There may be a time when you don’t necessarily have the right gear to haul around your jon boat. If you depend on your truck bed to move it to and from the water, you’ll need to figure out if you can possibly put a jon boat in the back of a truck. While I certainly suggest getting a trailer, using a truck bed may be an option for you.
So, can you put a jon boat in the back of a truck? You can put a jon boat in the back of a truck in its bed as long as your jon boat’s stern doesn’t stick out too far (usually less than 4 feet). Most truck beds will range between 5 and 8 feet and jon boats are usually 8-20 feet in length.
Getting your jon boat to and from the water is the only way you’ll get to actually enjoy it unless you have it docked year-round. One of the advantages of having a trailer is that it’s far easier to transport a jon boat, but not everyone has that luxury. That’s why I want to dive into how you can load and unload your jon boat into the back of your truck.
Loading and Unloading a Jon Boat into the Back of a Truck
Being able to safely and securely attach your jon boat to the bed of your truck is incredibly important since you certainly do not want your jon boat flying off while driving. Making sure everything will hold properly is key when moving heavy objects via your automobile, and a jon boat is definitely no different.
There are a few simple steps you can follow to effectively load your jon boat from the bed of your truck, including:
- Clean out everything from the bed of your truck.
- Measure the length and width of your truck bed and jon boat.
- Remove loose items from your jon boat and cover it.
- Lift and place your jon boat in your truck bed.
- Tie-down your jon boat.
- Drive your truck a short distance to test the stability.
When depending on the bed of your truck to move a jon boat, you need to ensure you’re following the necessary steps. By doing so, you’ll be keeping yourself and those around you safe from unnecessary harm. No one wants a loose jon boat on the highway!
The first thing you want to do before loading your jon boat into the bed of your truck is to remove and clean everything out of your bed. You want to be able to place your jon boat securely onto your bed’s surface without wobbling on or breaking anything. Plus, you want to avoid any potential damage to your jon boat’s hull.
Next, you’ll need to make sure the dimensions of your truck bed and jon boat are compatible enough to allow the bed to fit your jon boat. As I mentioned before, most truck beds are 5-8 feet long and about 5.5 feet wide. With most jon boats being around 8-20 feet in length and 3-5 feet wide, you may have to shimmy it a bit when getting it into your truck’s bed.
Before placing your jon boat into your truck’s bed, you should remove any loose items from the interior of your jon boat and cover it with a proper boat cover or tarp. You don’t want anything flying out of your jon boat in the middle of transporting it on the road, so this step is rather crucial.
When it comes to jon boat covers, there are a number of options to choose from. From my experience, the iCOVER Waterproof Heavy-Duty Jon Boat Cover (link to read reviews on Amazon) is exactly what I need due to it being rather durable and I can use it indoors and outdoors. On top of that, it’s extremely long-lasting and gives a really snug grip to my jon boat.
Once you’ve removed the loose items from your jon boat and covered it, you’ll want to lift it up and place it in your truck bed. In all likeliness, you’ll want some help with this since most jon boats weigh 100s of pounds. Depending on the length and width of your jon boat and truck bed, it may need to extend out a bit from the bed or you’ll have to tip up the bow above your truck’s cab so the stern doesn’t stick out too much.
Now comes one of the most important steps, which is to properly tie down your jon boat. There’s no question you should spend a good amount of time tying down your jon boat using high-quality, durable tie-downs that’ll ensure your jon boat isn’t going anywhere while you’re on the road. I suggest taking a look at the Retractable Transom Tie Downs by Reese Powersports (link to read reviews on Amazon) due to their high durability and excellent reputation in the boating community.
I’m a stickler for testing things out before going full bore on anything and I suggest you do the same for driving around with your jon boat in the back of your truck bed. If something goes wrong, you’d rather have it happen close to you in a more controlled environment then on a speeding highway. My suggestion would be to drive around for a few minutes and to see and listen to any issues that may occur.
When it comes to unloading your jon boat from your truck, you want to make sure you’re close to the water so you can easily put it in once you’ve detached it. Removing your jon boat from your truck bed should be down with caution as it’ll be quite heavy and it’s potentially coming from above your head. There’s no doubt you should have someone helping you out while unloading your jon boat from your truck’s bed.
How Long of a Jon Boat Can You Fit in a Truck
Depending on the type of truck and jon boat you own, you may want to consider whether or not it’s possible for you to even load a jon boat into your truck bed. If you have the chance, you should consider getting a trailer for hauling around your jon boat. However, if that’s not an option you should try to match your truck bed with your jon boat.
Most jon boats are going to be anywhere between 8 and 20 feet long (some up to 24 feet) and most truck beds will be between 5-8 feet. What that means is the majority of the time, jon boats will be longer than your average truck bed. You want to make sure that your jon boat will properly fit your truck bed so nothing dangerous occurs while transporting it.
In the United States, there are specific laws in place to avoid any issues when hauling oversized objects via a non-commercial truck. When it comes to overhang (objectsr hanging out the back of a vehicle), you’re allowed as much as 4 feet. Now, this may differ from state to state depending on local laws, so you should definitely check your local laws first.
Another important aspect of allowing your jon boat to hang out the back of your truck bed is to attach the necessary safety flags to it. This is important because legally you’re required to do this to signal to others on the road that you have objects overhanging your truck’s bed and they should follow you with caution.
Can My Truck Handle the Weight of a Jon Boat?
Whether you have a short-bed truck or an extended long-bed truck, your trucks towing capacity is likely to be sufficient for your jon boat. As opposed to normal cars, like sedans, coupes, and hatchbacks, trucks (and even SUVs) are designed to haul more heavy items without adding strain to the engine, transmission, frame, and everything else.
While most cars or sedans have a towing capacity of around 1,000 – 1,500 pounds, trucks can have a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds upwards to about 15,000 pounds. That’s a massive difference, especially if you plan on towing your jon boat or even attaching it to the bed of your truck.
When it comes to the weight of a jon boat, it really depends on how much it’s been outfitted with various additions and accessories. However, you’ll find that jon boats will generally weigh 130 – 1,2000 pounds, which doesn’t include fuel weight. I like to add fudge factors to my calculations, so whatever you believe your jon boat weighs, I’d add another 100-200 pounds to be safe. If you need a starting point, here is our article on the weight of 33 common jon boats by various lengths.
As you can see, you may be able to haul around your jon boat with your car if your jon boat is light enough and your car’s towing capacity is large enough. However, it’s wise to avoid doing this since you can seriously damage your car when testing these limits. That’s why whether you’re towing you jon boat or slapping it on the back of your truck’s bed, you’ll be in the best shape possible by using a truck (or SUV!) to get your jon boat from point A to point B.
