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Is an Arima a good family boat ?

Started by strokersquid, November 29, 2011, 11:13:27 PM

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GoodDays

A 115 on a 17 will FLY in perfect conditions !!!    I have a 90 on my 17 SeaRanger and when fully loaded for a week long trip it is a bit slower than I would like.. but at the end of the week when i fill up the fuel tanks I really appreciate the old 90 Honda !!!   :dance:

As for the rough ride and pounding... I fish Offshore on the West coast of Vancoouver Island and in the Campbell River Johnstone Straits Area.. The sea conditions dont get any worse. Off Cape Mudge we get stacking waves on the tide that are HORRENDOUS !!   

Would I prefer a 19 or 21 or even a 22 ???   Of course.. I am a man and they are boats.. we are genetically wired to always want a bigger one !!!

Am I happy with my 17 and do I feel safe running it in poor conditions ?? Absolutely !!!!  Do I have to be carefull and watch the weather.. yes !

As others have said TRIM TABS !!!!! they work. If you dont have them  get them !!

I have been running boats in all weather conditions professionally for 25 + years  I have access to some extreme boats to play with.. and when I bought a boat to take my family out in my choice was a 17 ARIMA SeaRanger !!

Its a great boat. Will it do everything.. No.. No boat will. Buy what you can afford and start getting out on the water with your family !

GoodDays Greg

croaker stroker

Quote from: Caston on December 02, 2011, 10:53:41 PM
Quote from: Threeweight on November 30, 2011, 05:10:33 PM
I'd be happy to take you for a spin on the lower Columbia when the afternoon winds kick up 2-4' wind waves.  Under those conditions, I struggle to stay on plane in my 17' without beating everyone on board up pretty bad.  

I found that a set of trim tabs help immensely with the ride.


These two comments got my attention as I've been looking at 17'ers to use primarily in the Columbia. I'm not looking to win any races but I may have trouble getting the family exited about a day on the river if they're getting beat up that bad. With the trim tabs can you cruise in these conditions in relative comfort? I'm fine with keeping it under 25mph but would hope at minimum to maintain planing speed.
   

My son owns a 27' Boston Whaler with twin Yamaha 115 4-strokes. Under the above conditions, my little Arima is more comfortable than the larger Whaler.  (my wife even says so)
1987 - 17' Sea Pacer - 2004 Evinrude 90 E-tec
1985 - 15' Sea Sprinter - **SOLD**

"Ex Tridente Pax". 🇺🇸

BigMac

The SL 22 I bought used didn't have trim tabs.  I was told by the salesman that being a heavier boat, it wasn't really needed. Fishing for the first two years on the Columbia River and Estuary with an occasional spin in the ocean went well without them.  Cruising with friends also wasn't any problem as the heavier boat with inherent stability really didn't need that much trimming.

I was encouraged by Enniberg and to get trim tabs, particularly for the ocean.  Prior to fishing out of Neah Bay (and traveling across the Strait of Juan De Fuca to Ucluelet) I installed Bennett's.  It didn't take long to test their value.  The difference with the normal bow up and trimmed down was dramatic.  It made a safe boat safer while making the ride a lot more pleasant.  Also, now the boat can be trimmed while cruising which makes more of a difference than expected.

(Dave)

Threeweight

Quote from: Caston on December 02, 2011, 10:53:41 PM

These two comments got my attention as I've been looking at 17'ers to use primarily in the Columbia. I'm not looking to win any races but I may have trouble getting the family exited about a day on the river if they're getting beat up that bad. With the trim tabs can you cruise in these conditions in relative comfort? I'm fine with keeping it under 25mph but would hope at minimum to maintain planing speed.
 

Just to clarify my views on the ride...

The only time you will really encounter wind chop that big on the Columbia is running back down from the Bridge on the WA side, to Illwaco or Hammond, or up in the Gorge.  I fish Buoy 10 frequently in August and September, and I seem to always be running home into that stuff (hard to leave a hot bite!)  I do have to slow way down and work the throttle in that stuff, and I stay right on the edge of falling off plane (12-14 mph).  Trim tabs help a ton with this, you could not hold plane that low without them.

