bottomed boat}} {{Refimprove|date=July 2009}} thumb|A johnboat in Florida, 1972 thumb|A small modern johnboat in the bed of a pickup truck
A '''johnboat'''<ref name=johnboat>[http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/johnboat Merriam Webster Dictionary]</ref> or '''jon boat'''<ref>[https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/313-CMR-11-09 313 CMR, § 11.09 - General Rules and Regulations for the Protection of Watersheds and Watershed System.] Massachusetts Regulations. Adopted by Mass Register Issue 1333, eff. 2/24/2017. Amended by Mass Register Issue 1485, eff. 12/23/2022. Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 20 April 2026.</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=Phil |last=Rowley |title=The Orvis Guide to Stillwater Trout Fishing |date=2021 |publisher=Lyons Press |location=Guilford, CT |page=48 |isbn=978-1-4930-4005-6}}</ref> is a flat-bottomed boat<ref name=NMMA-aluminum>{{cite web | url = https://www.discoverboating.com/buying/boat/aluminum-fishing-boats | title = Aluminum Fishing Boat | date = n.d. | work = Discover Boating | publisher = National Marine Manufacturers Association | access-date = 7 March 2020}}</ref> constructed of aluminum, fiberglass, wood, or polyethelene with one, two, or three seats, usually bench type. They are suitable for fishing, hunting and cruising. The nearly flat hull of a johnboat tends to ride ''over'' the waves rather than cut ''through'' them as a V-hull might; this shallow draft – only a few inches<ref name=NMMA-aluminum /> – enables the johnboat to operate in very shallow water,<ref name=NMMA-shallow>{{cite web | url = https://www.discoverboating.com/resources/tips-for-boating-in-shallow-water | title = Shallow Water Boats: 7 Tips for Boating in Shallow Water | date = May 2017 | work = Discover Boating | publisher = National Marine Manufacturers Association | access-date = 7 March 2020}}</ref> but limits its use to calm waters. Johnboats typically have a transom onto which an outboard motor can be mounted. They are simple, easy to maintain, and inexpensive, though with many options to upgrade. Typical options may include live wells/bait wells, side or center consoles, factory-installed decks and floors, electrical wiring, accessory pads/mountings, and casting and poling platforms.
Johnboats are available commercially between {{convert|8|and|24|ft|m}}<ref name=NMMA-aluminum /> long and {{convert|32|to|60|in|cm}} wide, though custom sizes may be found. The design includes an open hull, without a bilge, leaving the ribs exposed. Many users choose to cover the ribs, producing a flat, level surface.
The Wasserwacht branch of the German Red Cross has chosen johnboats for their civil protection units for use during floods.
==History== In the late 19th century, flat-bottom boats became popular in the Ozarks, being ideal for traversing the shallow waters in the Missouri Valley.<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=30z-UfhbMwwC&dq=ozarks+jon+boats&pg=PA71 | title=Ozark Country| isbn=978-1-60473-817-9| last1=McNeil| first1=W. K.| year=1995| publisher=Univ. Press of Mississippi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YpMTd7-Mb3sC&q=ozarks+jon+boats+19th+century |title = The Outboard Boater's Handbook: Advanced Seamanship and Practical Skills|isbn = 978-0-07-023053-8|last1 = Getchell|first1 = David|year = 1994| publisher=McGraw Hill Professional }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_tLfAAAAMAAJ&q=ozarks+jon+boats+19th+century |title = The Ozark Johnboat: Its History, Form, and Functions|last1 = Everts-Boehm|first1 = Dana|year = 1991}}</ref>
These vessels were found useful for float fishing, duck hunting and carrying timber. Visiting tourists and travelers enjoyed the idea of flat-bottomed boats, as they could fish standing up and did not have to fear tipping over.
==References== <references/>
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnboat}} Category:Boat types
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