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Sam
11-11-2001, 05:30 PM
A friend of mine called me yesterday and was telling me about a 16' Donzi he was looking at. Nothing unusual there, the kicker is he say's it's a straight inboard. If this is true I find it hard to believe that this is a factory set up. He said it has a tranny but was unclear on how it worked. If this set up is true I would imagine it would have to be a v-drive due to the limited space.

I have a feeling this is a back yard wet dream as a result of some gomer reading to many issues of "Popular Mechanics" nothing adds up. I told him to RUN the other way there are to many good boats for sale to be messing with this. (interesting thought though)

Sam

harbormaster
11-11-2001, 05:34 PM
A v drive 16 is not out of the question.
He needs to take some photos and post them on the board.

Formula Jr
11-11-2001, 05:56 PM
Well there were Jetdrive and OB 16's but have never heard of a Vee Drive 16.
The reason for Vee Drives was to allow for higher horse power. On a 16 the boat would be very unstable. Is he sure the
boat is a 16 and not an 18. Vee Drives are not considered "Straight" inboards.
I'd take a real close look at the inner transom to see if it wasn't filled in. It could be
a factory one off.

Sam
11-11-2001, 06:27 PM
I think if anything it may be an eighteen there is no way a v-drive could fit in a sixteen. My Mother Ship has twin V-drives and I know how much room they consume.

Sam

Ross
11-11-2001, 06:32 PM
We lived in Rochester Mi. from 1992-1997; sometime during that time I talked to a fellow in Lake Orion who said his Dad had a 16' V-drive. ????

Formula Jr
11-11-2001, 06:40 PM
A Vee will fit in a 16. The tranny goes under the rear seat and there is room in the midships bilge for the Vee Gear Housing. This is how an 18 is setup. Oddly the battery is placed also under the rear seat in Vee Drive boats in a hard to get to hanging bracket. There is virtually no difference in the dimentions needed between an 18 and a 16. Its just that given the way a 16 rides, there would be no benefit as to handling or speed. The hull would have to have a rocker for this to work at all. A pic would speak volumns here.

Shanghied Again
11-11-2001, 08:23 PM
I have a 1968 Donzi marine book, They had v drives and straight 6cyl engines for the 16 ft back then

BigGrizzly
11-11-2001, 10:01 PM
Frank is correct, the 1966 price list also reflects this. I'm sureBronie can clearify this as to relocation of the battery. My 1966 16 had the batter located in the engine compartment, without access from the back seat.It had a vent from the cockpit but no access.
Randy

Formula Jr
11-12-2001, 03:05 AM
Well, one more boat for the List. These have got to be ultra-rare.

ALLAN BROWN
11-12-2001, 08:47 AM
The 16', 18, 19', 22' and 28' were all built with a vee drive at one time or another. I always considered the stern drive to be an instrument of the devil. After we sold Donzi for the second time, I started Nova Marine, building only vee drive boats.

v-drive
11-13-2001, 07:36 AM
I HAVE A COUPLE OF SNAP SHOTS OF A 16 V-DRIVE. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO POST BUT I WILL MAIL THEM TO SOMEONE IF THEY WANT TO DO THE POSTING.

MAXCAT
11-13-2001, 04:44 PM
If it is painted all red I know that boat. It was for sale in Trenton about 8 years ago. My friend Bob owned it befor that guy, however. He cracked the transom on it jumping waves on the Detroit River. The transom was rebuilt better than new and the v-drive was original it even had the original Donzi trailer.