NEW FIND....

[gjohns6896]

I HAD to take pictures of THIS! What do you all think? How many of these were really made, or is it "fake?" I am waiting on an e-mail about the sale price, IF it is for sale.

ENJOY!

http://www.donzi.net/photos/gjohns24.jpg
http://www.donzi.net/photos/gjohns25.jpg
http://www.donzi.net/photos/gjohns26.jpg
http://www.donzi.net/photos/gjohns27.jpg
http://www.donzi.net/photos/gjohns28.jpg
http://www.donzi.net/photos/gjohns29.jpg
http://www.donzi.net/photos/gjohns30.jpg
http://www.donzi.net/photos/gjohns31.jpg

Cheers,
George

[Fish boy]

Not sure if it is real or fake- never seen one before. However, it looks like a barn full of horsies strapped to the back of that boat. Even if the engines are stock, you are probably looking somewhere in the mid 80's to mid 90's. Definaterly would put a smile on my face. :) :)

Hope it is real, that would just make it that much better. Good luck George.

[Dredgeking]

i've never seen an outboard aronow cat. just the big cats. hmmm the tunnel doesn't look like any thing i've seen before. it's not really a center pod like the west coast tunnels. the concept and profile look like something aronow would have come up with, but i haven't seen this or read about this boat any where. if it's real, it could be a one off. hopefully someone here knows something. my curiosity has perked.

[Bigbroadjumper]

I remember an ad for that boat in Motor Boating back in '88 or '89. I think I still have the issue. I will try to find it and post a picture.

[Dredgeking]

i had to ask for some help so i went to another board. here is what they have to say:

other opinions (http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=588969#post588969)

[McGary911]

Interesting. Those look like 280 k planes at the top of the tunnel??? I wonder if theyre trying to use them as a tunnel tab?? If so, it doesnt seem like the best solution.....

[MR MAGOO]

It`s the real deal guys!

That`s a 1987 24 Aronow Powerboats cat. They were said to run in the high 80`s and I do not believe many were produced. I saw a new one at the 1987 Hi Performance boat show in Boston, Mass.

How much $$$$

[avanti]

I saw one of these at th Miami boat show many moons ago rigged out for one of Florida's law enforcement agencies. I think it was for chasing poachers in shallow water.

[gjohns6896]

WOW! I guess I peaked a LOT of interest with this FIND!

If it IS for sale..I have first dibs. After all...no one REALLY knows where it is.

And I would suggest that no one try to find it, or else!

:mad:

On a lighter note...a very good find, indeed!

Cheers,
George

[Fish boy]

McGary,
I think you are correct with the tunnel tab theory. A lot of the cats (skaters, motions,...) that are rigged with twin OB's are real bow light and tend to get a little squirrely at high speeds. The tunnel tabs are not the best answer, but they are the easiest to address the problem.

[US1Fountain]

Now THAT's wierd, I seen one just like it at Marine Center in Indy. Even the surroundings look familar. wink

[gjohns6896]

Calm down, men!

I found it on the Net for sale...$60K

'Nough said. eek! :(

By the way...it is a 1987, for anyone who cares. And it is listed as "Aronow" as the manufact. and "Relentless" as the model.

Cheers,
George

[BERTRAM BOY]

Actually, I know exactly where it is...... I saw it on my way to Indy last year... :D :D :D

[jdsdls]

I think they where built by his son.

[Dredgeking]

was this made by don's last company? looks like it to me. if so, then it has nothing to do with donzi other than don owned both companies at one time. i think the logo is unique to aronow's last company and again has nothing to do with donzi.

[DonzigoJR]

I must say whoever built the boat wanted to go fast. It looks like a hot one... :D

<small>[ June 06, 2003, 07:12 AM: Message edited by: Harbormaster ]</small>

[gjohns6896]

So don't I get just a LITTLE credit for "FINDING" it? You guys are so damn insistent upon harping on each other that you forgot about THE BOAT!!! HELLO?!?! Anyone listening?

Maybe I am just a spoiled punk-kid who gets what he wants, but at least I can get along with the OTHER spoiled kids....(hint, hint).

And by the way, is anyone REALLY interested in this boat? I would like to know more about it. More than what the arguments have to say about whether Don built it or not...that is trivial. I want to K-N-O-W about it...like: WHO owned it and WHY it was even built.

