The origins of the Minx.......

[Stix Magill]

Do any of you know where the Minx comes from? The high freeboard is unique, right? It seems "tall". What was the purpose of this boat? What was it's bloodline? What do you think? :)

Thanks for any and all input!

Scott Smith

[Stix Magill]

What do you think about the hull and it origins?

[Formula Jr]

The Minx shares the same designer and lines as the FireFoxs and The Crossbow.

Designers:
Chris Collier - According to sources on Donzi.net
Dick Genth - According to Boating Magazine Article - 1986
Don Westerman - Quoted as "Engineering" the Z series in Muscle Boats - Henry Rasmussen 1988
Dave Riley - Quoted as "Styling" the Z series in Muscle Boats - Henry Rasmussen 1988
Info supplied by EricG.

It can be considered a Z 20.
Though I have no real knowledge, it seems to have been designed as the Non Cuddy Day boat version of the Z-Boat line. It shares nothing with the Hornet or the GT.

[Stix Magill]

Thanks Owen. The Z boat link is logical. The freeboard would add to cuddy possibilities. Has the Classic series ever had a 20 foot offering? 16, 18, _______ , 22.............

The boat goes in friday!!!!

[Formula Jr]

well ya, there was the Seven Meter, and the Hornet and the GT. Then the Spirit, and the Spitfires at 24 feet.

[speedster77]

I agree that the styling of a Minx might hint very slightly at a Z series but In my mind I would have to say these boats share the lines of the classic series more so than the Z 21. Perhaps these boat were simply built to fill a void in the product line at Donzi and were intended to have their own identity, with regards to the other Donzi boats mentioned as classic's in my opinion they are not a true classic in model sense just like a 330ci BMW is not an M3. Do not get me wrong I love these boats but I personally do not feel a 21 GT is any more of a classic then my Minx. Pardon me I just felt as if I needed to defend her honor as there are often times people at the docks and water front bar’s that will praise her when they think it is a 22 classic and sort of roll there eyes when they find out it is not , Could there be such a thing as Donzi snobs???

[EricG]

What is the Deadrise on a Minx? I was looking at my 1988 Sales brochure last night (the one that is framed in my hallway... wink ). It looks to me like the Hull of the Minx is more like a Classic than a Z. The Z21 is 8'5" wide, and only has a 22.5 degree deadrise, where as the Minx is only 7' wide (like the classics), so I wonder what the deadrise is.

However, the interior definitely has a little more in common with the Z's than the classics - heck, it even has 3 cup holders (my Z21 seats 6 people comfortably, and only has 1 cup holder :confused: ).

As far as the "Classicness" of the Minx - while it isn't technically part of the "Classic" Series, I definitely feel it fits in very well with the low production "unique" Donzi's...like the GT's, Hornets, and Corsican's.

There was a good article about the Minx in a 1987 issue of boating...I'll go to the Library at some point in the next few days and see if I can copy it for you Minx guys....

-EG

[Stix Magill]

Owen,
I think you missed the point. I am aware of the models you mentioned, but I said CLASSICS. As in 22 CLASSIC as a model name. As far as I am concerned, all Donzis are classic boats.

Speedster,
If anyone ever turns their nose up at your Minx, ask them what Donzi they have. None? Thats what I thought. He who scoffs at a Donzi owner, no mater what the model, is a fool. And a dick. Even if they own another model.

Eric,
I don't know the deadrise of the Minx or the freeboard, but I will measure that soon. That will shine some light on this issue.

Maybe I worded my question poorly stated. I was wondering where or what the Minx was derived from. I own a small chain of guitar stores and understand that it was a marketing decision to produce all the Donzi models ever made, wise or not. My question was aimed at the evolution that was in process. Maybe all the hulls are totally new designs, borrowing nothing from the predeccesors, but I doubt it. I thought that it may have been a retooled model, shorter or longer, etc :) .
Thanks for all input!

[Formula Jr]

Its offically called the 22 2+3. I think Donzi calls them Classics (16, 18 and 22) simply cause those are the surviving designs from the Aronow/Teleflex era. Scott, I don't know what you're asking as to design history of the Minx, since it and all the Z-boats were an entirely new line. If I had to guess, I'd say the Minx is really a Z-25 hull that was narrowed along the keel by a foot and a half and lost the transom steps to make it 20 feet. If I'm right, the dead rise is 22 degrees. Or the Z 21 might be a "wide" Minx, in which case its 22.5 degrees deadrise. If you looked at it closely, its really a combination of features found on prior boats. The vents, Criterion. The Freeboard, Hornet. The transom to deck treatment, 18. Everything else is Z-Boat.

