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

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

1. The Ozark Johnboat — classic Ozark-style flat-bottom plan and construction document. A complete plan sheet for the canonical American utility design.
2. Double-Ended Fishing Craft — flat-bottom fishing boat plan with construction sequence, closely related to the jon-boat lineage
3. 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.

About these documents

All three plans are community-shared on the Internet Archive in the long-standing “boatbuildingmanual” / related collections.

Related plans on PlansForU

• Plywood V-Bottomed Punt Fishing Boat Plans (existing best-seller)
• Skiff Plans Bundle
• Free Boat Plans Bundle (6-design compilation)
• All Boat Plans