...no sarcasm wink

Cheers,
George

[Islander]

I did a little looking into the history of this boat and Aronow's involvement in cats in the book Don Aronow: King of Thunderboat Row". I read that after buying back USA Racing Team from Ben Kramer in 1986, that a new 24-foot catamaran plug was almost finished. USA Racing Team was a company that was solely building cats due to a non-compete agreement he had signed when he sold Cigarette. The cat discussed in this thread is possibly from that mold. What is perplexing is the use of the “Aronow Powerboats” logo rather than the “USA Racing Team”. The oval logo with the surrounding wreath is, however, typically Aronow. Perhaps his death in February, 1987 has something to do with this.

Very cool find, and if I had a greater degree of certainty as to its lineage, and money, space, and time were no object, it would be an interesting boat to own.

Incidentally, according to the same book, right before Aronow’s death, he had been planning to form a new company with none other than...you guessed it...Dick Genth. wink

[EricG]

Somewhere I read that Aronow Powerboats was started after his death to pay tribute to him, and to build some of the designs that he didn't get a chance build himself. But, I can't for the life of me remember where I read that... :confused:

Also, I've been reading a lot about this stuff again recently...so I'll take a stab at the Aronow Boat Company history from memory:

Companies he Owned:
Formula
Donzi
Magnum
Cigarette
Squadron (didn't he then buy cig back, so they became Squadron/Cigarettes?)
Cigarette Again
USA Racing Team

Other ventures often credited to him:
He sold a mold to Ben Kramer that became the 41 Apache
Aronow Powerboats: See above

Like I said before, that's what I've got from memory...feel free to make corrections.

Sorry if this doesn't explain much more about the 24 Cat in question...but it may help to expand the discussion a bit more.

EG
"Powerboat Bookworm"

<small>[ June 06, 2003, 07:17 AM: Message edited by: Harbormaster ]</small>

[BigGrizzly]

That boat is the real thing. As for the logo, Donzi got rid of the prop in the logo because fo a pending suit with Mercedies, and went eith the lion Dolphin logo.

[turbo2256]

A friend of mine in Indy owns or has access to the 24 foot Aronow cat molds. He has one original he converted from a OB to a stern drive. I believe he was running around 106 in it. At the time he was talking about laying up two more boats. I was interested in one myself but lost intrest over time and distance. He also stated he had plans for 4 different deck configuration ... fising, open bow etc. Only the sport deck was produced though. I believe he said only 3 or 4 of them were built by Aronow

[BUIZILLA]

So...

when I look for my next Donzi, and there is yet a 3rd on the horizon now...

should I ask if it's better if i get chopped, or laid this time?

J

I'll defer to Toona for her preference, i'm too old to know the difference anymore...

[Ranman]

Back in the early days of my life I was chopped. Now I prefer to be laid. :D :D


Don't get me started on vacuum bagging...

[oldLenny]

Buizilla, buy whatever. It makes no real difference. A chopped boat is rolled out as mat would be anyway. The "strands" need to be layed down "yes, I said laid" :D otherwise the next phase of the lay-up would be impossible without removing the on-end fibers first. Glass needs to be against a relatively smooth surface otherwise it would be full of voids as it can't traverse over top of peaks and stuff and have contact below in the lay-up.

It is all the fabrics/knits that comes next that is important. And , other than the materials "used" the procedure is the same with most all boats built today but for a few exceptions.
Keep in mind that mat/chopper provides NO strength in a lay-up. In the first skin-out against the gel job it is merely a backer (in theory, void free). The rovens and heavy knits/ weaves and like after the initial skin-out are what creates your boat. I know that companies will chopper hatches, and battery box covers, and dash panels etc, but they are non loaded structures and not subjected to the strains or forces as the hull/deck are. I think the Gel-coat is a bigger issue to be concerned about and its' performance, and 'cept for one individual from a while back, I can't think of any issues in regards to the finish provided on the exterior of ANY of these boats. Sure there will be the odd one, but all in all, this family of boat has no issues in that regard. Check for GOOD coring tho 'cuz it is a major pain to cut out and redo.

Buy whatever you like, that meets your needs, and forget all this other "stuff" :rolleyes:

[oldLenny]

Now, back to that boat.

I noticed the "notch" transom on both hulls. Very interesting. Also, unlike some of the newer cats of today, do you notice how you can ALMOST take these two halves and put them togther and get a 20-ish foot Deep Vee Aronow hull again?

