JON BOAT TOUR My 14' Marlon | Phil Rowley Fly Fishing

[@mikehulsey4813]

I know this is an older video Phil, but thanks for the work you put into making and posting these videos for everyone’s benefit as there is so much you have taught many of us through them. I myself and currently trying to work out what boat might be the best fit for me, my family, and the locations we fish and there are a lot of valuable little setup tips hidden throughout this video. Regardless the boat chosen by anyone, the Scotty’s products, the magnetic transducer, the finder location, floors, and storage of your required but not often used safety gear are all very useful ideas. Like I said, I know it’s an older video, and I’ve seen it more than a few times as I’ve been following along for a while now, but just felt like letting you know that it makes what I’m doing now easier, and I’m honestly grateful for that. Keep up the good work and I’ll keep anxiously awaiting each new video and adventure!

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Thanks for the kind words. I am pleased to hear you are enjoying my videos. Cheers, Phil

[@Chris-kw6fs]

Awesome tour Phil! Using some of your ideas on my new Marlon SP10 Jon. Thank you for the vid!

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Thanks. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask. Cheers Phil

[@FlyFishDan]

Great review and upgrades - lots of good ideas for my new SP12! Cheers!

[@randyenglehart3502]

Thanks for the fantastic tour of your boat Phil. I've been contemplating what to buy since my fishing partner and I are both boatless now. Randy

[@joshhead9368]

Really nice set up man thanks for the great video

[@AndrewLikesDesign]

Hi Phil, I’m considering picking up on of these 14’ marlon jons with a Yamaha 9.9. How has yours held up over the years? Would you still recommend them?

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Hi, I have both a 12' and 14' version and use them all the time. They are a great, stable, boat for stillwater fly fishing. I still recommend them. Cheers, Phil

[@riverrightoutdoors]

Very nice boat. Thanks for sharing it with us Phil .👍

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. Cheers, Phil

[@BarryMcKee3906]

Thanks Phil. My quest for a boat continues. I want to stay away from using a trailer but the setup you have looks terrific. You have it dialed in with some very basic additions. Certainly food for thought....

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Barry McKee Marlon makes a 12’ version. It is much lighter and a great car topper.

[@barneyewing2664]

I like this video, very helpful. How about a video on how you set up your inflatable pontoon. Anchor systems, rod holders, etc. A good friend just gave me his pontoon and I need some pointers and I'll bet I'm not the only one.

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Hi Barney, I will be working on such a video later this season. Cheers, Phil

[@FranksDIY]

Awesome little boat. I regret selling my 12 foot Jon boat but now I have a 14 foot microcraft and I love some of the things you've done . Thank you for the ideas

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Thanks, I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed my video and found some of the modifications I have done to my boat helpful. Cheers, Phil

[@metaldetectingbc6838]

Sweet setup

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Thanks. It’s a great boat. Cheers Phil

[@esjovold6572]

Great video, I have a 12’ john boat I should try use more. This gave me some good ideas.

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Thanks, I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed the video. Experience has taught me to take the time and thought when setting up your boat. I still have some things I would like to add but I want to make sure it is done correctly and for the right reasons. If you aren't careful you can end up with lots of extra holes etc. in your boat. Cheers, Phil

[@robertmikita5745]

Nice vlog very helpful

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Tha is Robert, I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed my video. Please don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions. Cheers, Phil

[@kevinh5024]

Excellent video. 1st time in channel.

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Thanks Kevin, I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed my video. Hopefully, you will enjoy the other content too. Cheers, Phil

[@mohameddocrat4393]

Great set-up Phil. I think the one I went out with you was a 16'. It didn't have the graphics this one has. Thanks for the tour.

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Hi Mohamed, we went out in my 17' G3. I didn't have my 14' Marlon which has become my primary stillwater boat. I can't recommend it enough. Cheers, Phil

[@minyagavrilovic8129]

Phil - I have the same boat but hate my undersided trailer. What model Karavan trailer is this? Looks like a great fit

[@Cyrus747]

Great looking boat! Bit more room than my springbok pram..

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Cyrus747 It is although the Spring Creek prams are a nice boat too. Guess that’s why I have perhaps too many boats. 😀

[@69adrummer]

Do these come with the trailer?! Some I've seen in California going for like 6 thousand!! That's crazy for a boat!!

