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Jonboat?

I've learnt the Harmonica design loosely fits a plethora of monikers. (Tiny/Micro) Houseboat, Shanty Boat, canal Boat and Jonboat / Johnboat. All good, but most reflect their respective locations, whether UK or USA. In Australia it would probably be called a Tiny House Boat.
Anyway, the name Jonboat is unfamiliar to me and I decided to do some research. Wikipedia describes the boat as those seen on the "Swampmen" (?) tv program, about 20-feet long, aluminium, bench seated and powered by a massive outboard engine. I suspect that the similarities lay in the hull profile, flat with a sweep up at the bow. But there's bugger all else, no hard top, relaxed pace of life and so on. But the website advertising the disadvantages of a Jonboat got my attention. Just to be shore I wasn't building a floating coffin!
Here goes, the top five disadvantages:-
1. Inability to cut through heavy waves like a vee-hull does.
2. Lack of comfort due to rigid movement and lack of cushions.
3. Not very sporty due to their rough ride at speed.
4. Inability to carry a large (200hp) engine in shorter boats.
5. Engine noise unrestrained by engine box.

Well, sounds like if you want to poke around in calm waters of canals, streams, creeks, rivers, lagoons, lakes and harbours, and don't care to travel at rapid speeds, this boat is ideal.
The designer, John Michalak does advise that the Harmonica is best kept in calm waters. Apparently, the solid, slab sides and "birdwatcher roof" are actually safety features in that they allow the boat to survive a roll or partial capsize, without sinking. The builder of Flipper installed foam floatation in the corners of the hull, but Michalak says few buildershave done that.

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Basic Description of Harmonica

Length 13 feet, 5   feet wide, draw ing less than a foot. Weighing less than  400lbs empty, designed by Jim Michalak.     "Harmonica is a tiny shanty boat that sleeps two in its cabin. There is a porch up front suitable for lounging and a small room in the stern for the kitchen and the water closet. I think it is arranged so that two people could wait out an all day soaker without feeling too pressed. For protected waters only". Builder John wrote, "...The entire family (two adults and two children) has spent the night on Steel Will. I put 1x2's between the slats in the two forward bunks and created a single bunk that is five feet wide. We have found that the thick cushions sold to cover lawn furniture very adequate mattresses for boats." Harmonica soaks up four sheets of 3/8" plywood and six sheets of 1/4" plywood and uses simple glue and nail jigless construction. Reference for all the above: https://www.duckworks.com/product-p/jm-harmonica...

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A Greenhorn into Riverboating Tradition

 "...soon as night was most gone we stopped navigating and tied up—nearly always in the dead water under a towhead; and then cut young cottonwoods and willows, and hid the raft with them.  Then we set out the lines.  Next we slid into the river and had a swim, so as to freshen up and cool off; then we set down on the sandy bottom where the water was about knee deep, and watched the daylight come.  Not a sound anywheres—perfectly still—just like the whole world was asleep, only sometimes the bullfrogs a-cluttering, maybe."             Huck Finn I have the extravagant (not) plans to  build a Michalak "Harmonica", a tiny towable shantyboat. I've recently taken to paddling my local river and remain surprised at the glorious existance literally on our doorstep, that no one treasures. In fact, I'd argue that most men of the land actually hate rivers. They invariably turn their backs on it, and worse dump rubbish in it and allow ...