Jon Boat Plans — Ozark Johnboat and Flat-Bottom Utility Designs

Name: Jon Boat Plans — Ozark Johnboat and Flat-Bottom Utility Designs
SKU: JON-BOAT
Availability: InStock

$5.00

Three jon-boat-lineage designs: the authentic Ozark Johnboat plan, a Double-Ended Fishing Craft, and a Scow Boat plan. Classic American flat-bottom utility boats for fishing, hunting and shallow water. Instant PDF download.

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SKU: JON-BOAT Categories: Boat Plans, Rowing & Small Boat Plans, Recently Added, All Plans

Difficulty: Beginner | Included: 3 flat-bottom utility designs | Format: 3 PDFs | Total Size: ~2.3 MB

The classic American utility boat

The jon boat — flat-bottomed, blunt-bowed, light, stable, cheap to build, ideal in inches of water — is the workhorse of small-water fishing and hunting across North America. Originating in the Ozark river country, the design has hardly changed in a century: it works.

What’s included

The Ozark Johnboat — classic Ozark-style flat-bottom plan and construction document. A complete plan sheet for the canonical American utility design.
Double-Ended Fishing Craft — flat-bottom fishing boat plan with construction sequence, closely related to the jon-boat lineage
Scow Boat — flat-bottom scow plan, jon-boat-adjacent utility craft

Why these designs work

Stability: wide, flat bottom — you can stand and cast without rolling
Shallow draft: floats in inches of water; ideal for backwaters, marshes, beaver ponds
Simple construction: straight chines, no compound curves — builds with plywood, sawn lumber and basic tools
Low cost: can be built for under a few hundred dollars in materials
Cartopper-able: small versions transport on roof racks

Build approach

All three plans suit traditional cross-planked or plywood construction. Modern builders typically use marine ply with epoxy-glued chines and fibreglass-taped seams — adds durability without complicating the build. Outboard motor mounting is straightforward on the transom of the johnboat and scow; the double-ended craft is oar/paddle-primary.

Who this is for

First-time amateur boat builders looking for the highest-confidence project, fishermen and waterfowlers who want a purpose-built craft, and budget-conscious builders. The jon boat is widely considered the best first build for amateurs — the design is forgiving and the result is genuinely useful.