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Yes you can purchase a trailer separately. The SP14 I featured in this video is an all welded boat so it needs a trailer. The smaller SP12 or SP 10 are lighter, riveted, boats and can be stowed. Boats are an investment but if you take care of them they will last a lifetime. Cheers, Phil

[@mikeellickson4199]

Thank you for the video. Very helpful. My question is do jon boats row easily in still water? How would they compare to a drift boat in that regard?

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Hi Mike, Great question. They row quite well. They don’t t turn on a dime like a drift boat but we don’t need too. 😃 Cheers, Phil

[@mikeellickson4199]

Thank you Phil. I’m a big fan of yours.

[@edboutdoors3632]

Wow what a boat looks amazing hope I'll be able to be in that when we are fishin

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

If we are fishing small trout lakes it will definitely be the boat. 😀👍 Cheers, Phil

[@greggiono8789]

Great video been waiting for this one .

[@greggiono8789]

I have boat envy and my 1032 is jealous.

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Thanks Greg, glad you enjoyed it. I fished out of a 14' 1436 for many years and this boat beats it hands down. Marlon also makes a 10' and 12' jon. The 12' is also very roomy too. Cheers, Phil

[@drteith]

Phil, that day with you at Muir Lake made me a believer. I’m so in love with your boat. As soon as the boss (wife) gives the okay, I’m purchasing a package from our local dealer. 👍

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Thanks Mike, you won't be disappointed. Neither will the boss when she fishes from it too. Cheers, Phil

[@drteith]

Philip, just ordered it. Will be here at the end of the month 😎

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

@@drteith Hi Mike that's great to hear. Have fun tricking it out as well! Cheers Phil

[@drteith]

Philip, just don’t get mad at me when I spam you for tips 🤣

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

@@drteith No madder than I normally get! :) Happy to help out. Cheers, Phil

[@hmacfly1959]

Hi Phil, I am going to add a 3rd seat to my Marlon . What size threaded rivets did you use ?

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Hi Hal, I got mine at Princess Auto here in Canada. They were 1/4". Here is a link to them, www.princessauto.com/en/100-pc-1-4-in-aluminum-threaded-inserts/product/PA0002921872. Cheers, Phil

[@evanhammond7305]

Phil how heavy are your anchors? I'd really like to install that system on my 15' mirrocraft.

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Hi Evan, great question. My anchors are between 15-20 pounds. I put the heaviest anchor on the stern as it is most likely to move due to the width of the boat and this is where my weight tends to be concentrated. I use a gauge of 1.25 pounds times the length of the boat, so 17.5 pounds for my boat. If I need something heavier for a windy day I have an extra 5-pound pyramid anchor that I attach to my existing anchors via a carabineer. Once the anchors are deployed I slide the extra anchor onto the rope of the anchor that is not holding using the carabineer. No sense pulling all extra anchor weight if it isn't needed. I hope this makes sense. If you have any additional questions at all please don't hesitate to ask. Thanks, Phil

[@dustinmyers1585]

How much water does it take to draft in with that boat?

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Hi Dustin, Thanks for taking the time to place your comment. I haven't measured it exactly, but I was able to float this boat, fully loaded in roughly 6 inches of water. It may have been even slightly less. Cheers, Phil

[@clippedadipose6483]

Hello Phil. I just got the same boat and I’m going to mount the fish finder quick release mount. Do you think I could get away with sheet metal screws or should I use rivets. I can’t imagine there will be much stress unlike on the seat rails. Thanks

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Hi, I just used sheet metal screws, and they work great. There isn't too much if any stress on the mount unless someone tried to pull out the base unit without releasing it. Cheers, Phil

[@weserlywinds]

Hey Phil! Just picked ours up today! Going to get at the floors soon. Just wondering what thickness of SM foam you went with?

[@weserlywinds]

Just saw the big 1" marking on the back of the foam! I answered my own question! See you out at Roche when things get back to normal!

