How to Camouflage a Jon Boat

Jon boats are small boats that lie flat and high in the water, making them highly maneuverable and able to get through mangroves and into shallow sloughs. Because jon boats are often used to hunt waterfowl, many people have begun to apply a camouflage covering to their boats. Not only is this a look that upgrades a plain jon boat, it makes its appearance blend in with the background, rendering it almost invisible to game. The best approach to camouflaging a jon boat is to wrap it with waterproof camouflage vinyl sheeting.

Things You'll Need

  • Jon boat
  • Saw horses
  • Power sander
  • 40-grit sandpaper
  • 120-grit sandpaper
  • Tape measure
  • Straightedge
  • 2-foot by 30-foot adhesive camouflage vinyl wrap
  • Scissors
  • Paint roller
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Instructions

    • 1

      Select the proper color pattern for the intended usage of the jon boat. If you plan to use the boat primarily for spring and summer fishing, choose a crappie or bass pattern. If the intended use of the boat is for fall duck hunting in flooded woodlands, select a bottomland, duck-blind or infinity pattern.

    • 2

      Invert the jon boat on a pair of sawhorses and allow it to dry out for several days. If it is an older boat and its weight reflects a high water absorption, allow the boat to dry for 30 days.

    • 3

      Use a power sander to remove the top layers of residue, dirt and bubbles on the skin of the keel. For metal hulls, use a 120-grit paper; wood hulls use a 40-grit. Dry the subsurface for 24 hours.

    • 4

      Use a tape measure and cut enough 2-foot wide strips of vinyl sheeting to wrap the entire hull of the boat. Start at the square end of the stern, at the upper gunnel edge on one side of the hull and lay on the first strip. Peel off the paper self-adhesive backing on the strip and carefully press one hand onto the edge of the strip, attaching it to the hull. Holding the strip away from the boat, walk to the bow of the craft, straighten up the alignment of the strip on the top edge of the gunnel and attach a second, hand-sized spot.

    • 5

      Return to the starting point and, using a paint roller, roll the adhesive-backed vinyl strip onto the hull. As you reach the bow of the hull pull off the bow-attached end of the strip and finish the roll-out. Repeat this process on all the other strips necessary to cover the hull.