Let’s face it, there comes a time when we have to put our jon boats in some sort of storage whether the seasons change or we just have to put it aside for a while. It’s important to take care of the way you store your jon boat since you’ve likely put a lot of effort into making it the best jon boat for you. That’s why it’s so important to know how to store a jon boat the right way.
So, how do you store a jon boat the right way? Storing a jon boat requires a proper cleaning, inspection, storage location, position and orientation, and cover. These factors may vary depending on the season the jon boat needs to be stored.
Having a good understanding of how to best store your jon boat will allow you to preserve the health of your jon boat while it’s sitting aside. No one should experience having to remove their jon boat from storage only to find decay and any other ill-gotten effects from neglecting it. That’s why knowing how to store a jon boat the right way can save you time, money, and grief.
How to Store a Jon Boat the Right Way
Storing a jon boat isn’t too difficult and simply requires you to follow a set of simple procedures. By going through some of these basic steps, you’ll ensure your jon boat is in good health by the time you remove it from storage and take it back out on the water. However easy the process is, it’s important to follow each step to achieve proper storage of your jon boat.
Here are the basic steps to follow the next time you plan on storing your jon boat when it’s inactive for a period of time:
- Clean
- Inspect
- Storage location
- Position and orientation
- Cover
These are really simple steps and, once you read them, you’ll realize they’re really just common sense. While there is some nuance to the way you execute these steps, especially if the seasons are different when storing your jon boat, everything is completely doable for any jon boater out there like yourself.
The first step in properly storing your jon boat is to make sure it’s been cleaned as best as it can be. You want to make sure that there’s no weird growth occurring on the hull, so you want to clean that part of your jon boat rather well. On top of that, if you’re a fisherman and have fish bouncing around inside your jon boat, you’ll definitely want to scrub the interior.
Having a clean jon boat before storage is incredibly important because it ensures there are as little bacteria as possible. By doing this, you’ll be virtually guaranteeing that no strange growth, smells, or decay occurs while your jon boat is in storage. Not only that, but you’ll be able to come back to a spick-and-span boat when you remove it from storage, which is a great feeling when starting back up again with your jon boat.
Once you feel confident your jon boat is cleaned up nicely, you then want to take the time to slowly and meticulously inspect your jon boat physical characteristics. What you want to look for is any damage to the boat, including cracks, dents, scratches, peeling, or anything else. This is important because this may lead to corrosion or rust which means you want to nip that problem in the bud now before you put your jon boat in storage.
Depending on where you live, you may want to store your jon boat indoors or outdoors. If you have the option, it’s always better, in my opinion, to store it indoors because you have virtually complete control of what happens to your jon boat when storing it. It also makes sure no critters or weather conditions have their way with your jon boat, which means it’ll be safer from any damage.
By far the most common way to store a jon boat of any size is to turn it upside down and keep it elevated above the ground. This is effective because the hull turns into a kind of roof for your jon boat’s interior so nothing can fall into it and potentially cause damage. Also, by keeping it elevated you’re ensuring your jon boat gets proper air circulation.
Another common way to store a jon boat is by leaving it on its trailer, which is also a great option especially if you won’t be storing it for an extended period of time. This allows you to easily move it around as well. Unfortunately, doing this means your jon boat’s interior won’t be protected by its hull, which means you’ll want to invest in a nice cover to keep it safe.
That leads me to the final step, which is to cover your jon boat with a strong, protective cover. Whether you plan on storing your jon boat inside, outside, upside down, or right side up, you’ll need to get a cover that’ll effectively protect your jon boat from whatever harm it could encounter while in storage.
There are some great options out there when it comes to good jon boat covers. My personal choice is the iCOVER Waterproof Heavy-Duty Trailerable Jon Boat Cover (link to read reviews on Amazon) since I can easily use it on my trailer and keep it either in my garage or in my driveway. However, this cover may be a bit out of some jon boaters’ price range, so I also suggest the Classic Accessories Jon Boat Cover (link to read reviews on Amazon).
Storing Your Jon Boat During the Winter
Maybe you’re the type of jon boater that loves to take their boat out during the wintertime for some winter fishing or just to get out on the water. Well, from my experience the winter season is by far the most common time jon boats get put into storage, which is why you should be aware of how to store your jon boat properly during the winter.
One of the most important characteristics of a successfully stored jon boat during the winter is allowing good air circulation. Without good air circulation, all kinds of problems can occur, especially mildew build-up and material deterioration. Making sure your jon boat is properly stored in the winter can save you some money since you’ll have avoided any potential issues like these.
Probably the best way to store your jon boat in the winter is to keep it elevated, covered, and placed indoors. Having it located indoors isn’t a requirement, but the others truly will save you headaches once you bring your jon boat out of hibernation and back out on the water.
One of the most popular ways to cover jon boats over the winter is to wrap it up in shrinkwrap with air holes. However, before you apply any shrink wrap to your jon boat, you’ll want to wrap it up with soft plastic with 0.5-1 inch webbing as a cushion for your jon boat as well as a layer above the shrink wrap. Once you’ve got your jon boat covered with this webbing, you’ll want to wrap your jon boat up with shrink wrap.
Once the shrink wrap has been applied to your jon boat, you’ll want to make sure it’s firmly attached to the softer layer below it. You can achieve this by heating it up. After they’re firmly attached to each other, you’ll most definitely want to put several ventilation holes in the wrap to ensure proper air circulation.
A simpler and less expensive way of wrapping up your jon boat during the winter is to use a tarp. You can get a tarp at any hardware store, which makes it incredibly easy to do and takes almost no time. Remember, the most important thing you want to do is have good air circulation for your jon boat.
If you also plan on storing your jon boat outside, it’s best to make a tent for it so nothing falls onto it. Even with your jon boat being wrapped up, it’s not uncommon for nature to throw things around and have things fall from the sky, especially during the winter. A simple wrap won’t keep it as safe as it can be, so putting a tarp tent or something similar around it would be a wise choice if you plan on storing your jon boat outside during the winter.
Aluminum vs. Fiberglass Jon Boats When Storing
Depending on whether your jon boat is made out of aluminum or fiberglass, there are certain considerations you should take into account when storing your jon boat. Most of the steps you’d follow are the same, however there are some slight differences to be aware of.
If you have an aluminum jon boat, you want to make sure you fix any dents you find while inspecting your jon boat, especially if you cruise around in saltwater. The reason being is that some of these areas can trap water inside of them, which will inevitably result in rust accumulating overtime.
If you have a fiberglass jon boat, you’ll need to fix any cracks you find on your jon boat. As temperatures change during storage, these cracks will expand and get worse over time, which is why it’s so important to properly inspect your jon boat and fixing it before storing it for whichever season.