That said, as I believe Danno will attest, my little 17' handles those gnarly conditions with grace and confidence.  We get a little wet in the cockpit (water blowing under the canvas), but we are running home at 14 mph when the tin can 20' Alumawelds and North Rivers have to hide above the bridge and wait for the wind to die down.  The only boats that run at speed in that stuff are the true deep-v offshore boats.  I have Tuna! fished in several different offshore boats, and as much as I love my Arima, I don't think it is fair to say the ride is anywhere near the same.  That said, those boats burn 2 to 3 times more fuel than an Arima!

I do a good bit of fishing on the Columbia, and have found the 17' Sea Chaser to be just about perfect as an all-around boat.  In normal conditions around Portland, I typically cruise to and from fishing spots at 20-25mph.  The ride is great for fishing the river.  My only gripe with it is anchoring, but you can make it work.

If you would like to take a test drive in my boat and see what you think of the ride, you are more than welcome... drop me a PM!
Former Sea Chaser 17 owner
Defiance 250 Admiral, twin Yamaha 150's and T9.9

"Never turn your back on fear. It should always be in front of you, like a thing that might have to be killed."
       --- Hunter S. Thompson

finfinn

I can confirm 3wts comments. His 17 does an admirable job on Columbia, partially due to the trim tabs and maybe the 4 blade prop which may give it a bit better bite. Also I can confirm the water spraying occasionally over the windshield when the wind is from an inconvenient direction. The wind also has a habit of knocking hats off the captains and the helper then has to rescue the poor almost drowning hat with a landing net - right, Steve :wink:. Fortunately I had practice - my wife loses hers a couple of times a season :shrug9:. The spray and the wind are the main reasons I like the skip tower with the option of keeping the front vinyl window up. And of course I prefer my SR 19 with the trim tabs, but the 17 has a lot of usable space for the size of the boat.
Had a glorious SR19 Finnesse.
You can not change the length of your life, but boating does increase its width and depth.

StreamFixer

Fin

I seem to recall you rescuing my hat in Sekiu this summer too.  You did a very professional job.  NOw I kow why you did it so well

Thank you

StreamFixer
'01 Hewes Sportsman 18
'14 Yamaha 90
'01 T8 w/ solas 4 blade
'19 Minn Kota 80# (Alterra)
'97 19SC w/ Salt Boss Top


"By the grace of God we travel upon the rivers and sea..
They, like He, are mightier than me."  Mike Jesperson aka 'Nalu

Hydro-Therapy



  FinnFinn  I concur that the 17s are great boats ,but the extra 2ft ,added weight and trim tabs on a 19SR make a world of difference in the ride. I fish regularly in my brothers 17SC because it is convenient .But when I put the trim tabs on he to finally admitted the ride was measurably smoother.

  Hydro-Therapy
Fish forever Work whenever !!!!!
"89" 19SR Keith 115 Merc. 15 4s kicker W/trollmaster Raymarine A70D

strokersquid

think i'm sold on a SR17-19 but finding one down here that's not 20 yrs old is not easy so far. you guys seem to have many more for sale up north at any given time.

Hydro-Therapy


  Strokesquid I would not worry so much about the age of the hull ,as they are very well made. Half the fun of owning one is doing the upgrades and customizing the boat to your desires . Sure you could go order a brand new one with all the bells a whistles just like you would want and I know the factory would really like that. Buy there is just something about taking a older hull and making it really your own.

So find yourself a good sound hull and let the fun begin. You will find it to be a very pleasant journey that won't end until the day you sell the boat.


  Hydro-Therapy

Fish forever Work whenever !!!!!
"89" 19SR Keith 115 Merc. 15 4s kicker W/trollmaster Raymarine A70D

wedocq

Quote from: finfinn on December 03, 2011, 08:14:53 PM
I can confirm 3wts comments. His 17 does an admirable job on Columbia, partially due to the trim tabs and maybe the 4 blade prop which may give it a bit better bite.