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

@@weserlywinds No problem. I got it at Home Depot in 2' wide by 8' long sheets. It works great. Cheers, Phil

[@YJ-xg3xr]

Hi Phil, nice setup. Do you ever run a 9.9 with this and if so, any comments on the combination? Thank you

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Hi, glad you enjoyed the video. I haven't run a 9.9 but I put my Yamaha 15hp 4-stroke on it this past season and was blown away by how the boat performed. With two anglers and all our gear, we were doing 21 mph according to my sounder. This is roughly the same speed I get out of my 17' G3 with a 40hp on it! The 14' Marlon is rated for a 20hp outboard which would turn it into a rocket! I think a 9.9 on the back would perform well for you. Cheers, Phil

[@YJ-xg3xr]

Wow, that's awesome! Thanks for the insight!

[@YJ-xg3xr]

Hey Phil, I now have a Marlon SP14 and fishfindermounts.com magnetic transducer mount on the way👍. Did you epoxy the inside magnet to your transom or do you just hold both halves in place each time you use it? Thank you!

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

@@YJ-xg3xr No I didn't epoxy the inside magnet. I use my sounder in a couple of boats and need the transducer mount portable. I prefer the inside magnetic mount to be portable so when towing my boat I can slide the transducer up, out of harm's way, to keep any rocks, etc from bouncing up and potentially damaging the transducer. It also helps if I come ashore I can move the transducer to avoid dragging it through the mud or banging on any rocks or other debris. Cheers, Phil

[@jasonoshea9523]

@@PhilRowleyFlyFishing Hi Phil - one more question: do you see any downside to mounting the bow anchor in the corner on the same side as the stern anchor as opposed to front and centre? If you have a passenger sitting in the bow, seems it would be easier for the driver (or passenger) to pull up anchor when it's not positioned directly behind them. Can you think of any potential performance issues with that configuration? Thank you.

[@bf3forevergreene165]

How stable is it? Could I be in the water and pull myself into it without swaming it? Will it sink if it’s swamped or will it float?

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Hi, thanks for taking the time to comment. This boat is incredibly stable. It is over 55" wide and almost impossible to fall out of. I have never fallen out of any of my boats, but if I did I would imagine I would be able to pull myself in. The boat has built-in floatation so if it was swamped it should still float. Cheers, Phil

[@hmacfly1959]

Hi Phil, Do you tarp your tub , when you travel or park it. ?

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Hi Hal, I don't have any tarp or cover for it so far. When I store it for winter I take everything out and store them. I do my best to keep it clean in between. usually, I have a bunch of leaves to clean out each spring. Cheers, Phil

[@hmacfly1959]

@@PhilRowleyFlyFishing Thx for the info. I recently purchased the same boat for local Edmonton and hopefully BC lakes, and will keep my Hyde drift boat "tarped"and parked in Trout town Fernie. Play safe , Hal

[@ryansawatsky9748]

Phil where did you buy those sliding track mounts for the seats ?

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Hi Ryan, I got them off Amazon. Here is the link, amzn.to/33Z5Udr. I also placed the link in the comments section of the video. Cheers, Phil

[@pithycounsel7491]

@@PhilRowleyFlyFishing did you use a 15' anchor front and 20' rear?

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

@@pithycounsel7491 Yes I believe the front is a 15lb anchor and the rear is 20 pounds. They were from my previous boat. As I anchor perpendicular to the wind with this boat I place the heaviest anchor at the stern as this is most likely to shift in heavy winds. I also keep a small 5-pound pyramid anchor on a carabineer for additional weight when needed. Cheers, Phil

[@smallboatoutdoors9019]

Ever taken it on any bigger waters

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Yes, I have some large lakes in my local area. I choose my days and avoid strong winds that create rough water. I do the same for my larger 17' G3. My Marlon performs well. On a calm day, I can move in excess of 20 mph when I put my 15hp four stroke on it. Cheers, Phil

[@smallboatoutdoors9019]

@@PhilRowleyFlyFishing how big are the lakes

[@FreshwaterConservationCanada]

@@smallboatoutdoors9019 Two of them are just over 13,000 acres. Cheers, Phil

[@smallboatoutdoors9019]

@@FreshwaterConservationCanada ok thank you!

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

@@smallboatoutdoors9019 Sorry I accidentally logged into the wrong KZbin account with my latest reply. On the large lakes I pick my days.

