This may not be news and may have been posted here before but I just found out. As a former Arima owner, I still check out the Arima owner's forum. I'd heard that the plant in Kent was closed. I found out that Defiance Boats purchased the company and is making the boats in thier location by the Bremerton Airport. Good to hear as the Palmers don't do anything half way. They should have some in the Seattle boat show next month.

Nice to hear. I like the lines on their boats and have considered buying one.

I haven't owned one yet, but I predict I will before too long,

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I think this is great news, and I'm glad to hear they'll continue the Arima tradition here in the NW.
Good Luck Defiance and let me know if I can help redesign and water test a new one for ya

I had a 17' Sea Ranger with a 90 hp Suzuki. It was a good set up. I bought it at Verle's and Arnie gave me the best advice- 'Buy a boat you can launch and retrieve yourself'. After owning it for almost 20 years, I only sold it because we're down sizing on almost everything and the boat was ready for a new owner to put some tlc into it. I've been out of Barkley in rollers I couldn't see over and never worried about not making it back in. Mr. Arima designed the boat to fish out at the Swiftsure bank and he nailed it.

Chuck E

Does the 17ft have seats at the stern? I want an Arima but have kids that like to tube and need extra seating for boat rides. Thanks

Not certain what Defiance will have for options but I found that with the 90 hp, with weight in the back, it took longer to get up on a plane. I had the storage seat on the passenger side which has a padded seat behind the main seat. The 17' Sea Chaser has a smaller cuddy and with two storage seats, you'd have two more seats closer to the mid point of the boat. I believe the 17' is rated up to a 115 hp which would provide a better hole shot with additonal weight towards the stern.

16 or 17 Chaser is the ideal Arima---Large cockpit, small cuddy. I would not hesitate to take a 17 anywhere in the Sound or Strait, and to Swidtsure on a good day. The bars at WP or CR---maybe not.

Thanks for the reply

Its an interesting purchase for Defiance because in some ways it overlaps so much with their current product line... Both lines are pretty utilitarian, fiberglass, NW fishing boats. They have Tiderunner too, all they need is to merge with Cutwater (which is the Livingston family I believe) they'll have the whole market cornered!

I'm on my 2nd Arima, and still think it's the perfect boat for what I need.

B

Cool stuff.Interested to see what they change if anything.Good luck,
SZ

would like to get my mits on one of them Guide db's

Thanks guys!!

We are very excited to add Arima to our line of boats and couldn't be more happy with how they fit into the line. We have already begun building a 17' Sea Chaser and 19' Sea Ranger. Seeing that there is interest about this on the forum then I'll keep you guys in the loop. I am also excited to pass the news along that Don Gross as well as several of the long time builders for Arima have stayed with us.

Thanks again guys!

Are there any open bow models being thought of?

In my opinion, open bows are nice if you're on a lake just messing around with the kids but I would not have one in the salt as the weather can turn from mirror conditions to very nasty quicker than you'd think. Having an open bow is an invitation to shipping water faster than the pump can get rid of it.

Bota2,

Yes open bow models are offered at this time and are great for the family in the inner puget sound and lakes. If you are looking for something to take you more offshore and in the straights I would pay attention to what Chuck said, otherwise they are great models.

Thanks!

Jon