I have a 21' SR, but I can also confirm 3wt's comments. Him and I took his 17' across the Westport bar and fished some pretty nasty ocean conditions. I was really impressed how well his boat handled everything.
-Shawn
2002 21' Arima Sea Ranger HT  Suzuki [glow=red,2,300]DF175 [/glow] 4-stroke.
WEDOCQ= WE DO SEKIU! It pays homage to my Uncle Jay who died of cancer.

strokersquid

Problem is time. I work 60-70 hours/week and every 3rd weekend. I would rather spend time on the water than fixing things. I presume new, I would be into a new one about $30k, so be it if I knew I was not making a $30k mistake.

Threeweight

New boats are definitely less work, but budget in $$ for electronics, kicker, upgraded wiring and switches, accessories like down riggers, weights, etc...  One benefit of buying used  is you can often get that stuff in a package.

$30k should get you into a new, or very late model, 17'.  Might still be hard to get into a new 19' for that $$.
Former Sea Chaser 17 owner
Defiance 250 Admiral, twin Yamaha 150's and T9.9

"Never turn your back on fear. It should always be in front of you, like a thing that might have to be killed."
       --- Hunter S. Thompson

Fish On

Early this year I was looking for a 19 SC or SR to use as a suitable fishing platform. What I found instead was a 21 SR. Not only did I end up with a great fishing boat but an awesome family cruiser as well. We put in well over 100 hours this summer of cruising, tubing, water skiing, whale watching, viewing the fireworks and of course fishing. On a few of the family trips our daughter had her gaggle of friends along with up to 7 or 8 of us going out, myself I enjoyed going out solo on a few fishing trips.

Having owned Double Eagles, Bayliners and Campions before this truly is a great little boat that can do it all and do it well. The fact it did this with 150 HP motor was a bonus my last boat a 22.5' Campion Explorer with a 225 HP does not even come close.

Good family boat? Hell yes! I am one happy camper....well ok Arima owner.

GL on your hunt S-Squid....


'04 21 SR HT/150 Honda - Yammie T8 - Lovin' it

strokersquid

Good, I noted Campion makes a small cuddy as well , but there are no dealers around here. It looked cool in the company pictures but I've never known anybody who has owned one or had a friend who did.

Old Ratty

#39
I looked hard at the Campion 19 ft cuddy (think it's called the 542).  My wife nixed it because the cuddy is too short to stretch out - we're both 5'8".

She approved of the Arima SR 19 cuddy - we could actually sleep in it - but she told me that I needed a 21 HT.

I've been amazed at the usable space inside the new boat - even with 2 sleepers and especially since we put the camper canvas on - and equally impressed at how easily it handles around the docks.  It handles much more predictably that my old traditional deep V Zeta 19.

Ride?  The Zeta was a thick, heavy, strong very deep V hull that would pierce waves pretty well up to a point.  Past that point (4 foot?), it would launch and land like a bag of hammers - then you'd either have to putt or plow, burning gpm instead of gph.

Haven't had the SR21 out in a lot of heavy weather yet, but really like the lateral stability of the hull.  With only a 140 on it, the Arima planes MUCH more quickly and easily than the Zeta did with 300hp, and it does that without waving its nose around in the air.

I have accidentally launched the Arima off of some "rich guy's" wakes that the Zeta might have run through, but I was really pleased with its relatively soft landing - no trip to the dentist, even.

There's a pretty good explanation of the trade-offs here: http://www.eqmarine.com/Article_About_Arima_Boats.html

Dollar for dollar (and gallon for gallon) this is a much more practical, comfortable, affordable, usable family cruiser/camper/commuter/kid ski boat.

Try it.  I'm sure you'll like it.

