Dan Arena boats

Discussion in 'Powerboats' started by BoatMon, Aug 22, 2004.

  1. Still
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    Still Junior Member

    It looks as if all of these boats are quite distinctive, doesn't it? How many of them do you think there are? :confused:
     
  2. R Copas
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    R Copas Junior Member

    Yes it dose There is quite a few of them out there but very little info on them (that I can find) I do know that Reinell Boats Bought ArenaCraft back around 1967 (I think I read that here on this Forum) I don’t recall what happed after that But I sure would like to find a link or info or even better yet so parts for my Baby
     
  3. Still
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    Have you had any luck in trying to contact Nick Area or any of the Arena offsring? I'd imagine they'd be in touch with other Dan Arena owners.
     
  4. R Copas
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    R Copas Junior Member

    I did send Kit Arena an email today but no luck yet I will let you know if I do SpiderFarm had posted that this email has gotten a failed mailer responses to Seafury24@hotmail. So we will see what happens I would hope that would want to know that there is people out there that have AC Boats and would like to talk to them
     
  5. Still
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    What's your best bet, R Copas? Are there thousands of Dan Arenas out there or only hundreds? Are there dozens of models or what? What's the story behind Dan Arena ? Do you know it? :confused:
     
  6. lincolnlog
    Joined: Aug 2007
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    Location: Maryland

    lincolnlog New Member

    Wanted 50s Arena Craft Inboard

    Looking for 1950s Arena Craft inboard boat with fins for family restoration project. If you have a 1955 to 1959 Arena Craft you would like to sell, please e-mail me at jbeard@acec.org or call (301) 529-7768. Engine condition unimportant, as long as basic hull is complete.

    Thank you!
     
  7. Kit Arena
    Joined: Mar 2005
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    Location: Gig Harbor, Washington

    Kit Arena Junior Member

    Kit Arena

    If any of the ArenaCraft owners out there need any info on thier boats, feel free to contact me. I was Dan's son and built many of them from 1966 on.

    Chris (Kit) Arena.
    E-Mail: carena7028@comcast.net
     
  8. Still
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    You must be very proud - these boats have such a devoted following! :) How many Dan Arenas do you estimate there are out there?
     
  9. Kit Arena
    Joined: Mar 2005
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    Location: Gig Harbor, Washington

    Kit Arena Junior Member

    How many Arenacrafts after Rienell killed em off?

    There were ArenaCrafts up to 1969 or so when my father and his partner Larry Higby sold the company to Rienell. My father then started Dan Arena Company in 1970 and the company lasted until the late 1970's, These boats only had the name Dan Arena painted one them. There were no Arena Craft Logos. The basic models were two 21 footers and two 18 footers. Total boats built were maybe 100 or so. The 21 footer was a cut down version of the ArenaCraft 24 with minor mods to the lifting strakes to widen them for more lift and three new decks were tooled. There was the traditional cuddy deck, a flat utility deck and then my favorite was the runabout deck which was built for the same 21 foot hull that had about 9" of sheer (manualy) cut off of each hull. (I remember cutting these hulls down to size to fit the runabout deck, and it was non an easy task)! We also tooled an 18' copy of the runabout and a walk thru closed deck model as well. However about 75% of the boats built were the 21 footer and about 50/50 of them were cuddys and runabouts. Typical power was 300 hp Volvo sterndrive or a big block V-Drive. (Remember that in those days, there were no big-block sterndrive packages out there, except for the Mercury KT drive, and we even built one of those as well, but the drive was just now geared right for a light, small craft hull at that time and was not a great performer). The small block volvo drives ran about 50 to 55 mph. and the big blocks ran 60 to 75 mph with 325 hp to 425 hp packages. Most of the motors we purchased from a local Chevy dealer then I assembled the marine package myself at the shop as well as the complete installation and rigging of the entire boat, including the paint and striping. All of the V-Drives were hand built by yours truly. with the exception of the woodwork by Lief Lund and the Lamination by Earnest Jackson. I would do the gelcoat and Earnest would come in a night and do the hand layup. This was boatbulding. No pre assembledl wiring looms, engine packages that could be installed by monkeys and stick and past vinyl logos. This boat was litterly hand built right up to the wiring loom and seat frames down to the painted water lines a hand lettered "Dan Arena" logo.