[@hmacfly1959]

Hi Phil, Is your Minkota 55 a 36 in or 42 inch shaft ? Hope your Xmas season went well

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Hi Hal, I believe is a regular, 36" inch, shaft. Cheers, Phil

[@hmacfly1959]

@@PhilRowleyFlyFishing Thx Cheers

[@davehenry1780]

Hi Phil. Do you ever row in that boat? My wife and I are looking at getting a Marlon and trying to decide between a 12' and 14' model.

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Hi Dave, I don't row in this boat. Not because you can't but because I would prefer not to. As most of my local trout lakes are electric motors only that's what I use most often to get around. I have a set of oars with me just in case something goes wrong with my electric motor. My wife and I fish very comfortably out of my SP 14 and it can also comfortably fish with three people. I don't think you would be disappointed with either size boat. Cheers, Phil

[@way75mit9]

Hey Phil , loved the video on your boat great setup, can you advise me where I can find one of the magnet transducer mounts for my boat , I have an aluminum 1448 Jon Boat and I really don't want to drill any holes in my hull or glue anything to it, again nice boat !!!

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Hi, the magnetic transducer mounts are game changers, as I didn't want to drill any holes below the water line either. You can get these from Fish Finder Mounts, www.fishfindermounts.com/. I also did a video on my channel focused on the transducer mounts and the other fish finder products they offer and that I use. Here is the link to the video, kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJi1hqCQgJJ-hc0si=QWtKfSSwxdyVYCTx. I hope this helps. If you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to ask me. Cheers, Phil

[@cinnamonfamilybullies8869]

Hey buddy how much did it cost

[@brianheidel4550]

what kind of transducer is that?

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Hi Brian, the transducer is the one that came with my Helix 7. If you are referring to the magnetic transducer mount I use it is from a Canadian company Fish Finder Mounts. They specialize in portable sounder mounts for a variety of boats including pontoon boats and float tubes. Here is a link to the transducer mount I use, www.fishfindermounts.com/product-page/15mm-magnetic-transducer-mount-kit. They work extremely well. Cheers, Phil

[@markmemmott3608]

How stable is that style boat in rough waters? Wind can get bad here in Utah and lakes can get pretty choppy.

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Hi Mark, jon boats are not known for their smooth ride in rough waters. As I prefer to fish from an anchored position this boat is incredibly stable. I use this 14' on smaller lakes, say 1000 acres or less or on larger lakes when wind induced chop doesn't make for a rough ride. I have had this boat out in windy conditions and it was fine. If you were to use this boat on Strawberry for example you may have to choose your days to avoid a bumpy ride. I have a 17' modified V G3 with a 40hp for larger water that can act up quickly. Boats sadly are all about compromise, guess that's why we end up with so many. Cheers, Phil

[@frogmanpipes9561]

.079 seems awefull thin. For durability. Bumping in rocks, logs, ect. Why not use a thicker construction?

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

.079 is actually one of the thickest hull gauges available for an aluminum jon boat. If you check some other manufacturers their hull gauges for a 14' jon boat range from .043"-.050" I only found one other boat that was thicker at .080", .01" thicker than the Marlon. I have found this boat to be very durable as I drag it up on shore over a variety of rocks, logs, etc. The boat is also very easy to move around. I can even push and pull it off and on the trailer on really shallow launches. It is by far the best small stillwater boat I have ever used. Thanks, Phil

[@frogmanpipes9561]

@@PhilRowleyFlyFishing maybe it differs in the states. from what I've seen .100 is almost the standard.

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

@@frogmanpipes9561 The boat manufacturers I checked ranged from .043"-.050" as I mentioned in my earlier reply. None of these manufacturers were Canadian-based, in fact, they were all US-based. Cheers, Phil

[@peterpatershuk2650]

Hi Philip, What bolts or screws did you use to mount the rear anchor mount to the transom, Thanks. p.s. Great video!

[@PhilRowleyFlyFishing]

Hi Peter, I used 4 stainless steel sheet metal screws to secure the Scotty Mount to the transducer. You could bolt it straight through if you wanted but I don't feel that is necessary as you are gently lowering the anchor into the water not dropping it from any great height. Mine holds great and is as solid as a rock. Cheers, Phil

[@peterpatershuk2650]

Thank you Phil you never fail to help Cheers!