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A few years later, Howard got this Dan Arena 18'. We tested it as 'stock' with a Crusader marine 350 w/ a Volvo Penta outdrive. We then mounted his prototype Arneson Surface Drive. It went from 56 mph to 78 mph with the Surface drive. We tested it for about 3 months or so. ( This is the only existing photo of Howard testing.. ( I took the pic, as he returned to the dock.... He liked doing a 'solo run, before we hauled it out.

Mountie, are you Rik? That's a great pic of Howard! I remember going down to the shop on Buchanan Circle in Concord. Loved that place, I drooled over the 21's... probably why I have mine now.

Nope... I'm Peter...... Rik came long afterward.. I started with Howard when he bought his first ocean racer ( 1975?) .. I helped to re-paint it at the pool Sweep facility. Then Howard "adopted" me.... I was his right-hand man / helper / testing partner. I was there for a while...( Sea Sweeps, Cougar Cats, etc..... Even for his 1st few turbine power boats. ( Rik was there during that time with his big Arneson Skaters, and was always Howard's guy 'till he retired.

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I'm sure we've met then. I ran with Barry Garfinkle, Rick Bowling, and and Paul back in the day.

I lived in Marin County.... I met many of Howard's friends.... But I am bad with remembering their names....
I have lot's of little stories......
Like, when Howard tested solo in his 18' Arena, He would ( for fun)... chase the seagulls..... Until one day, He "caught one"..... It slammed against his helmet.......... He came to our dock, with a welt on his forehead....... He said, " I'm never doing that again'......
Stuff like that....

I remember... one of Howard's friends, built a gorgeous powerboat / Garwood looking wood finish..... fast boat, and had Arnesons on it..... It must have been about 36' 'V' bottom.
It was a work of art.... Can't remember his name....

Old photos
 

I love these old photos, thank you!

It sounds cruel but it sure was fun chasing seagulls. I used to do it out on Lake Michigan on glass calm days in my 18’ Baron way back in the day.

Been pooped on a few times.

I remember when Powerboat magazine had a feature article about the introduction of the Arneson drive I believe in a Searay Pachanga .

Reading that the Pachanga went from 55 to 70 was awesome news as I was in the conundrum of not being to build my sbc too much as it would blow my MR pre alpha drive and couldn’t make enough horsepower to over come the drag of a TRS and transmission to make it worthwhile without going to a big block.

Too much weight throwing the balance out.

Ironically I never installed a Arneson but the guy I sold it to when I moved to Florida in 84 did a few years later. It went from a 60 mph boat to a 80 mph boat with a stroker sbc.

Arneson was the Greatest innovation combined with the pad bottoms and Hustler before Fountain came around.
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When we started using Howard's Arneson Drive, .. the first issue Howard had to deal with, was the speed limit of the hull. .. No matter what hull, no matter the boat.

I sorely, got used to chime walking...... YUK !! That's when Howard began modifying the hulls, and the plates..... During those days, our speeds were ..'normal'..... But current race boats were quite slower than what we were testing at. It's strange, for my years with Howard, in the beginning, I was witnessing history in the making..... And I was in the middle of it !! I didn't notice..... Having too much fun .. with Howard !!
Our first 'cat boat' was a Sanger Cat / balsa core ... with our first turbine...... ( I think, Bernie Little bought it, gave people rides..... Named it the "Bud Dry" I think.... I think....