Nice find! and I am sure there would be some interest in a few more out of the mold... wink

...and here is a link to its' "big brother" currrently for sale...

http://adcache.boattraderonline.com/6/4/6/42719446.htm

[Rootsy]

I am pretty sure that what Lenny is saying is that the chopper is used to lay down the first 2 thin layers AGAINST the gelcoat in order for it to form a good crosslinked copolymer air tight bond between the gel and inner layup of the hull. This is not a structural issue but a bonding issue. You then lay up the rest with your choice of materials as far as mats, biax, triax, exotic crap, weaves, whatever which results in your strength and rigidity. From my comprehension the other part of his conversation is stating that the chopper method is employed in a larger capacity for high build in lay up of components which are under little if any stress such as hatches, dashes, doors, etc. Structural members are laid up by hand with mats and weaves and or bagged to compress the air out of it and allow for better resin penetration, cure and chemical bonding.

spelling, punctuation and the correct tense and usage are all fine and dandy but if you can't comprehend or decipher what YOU'RE reading it doesn't amount to a hill of beans... hell i'm an engineer so i don't really give a crap about spelling... just toss some diff eq at me and i'm happy :)

now where's Randell when we need him eek!

[oldLenny]

Bang on Jamie!!! Bravo.

Why I don't use a chopper gun for the wet out is purely a cost issue. Here they range between 9 and 12 K$ and it is a purpose built machine. A gel coat, post-cat gun is about 7$K. If I had the coin I would own a chopper. But for free, I can lay up a hull, two 1-oz skin-outs as well or better in my climate. It takes longer mind you, about 2 hours in an 18. Chopper would be 1/3 that. That's it! Only reason. The bathtub you are sitting in or the shower stall you are standing in, or the hot tub you are resting in are usually 100% chopper build-ups. We don't jump waves at 70 mph in those tho.

I could talk about this till I am blue in the face and it still wouldn't help some. Buy whatever DONZI/CIG/Formula/Fibre-Glassic/Garwood/Chris Craft you want, and don't worry about the "chopper gun" scenario...It is not about the strength of the laminate, PERIOD. It is about a good backing for the gel-coat. Anyone with some time and some guidance can build a superb hull. All it takes is time.

Donzi has made boats for almost 40 years under various owners and everyone here either has one of them or wants one of them. They are still here, after 40 years, and floating and some motoring over 100 miles per hour... I can't say that for many other things.

Back to that CAT... :rolleyes:

<small>[ June 06, 2003, 06:56 AM: Message edited by: Harbormaster ]</small>

[Christian]

Hi gang.
The cat was designed by Aronow during the USA powerboat days. The boat is very fast. From the factory the props spun outwards, but if a owner got the itch, swap lower units, and high 90s low 100s was possible. Not many boats where built, a large handfull if any. If you have any questions about your formula donzi magnum et al. please feel free to ask, we are here to help
Hope this helps any1s interest.
Best to all
Christian Del Collo
RoseBudRacing - Aronow Offshore

[gjohns6896]

Christian, thank you for not BSing us and dancing around this topic. I really do appreciate your hard work..unlike some others, apparently.

But, not to stray from my original topic, would this boat be worth the $60K they are asking? Or by your estimates, would it be worth MORE than that...of course, it is worth what one is willing to pay, but I was just curious of YOUR opinion.

And since you KNOW so much about THIS boat in particular, why would anyone sell it knowing it is a VERY RARE boat?

And gents, please keep this on topic for me and all the other serious boaters!

Cheers,
George

[Fish boy]

George,
IMHO even if the boat is in great condition and the engines are not ragged out, 60k is really steep for a boat of this type. If you are an arronow collector, and this boat is what it purports to be, then the value is really up to you. If you are just looking for a performance cat, and are simply intrigued by the prospect of it being part of the proud arronow lineage, then you might want to pass. Just my $.02

Great find, and I really appreciate getting an opportunity to se a boat that I did not know existed. Good luck, and i hope you find the answers you are looking for.

Fish

No longer violating my mantra.

<small>[ June 06, 2003, 06:50 AM: Message edited by: Harbormaster ]</small>

[gjohns6896]

To add to the "off-topic" talk here...I am heading down to Florida tomorrow for a week and was wondering if anyone knows of any GOOD places to go with my girlfriend (food, fun, entertainment, etc.). My Uncle lives in St. Pete, but we are going to be in Orlando most of the time.

Anyhow, I appreciate any suggestions!

Cheers,
George

[gjohns6896]

Thank you, Poodle!

I am walking out the door right now.

