Death of Howard Arneson
Howard Arneson, a leading figure in the boating and powerboat racing industry, died on June 16, 2020 at the age of 99. An outstanding pilot, he left his mark on the profession with the invention of the surface propeller system to which he gave his name.
From the pool to the surface propellers
Howard Arneson, a boat racing enthusiast from his youth, was involved in an accident. The overturning of his boat nailed him to bed for a while. It is there that he conceives his first invention, among the 18 patents he will file during his life. It is a pool cleaning robot. The success of the Arneson Pool Sweep gave him the means to return to offshore racing circuits. In the 1970s he developed the Arneson steering system for surface propellers. Tested on an 18-foot prototype, his device for controlling the vertical and lateral angulation of the propellers revealed the effectiveness of surface propellers for fast boats. The pilot fine-tunes the trim and heel to optimize the speed achieved.
Commercial success of Arneson Drive
Marketed from the 1980s, the Arneson surface propellers and steering system were a success. The brand acquired by Twin Disc in the 1990s is still in existence. Although they are reserved for a niche market of high-speed vessels and competition from waterjets is strong, surface propellers have found a solid place in the landscape of pleasure and professional vessels. After the patents expired, other companies have positioned themselves, but the name Arneson has become part of the common language.
After this success, Howard Arneson continued the race and still holds the New Orleans St. Louis record on the Mississippi.