    In addition, there was a 23' offshore type version that my father tooled in the 1980's just prior to his stroke. That boat tooling was sold to two companies, If I remember right one was Finelines Boat Company, I can't remember the name of the other. It was a great offshore type, but it just did'nt have the style of the runabouts in my opinion. It was however, way ahead of its time, as most of the performance 20 to 24 footers seem to lokk just like my fathers version built 27 years ago! Howard Arneson used it as the platform boat for his firest Turbine / Arneson drive project and it ran well over 100 mph.

    My favorite was the 20' runabout with a V-Drive. I had one with a high-rise 427 ford mildy built up and it ran about 70mph. It was a great cruise at 50mph boat that could cruise up and down the Sacramento river delta like a car on the freeway!

    What most people do not know is that these boats were NOT ArenaCrafts, they are Dan Arena Boats. Yes, the ArenaCraft 18' Bonita and the 20' Barracuda were the known classics, but in my humble opinion, the Dan Arena 20 runabout was a more modern version of the same luxury lake runabout with a V-bottom and was a better boat in every respect.

    As I am finally getting past the "Kids in College", stage of life, I will be looking for one of the runabout V-Drive versions soon. I dearly miss that boat and have kicked myself more than once for selling it.

    Good luck,
    Chris (Kit) Arena
     
  10. Still
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    Still Junior Member

    It's a real treat to see you posting here, Kit. I'm sorry that you sold your boat too!

    Ours looks a LOT like the one pictured in the first Dan Arena post by Boatmon here - it's the same color. I believe the interior was maroon when we got it and when we replaced that we had it upholstered in a whitish color (which may have been a mistake since the boat is clearly a collectible) and the outside is a kind of white/ivory. It's in A-1 condition and it's also pretty darned fast on the lake.

    I 'm pretty sure it was built in 1972 - can you tell me anything more about it?
     
    Last edited: Sep 6, 2007
  11. BoatMon
    Joined: Aug 2004
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    Location: Long Beach, CA

    BoatMon New Member

    Dan Arena Custom 21XL

    Well this thread has been around much longer than I ever expected and I am pleased to see how much enthusiasm there is for the Dan Arena boats!

    I still have the 21XL shown in the first post and if you would like to see it in a short movie clip it was one of the boats featured in "A Good Run" filmed by the NMMA to promote their boating theme...Life is better in a boat. It is on the www.discoverboating.com website. Look for the clip "A Good Run". My boat is in the middle of the clip with the skier behind it. I think the boat was perfect for the shot and in slow motion was just graceful as all get-out!

    The boat is still in its original condition, runs strong as always and still tops at about 50 mph. If anyone is interested in buying it or just more pictures please let me know. You can reach me at boatmon025@yahoo.com.

    Thank you Kit for the update of history on your family boat building legacy. Too bad these type quality hand-built boats were phased out for the cheap plastic crap on the market today.

    Best of luck to all of you rebuilding or just using your Dan Arena Co. boats!
     
  12. Kit Arena
    Joined: Mar 2005
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    Location: Gig Harbor, Washington

    Kit Arena Junior Member

    Your 21 XL

    Thank you.
    ]
    Chris (Kit) Arena
     
  13. maesj1
    Joined: Sep 2005
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    Location: vallejo ca. 94589

    maesj1 Junior Member

    Danarena 73

    Hi everyone, we still have our 73 DANARENA 21' cuddy cabin. i have had to modifiy a few things, but I love that damn boat! Now even more. Afew weeks ago my boss and I are working in SanRafeal and at lunch check out this marine /boat shop. Pretty cool boats are displayed inside (sailboat stuff though) any way after we leave my boss says "I got you a card from there maybe they can order your part." i take it and as we drive away i read the name Dan Arena on the card. Wow. I will have to go back when i am not working and say hello. I just wanted to say that when we got this boat it didnt have an engine and had been sitting along while. I breathed new life into this boat and after many hours,days etc. , we have a great boat! I want to know what the doors if any looked like on the cuddy, and i want to make a full enclousure as well. heres some pictures.
     

    Attached Files:

  14. Still
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    Still Junior Member

    Nice! How many Dan Arenas do you think there are out there? :)
     

  15. maesj1
    Joined: Sep 2005
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    Location: vallejo ca. 94589

    maesj1 Junior Member

    Danarena 73

    I could not find the business card my boss had handed to me but heres the place that we wnt to. Thought everyone would like to check it out too.
    www.arenayachtsales.com/
     
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