Keel-er

Our 17' SR is a great family boat.  Got the stability and freeboard to feel secure and with the trim tabs it comes almost level out of the hole and handles the chop with ease.  My wife and boys have a great time cruising.  Love the boat.  Just need more time in it.
1986 Sea Ranger 17 "Nancy Lyn"-Sold
2020 Yamaha F90
1995 Sea Ranger 19
2023 Tohatsu 140
2020 Yamaha 9.9

LvrWurst 21 SR Skip

Strokersquid...I just PM'd you about a couple of used 21 SR Skips that may be coming available. 
19' Jetcraft  Like new 115 Yami 4 Stroke 
SOLD  16 Sea Explorer - 17 SR Skip -19 SR Skip - 21 SR Skip

German Sausages are the WURST!

strokersquid

Can't find the PM. Is it under "my messages " ?

StreamFixer

L Wurst

Any idea what they (the 21's) will be selling for?

StreamFixer
'01 Hewes Sportsman 18
'14 Yamaha 90
'01 T8 w/ solas 4 blade
'19 Minn Kota 80# (Alterra)
'97 19SC w/ Salt Boss Top


"By the grace of God we travel upon the rivers and sea..
They, like He, are mightier than me."  Mike Jesperson aka 'Nalu

LvrWurst 21 SR Skip

Stroker....got your email and responded. Good luck.
Fixer....One will be around 32K. The other is pending decision to sell as I understand owner passed away.
I hesitated about saying anything until I have answers...but it never hurts to be the earlybird....the problem is that often the worm tastes funny!
19' Jetcraft  Like new 115 Yami 4 Stroke 
SOLD  16 Sea Explorer - 17 SR Skip -19 SR Skip - 21 SR Skip

German Sausages are the WURST!

strokersquid

pulled the trigger on the local sea ranger. still have to get a tow vehicle. looking at around $10k budget, compact truck. any ideas ?

LvrWurst 21 SR Skip

Stroker.....Congratulations and welcome to Arima ownership. If it's that 17 it looks like a pretty nice boat. I am sure many of our group here can give you a fix on tow vehicles for a 17 Skip. I've been viewing/comparing vehicle specs on CARMAX.com....pretty complete array of vehicles.
19' Jetcraft  Like new 115 Yami 4 Stroke 
SOLD  16 Sea Explorer - 17 SR Skip -19 SR Skip - 21 SR Skip

German Sausages are the WURST!

Threeweight

Re: tow rigs...  Figure 3,000-3,300 #'s for a 17 Ranger on the trailer with a kicker, main, fuel, batteries, ice, assorted gear, halibut weights, downrigger balls, and all the other crap we accumulate.  I would look for a tow rig rated to tow at least 5000#... I would assume the factory posted tow ratings on any non-diesel vehicle to be inflated by at least 25%. 

You want a factory tow package on whatever you buy (usually a factory hitch + transmission fluid cooler).  Aftermarket hitch set ups usually mean the vehicle will have no cooler... heavy towing will kill a light-duty transmission in a hurry.  I would look for a limited slip rear differential as well.

The v6 mid-size pickups, and the SUV's based on them, are probably where you want to start.  Will it be a daily driver or dedicated tow rig?  If a tow rig only, I'd look for a used 1/2 ton... you should be able to pick up a pretty nice one for $10k. 
Former Sea Chaser 17 owner
Defiance 250 Admiral, twin Yamaha 150's and T9.9

"Never turn your back on fear. It should always be in front of you, like a thing that might have to be killed."
       --- Hunter S. Thompson

GregE

#48
" pulled the trigger on the local sea ranger. still have to get a tow vehicle. looking at around $10k budget, compact truck. any ideas ? "

Good on you!!  But without pictures ....   :hoboy:




Remember,  with vehicles it's not what you can tow- it's what you can stop.



Greg
2005 SL 22 Honda 225 Kodak II
http://www.sagecreekforums.com/phpforum/index.php
Sold:Osprey 26 LC Kodak;  Arima SR 19 HT, Arima SE 16 WeeBait; SH 15 WeeBoat; SR 21 NoBait;  SL 22 ReBait