Monday, August 21, 2006

Boat Search Ends Suddenly and Surprisingly With Hometown-Made Arima

A funny thing happened in my search for an aluminum fishing boat.

I ended up acquiring a fiberglass, highly sought-after, Seattle-made Arima (used, of course).


It’s a boat that was originally designed primarily for nearby Puget Sound but is just about as light as an aluminum lake boat and will work just fine in local ponds. Arimas come in many different models. Mine is a 16’ Sea Chaser. You can locate it on the Arima link above.

I’m totally pleased with the purchase and am finally satisfied I have the right boat for my needs and interests.











At left above is the interior, looking forward from the stern. There's a small cuddy/storage area in the bow through the center doors. At right is the port side view from aft.

I happened to see it last Wednesday on Craig’s list just two hours after it came online. By the time I called, someone was already looking at the boat. As fate would have it, the engine didn’t start and the interested party spooked.

Turns out the guy who showed the boat (son-in-law of the owner) didn’t know how to work the choke properly. The 60-hp outboard runs just fine.

The boat has a fish-finder and downriggers, but I do need to find a kicker motor for trolling. I’m checking out Craig’s list again as soon as I finish this post.

The beauty of this boat is that it offers safety for the bigger waters of the Sound and the Straits of Juan de Fuca (for salmon) but is at the same time perfect for lake fishing (for trout), both of which I like equally well.

So… if you like to wet a line and you’re coming our way, let’s go fishing!

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