As you plan to go out sailing, you’d probably hear a bunch of recommendations of all sorts of vessels. Your friend who lives on the fast lane would tell you about all the advantages of speed boats, while your kayaker buddy would list all the benefits of paddling a kayak through a water trail.
The choices don’t here; the canoeing folks would provide some valid arguments, and the pontoon crowd would definitely pitch in with some great fishing stories. You might be listening to all these guys and have a very different comparison in your head.
You might be considering a fishing trip over extremely slim waters. So most of the above options wouldn’t be that useful, but two special flat-bottomed vessels come to mind. Still, deciding between the Jon boat vs skiff isn’t that easy. But what’s coming next should make things clearer.
In this article, we’ll compare both the JBs and the skiffs to the minutest detail. So read on to find out all about these resourceful vessels.
Overview and Typical Usage
Both Jon Boats and skiffs are normally used for fishing in shallow waters. The flat bottoms and ‘quiet’ sailing capabilities make them ideal for inland waters. In addition, they don’t have steep structures or dipped propellers that would get tangled up in the weeds and brush.
Jon Boats
Jon boats are often smaller and leaner than skiffs. So they can reach the narrowest, and most shallow waters you can imagine. A few inches of water beneath the Jon boat is all that’s needed for floating.
These boats go a long way back, and their shape hasn’t changed much. Traditionally, they were used for hunting, transportation, and exploration. Interestingly, they’re still used in similar ways up to this day.
The agility and lightweight of the Jon boats give them easy access to fishing spots and waterways that aren’t directly reachable by car. They’re often easy to carry around, especially, if you keep your boat lean and not weighed down by rigs and additions.
Skiffs
Skiffs are usually larger, wider, and heavier than Jon boats. They do, however, conduct themselves quite nicely in rougher waters. The narrow flat design of a Jon boat makes it a bit helpless around choppy waters. The skiffs have a bit of a bend to the front and occasionally a v-shape, which handles the waves with more poise.
Being wider and larger, allows more passengers to use the skiff. This is usually a couple of buddies out to get sea bass, but skiffs could hold a party of five quite comfortably. These boats can also be rather luxurious affairs, so their usage in fishing or cruising is a pleasure.
Size and Weight
How big should your boat be? Well, this depends primarily on what you’d use it for, how many people are coming on board? And how much gear do you plan to take?
Jon Boats
Jon boats come in a wide variety of sizes often ranging from 10ft to 20 ft, plus a few larger models, but they aren’t as abundant. You could also get the size you like custom made for specific uses. It should be noted though that the agility of Jon boats is a precious feature, so boat owners are usually on the lookout for portable vessels that they can move with ease.
The 10 ft Jon boats are usually 48 in across, and they can house a couple of passengers and come with a weight capacity of around 300 lbs. The 2020 Alumacraft 1036 JON is a good example of these boats.
To compare this with a large model, the 20 ft Jon boats are quite spacious with beam width over 70 inches, and weight capacities nearing 1600 pounds. These beasts can house 8 adults, or 6 large passengers plus a bunch of gear. The Crestliner 2070 RETRIEVER JON is the poster boy of these gentle giants.
Skiffs
Skiffs often start with 13-ft rafts to 27-ft platforms. Larger 40-ft varieties are also available, but these are special flavors. The 2021 Carolina Skiff 24 Ultra Elite is a great 24-ft model with a wide beam of around 8 ft across. The smaller and larger models change in uniform proportions comparable with this one.
Shape
Flat-bottomed boats were traditionally made for calm waters, so they don’t have the multitude of curves that kayaks or canoes have.
They are just rectangular and raft-shaped. Jon boats are narrower than skiffs and tend to maintain their straight profiles from stern to bow. While skiffs usually come with a little curve at their front ends to handle the ripples.
Some of the newer models of Jon boats and skiffs have a slight V-shape to enhance their stability in rougher water and heavy currents.
Material
Until a few decades ago both Jon boats and skiffs were made from wood. Then plenty of Jon boats took advantage of the lightweight and sturdy aluminum, while skiffs embraced fiberglass wholeheartedly.
There’s no exclusivity here though, and both types of boats could be made from wood, aluminum, and fiberglass.
The finishes vary significantly between the two boats, and the luxurious seating, storage, and amenities are more abundant for skiffs.
Speed, Power, and Steering
Jon boats aren’t intended for speeding, so they’re often powered by trolling or outboard motors. They’re usually steered by a tiller and their speeds go from 5-10 mph.
In contrast, skiffs are often controlled by consoles, and their speeds go from 8 mph with 2.5 HP motors, to about 20 mph with 5 HP motors. A powerful motor on a small skiff can reach as far as 33 mph, but that’s a stretch considering the open frames of these boats.
It’s worth noting that both Jon boats and skiffs can be steered manually by using poling. This is particularly useful when you go fishing for skittish fish that’ll run away from the buzzing motors.
Price
Jon boats are known for being affordable and occasionally easy on the pocket. A 10-ft Jon boat could cost around $800 new, and much less used. The larger models increase in price gradually, and as you reach the gigantic 20-ft Jon boats, you’d spend about $10,000 for a good vessel.
Skiffs are more expensive than Jon boats, and the luxurious models naturally come with hefty price tags. The 13-ft models could be found for $7000, and as you get close to the 30-ft vessels you’d see prices north of $100,000.
In Conclusion
Now that you’ve seen the big-picture differences as well as the nitty-gritty details of both Jon boats and skiffs, you can finally make a decision!
The most important point to keep in mind is your own intended usage. Jon boats are agile and portable, and they can take you places that no other vessel can reach. While skiffs are wider, faster, and more capable of handling rough waters.