[winchester-only]

I got a 11 foot 6 inch jon boat and it is rated for 484 pounds but I want to run a outboard moter and trolling moter with all the weight from me and my brother and moter battery and gear we would be at around 510 pounds , do u guys/girls think it's ok to go over a bit I would be fishing the susquhanna river.

 

[TATERDAVID]

You will be okay till Ya throw a cooler of beer in. Lol.

I don't know that river. You would have to see how low she rides to know if Ya feel safe.

 

[Red Roan]

There's a reason that the weight/ max horsepower is printed on a BIA sticker on your boat. My advice would be not to exceed it. It's a recipe for disaster especially in a dynamic environment like a river. Particularly THAT river.


I've spent a couple thousand hours on that river from Port Deposit to Harrisburg & above. The wind blows from the wrong direction, and it can get downright nasty out there. No place to get caught in an overloaded sluggish boat with little or no freeboard. Add cold water or high water to the equation, and it goes downhill from there.


If you're using a PFBC ramp, and a CO observes you launching or coming into the ramp & you're sitting extremely low in the water, you may get a lecture, or the guy may even write you if it looks dangerous enough.

Lighten your load or get a bigger boat

 

[winchester-only]

Ok I'll just take out the trolling moter and battery it's probly for the best. But I have seen people load a 10 foot jon boat with over 500 pounds and there weight limit is around 300 and they seemed they were doing just fine.

 

[crappie-hunter]

I guess it depends on where you are at on the river and water conditions.

I hope we don't hear about you on the evening news.

Please wear a life jacket!!!

 

[winchester-only]

I'll try it on a small creek first and see how low she rides in the water and if I don't feel safe I'll take out battery and trolling moter that will bring me under the weight limit on my boat.