I guess its up to the individual to define what a Classic Donzi is. I have my definition, any pre-Genth boat comes from the "classic era." Simply because Genth redesigned the entire company to adress three distinct markets. And the only two boats he brought along for the ride were the 18 and 22. The 16 had been dropped earlier and the Hornet III was on its way out. So in Genth's line up, you have the 18, the Minx (20), and the 22, as day sportboats and a whole new line of luxury cuddy sportboats. These being the Z-21, Z-25, Z-29 and the Z-33. To cover all bases, Genth also introduced both a family orientated line (the Regazzas) and a super high end Sportfisher (the Donzi 65). In doing so, Genth radically altered, transitioned, and redefined Donzi as a company. From '86 to '88, there were more Donzis produced than the entire prior 21 year history of the company. Cause prior to Genth, Donzi was a tiny little shop still at 188th St., with less that 25 employees and rarely saw more than 70 boats made a year. Genth built a 140,000 square foot facility and hired over 400 people.
The Minx is a beautiful boat, as are also, all the Z-Boats. Whether or not it is a "Classic" depends on your own definition.

[Hotspare]

Yea, I think Genth had a love/hate relationship with Donzi, after seeing the big picture a little more clearly.... It's well known that He raced against Donzi, many times and lost in the 60s,,, He hated those Damm,Donzi's and said that he'd get even some day..... So when he found the company on it's knees, back in the early 80's ,it was time for some fun.... He blew the company up, much bigger than life, got what he could from the name and slammed dunked it into the depths from which most company's would never return.... When I heard that Donzi was bought by (OMC) I was in total shock !!!!!!! Man,,, what a slap in the face.... Nothing against OMC,,, IT's just that Donzi, of all company's did not belong there.. That it was a total disreguard of the legendary history and heretage of an offshore icon like Donzi.... But, were back now, and hope it never happen's again.... (I love this cult)....... Getting back to the minx though,,, I always thought it was more like a new generation Hornet,, little less racey, but still classic at heart.... It was the most expensive boat ft./ft. than any boat being produced in the country at that time,, I think that's what stopped further production,of that all custom boat.... Later.................... The Dog.......

[EricG]

OK - My Donzi Geekness is really coming out now....here's an excerpt from an article I found on the Minx. It looks to me like it may indeed be more of a Hornet derived model than a Z derivation....but that's just my untrained simplistic mind in action wink . Also, freightDog, you were right on the price, with 1 exception, the Cigarette was $4,000 more than the Minx (at least according to the article).....of course, when was the last time Cigarette wasn't the most expensive?

Excerpt from “Baby Boomers” – Boating Magazine – December 1985

The article was comparing 6 small sport boats for the “Yuppie Generation”:
The Donzi Minx
The Cigarette 20
The Chris-Craft 222 Stinger
Formula 206 Spider
Wellcraft Scarab 1 O/B
Velocity 22 O/B

Here’s the section on the Minx….

“Donzi Minx – An original, the hull untouched since the old days. Indeed, the whole boat looks as if it just emerged from a time machine. Like the Cigarette, low freeboard, moderate color scheme, simple – a real period piece.
Simple design flawlessly executed. Dick Genth and company obviously are out to sell quality. No Cuddy, but good stowage down center from dash to bow. Gas tank up there, too, but still room for skis. Instrument panel carries VDO gauges for hour, trim, oil pressure, water temp, fuel, volt, rpm, and speed. All readable from helm, but trim could be closer. Warning lights for low oil, high temp, low volts, low fuel – a nice touch.
Bolster-ized pedestal buckets very comfortable, good support, sit down running only. Stand up and you look like a mast. Comfortable aft bench for three. Hull mostly white with Red trim, subdued but sporty.
A real Deep-V (24 degree deadrise), smooth yet excellent top speed. Trim her way out with standard 21 inch cleaver. Hull leans in cross winds but tabs (standard) cure it. Agile and sure footed; crank her hard into a turn and almost no side slip. Tracking superb, handles chop like a pro. Looks like a ski boat but runs like a modern deep-V.”

LOA: 20’8”
Beam: 7’0”
Draft: 1’8”
Weight (Dry): 2700#
Fuel Cap: 40
Test Power: Merc 260
Base Price: $27,995
Speed @ 3500: 44.4 MPH (5 MPH Faster than any others….EG)
Speed @WOT: 52.2 MPH @ 4800

[Formula Jr]

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but when was the Hornet a 24 Degree Dead Rise Hull? Itsn't it 19.5 or something....... Foggy in the NW.

[EricG]

Damn....just when I think I'm on to something, Owen, you have to come along with facts..... :rolleyes: I guess that's what I get for making Assumptions.

I know where the minx came from - After Donzi cut that foot off of the Formula Jr to make the 16....they just decided to add 4 more feet back on and make the minx. wink

-EG

[Dalelama]

I may be wrong,
But I was informed that the MINX was a scaled down versoin of the Cigarette 38'... same hull design, top deck and scale beam, just smaller with one powerplant.

Still waiting for someone to produce a replacement 320EFI intake manifold for my MINX. I recieved a $600+ quote to repair my existing "holed" model....

Dale Evans
Pasadena, MD (temp)