How to Build a Plywood Jon Boat Console

When you want to build a plywood console for a jon boat, you need to decide what instruments you want and where you want them. You must decide where you want to put your marine radio and leave an empty space for the mounting. The sides of the console will be inside the front and back of the console, to lessen the chance that water will get into the console and damage any wiring. After that, it's smooth sailing.

Things You'll Need

  • Measuring tape
  • Carpenters' square
  • Circular saw
  • Adhesive marine caulk
  • Putty knife
  • 2-inch finishing nails
  • Nail gun
  • Drill
  • Hole saws
  • 3/4 inch bit
  • Jigsaw
  • Half-round wood file
  • Hinges
  • Screwdriver
  • Silicone caulk`
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure the diameter of the bases of the instruments you wish to put on your dashboard, using a tape measure. Arrange the instruments on a sheet of plywood, as if it were your dashboard. For a jon boat, make the sides of the console wider than the front and back of the console. Mark the instrument locations on the plywood. Measure the width and depth of the planned dashboard, as you have the instruments arranged, and draw a rectangle around it, using a tape measure and a carpenters square to ensure the angles are right angles and the opposing sides are the same lengths.

    • 2

      Cut two panels for the sides of the console from marine plywood, using a circular saw. These panels are the same width as the shorter two of the sides of the planned instrument panel. They are the same height as the planned console. Cut two panels that are the same width as the longer two sides of the planned console, and the same height as the console, to form the front and back of the new console.

    • 3

      Spread adhesive marine caulk on one end of one side panel, using a putty knife. Press the caulked end of the side panel against the end of the front panel, so their edges are even, as if you were building a box. Repeat with the remaining two panels, to form a box with no top or bottom. Brace the long side of the box against the back of your work bench.

    • 4

      Drive one of the 2-inch finishing nails through the face of the front panel, into the end of the side panel, with a nail gun. Repeat until all four sides of the box are nailed together with three nails on each end of both the front and back panels.

    • 5

      Cut the rectangle for the dashboard from the marine plywood. Drill the holes for the instruments into the face of the rectangle, using a drill and hole saws of the appropriate sizes. Paint or otherwise finish the console as desired.

    • 6

      Draw a rectangular door on the rear of the console. The bottom of the door must be 3 inches from the bottom of the console. Drill a 3/4-inch hole, centered on the top of the line for the top of the door. Push a jigsaw through the hole. Cut a rectangular doorway in the back of the console, using a jig saw. Do not discard the "door" you cut out.

    • 7

      File the edges of the door until they are smooth, with a half-round wood file. Install three hinges — top, center and bottom — on the door, using a screwdriver. Coat the edges of the door with silicone caulk. Push the door into the doorway. Attach the hinges to the box, using a screwdriver. Grasp the door at the half-hole at its top and open the door. Allow the silicone to set fully while the door is open to form a watertight seal. Attach a simple latch on the center of the side of the door opposite the hinges.