Once again...a "Northerner" tramping all over "YOUR Southern territory." Gotta love us tourists!
:rolleyes: wink

Cheers,
George

[DonzigoJR]

gjohns,

Try the Fishbones restuarant in orlando. Ranked for seafood and steak.. Its close to International drive. The you can go to city walk right near by. They have some great bars and clubs.. My 2cents....

[gjohns6896]

Poodle, we tried the "Pacino's Italian Rest." and it was great! My girlfriend and I shared a 32 ounce Porterhouse, and had some left over. We also got to see the car cruise...very cool. Lots of old cars and stuff like that. We will try other nearby places to eat, and let you all know what we think.

Are there any good boat places to see? And we are also running LOW on funds...so any FREEBIES are good ones!

Cheers,
George

[Donzigo]

Going to St. Pete?

Give us a call. 727-867-7020.

There's a Donzi thing going to happen in St. Pete, at Shell Island & The Wharf on June 22.

Should be fun!

[gjohns6896]

Donzigo, we are heading to St. Pete tomorrow and will be there for only two days. We have a plane to catch in Orlando.

My Uncle lives there, too. He owns Maximo Marine. I will be staying with him for that time, but I KNOW my girlfriend and I will be trying to find something to do.

I will call you, if you don't mind.

Cheers,
George Cell: (217) 620-7188

[DonzigoJR]

Who is your uncle.. I grew up in that Marina for the most part. Donzigo and have lived there for 22 years and some. Give us a call next time your down..

[Donzigo]

uhhhhhhhhh, George, we live in the Broadwaters/Maximo Marina area. You must be right under our noses.

Who's your uncle?

Richard

[Fish boy]

Wow, small world. I think I knew the old owners :D

[gjohns6896]

By now you all know WHO my Uncle is...Tom Johns. He lives right off Pinella's Bay (or something like that) and he does own Maximo Marine. Bay Way Marine is just across the street. My Uncle says that all but one of his workers is from OUT of state...those damn Floridians...a nice day comes and they want to go fishing instead of work. TYPICAL!

Anyhow, we went out fishing in the Gulf today and caught a few grouper...but could only keep one. So, that is for dinner tonight. No Donzi stories as of yet, but lots of fishing stories!

Cheers,
George

[gjohns6896]

Well, I finally uploaded a few pictures of our travels down to Florida. Had a BLAST! Thanks for all the great suggestions! GLAD to be back in the "COLDER" climate!

Me and my girl(Cara):
http://www.donzi.net/photos/gjohns10.jpg

Cara and my Uncle's "boat", if you can FIND the boat. All of his boats are/were named "ABSOLUT" for obvious reasons:
http://www.donzi.net/photos/gjohns11.jpg

Our only keeper of the day (it IS over 21 inches, but not by much):
http://www.donzi.net/photos/gjohns12.jpg

The front of the 43' Tiara Cruiser and the 70 mph "dingster":
http://www.donzi.net/photos/gjohns13.jpg

Cheers,
George

[Sagbay32]

Excellent pics G,
It looks like you had some fun in St Pete. I am looking forward to being a Tourist in a few weeks too.

M

[gjohns6896]

Mike, I got something for you...future tourist.

Will send it to you soon.

Thanks for the good words and you have fun, too. Buy lots of Mickey crap for the kids!
wink eek!
Cheers,
G

[relentless]

ok for all of you how care this is a real aronow it was built in 1988 it runs about 96mph it is hull #1 the interior has been redone it was the usa 24. the boat is for sale it is located at marine center of indy. oh ya by the way those are 2.5's with 2.4 bonetts. i know all of this cause i have driven this boat about 50 times. the guy who owns it is a good friend of my dad. the molds actually belong to my dad. if you dont believe me you can drive to indy and see we have the old style deck like the one on the cat you see here behind the shop. ok that is all now i just wanted to clear somethings up. if you have any questions just ask

[terry]

That boat was also shown at the Florida state fais back then too, It had twin Merc 2.4 Bridge ports on it....... it was cool!

[relentless]

i am actually getting ready to start putting one together. it is already laid up just needs finished it will be a single i/o not twins.i will post some pics once it getts closer to done

[Air 22]

Just when you thought ya seen them all....kool boat :D

[gjohns6896]

I guess you can all blame ME for this find! But, it's a GOOD thing, seeing something THIS cool, even if it IS out of my league. Oh well...that is what dreams are for.

Cheers,
George

One day, I WILL own a cat...one day.