Spirit 24

[Sagbay32]

On Ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=31271&item=2428512358)

Need a pic for the model list :cool:

Mike
still boatless in Michigan

[olredalert]

---------A rare DONZI indeed!Very few Spirits produced,but there it is again;that beautiful Harry Schell designed hull that will take just about anything you can throw at it.Wonder how this boat was powered new?...........Bill S

[TuxedoPk]

Interesting...

Same hull as the Doral,Spitfire, and El Pesc.

It has the same cuddy layout as my 1973 Doral Sportster and appears to have the same front seats as the standard Doral.


I'm not a fan of this windshield; I much prefer the Doral's integrated vinyl looking fiberglass windshield w/vented lowers and wiper (wiper was an option on the Doral Sportster) and I really miss the Horns that came on the Doral.

This doesn't have the Doral Sportster's Perko 20 point forward light which switches to a 32 point anchor light/12 point stern light aft mounted atop the windshield.

The dash finish (if it's original) is slightly different from the Doral's which continues with the boat's fiberglass color and the Doral's passenger side 'glove box' has an inconspicous pull rather than the Spirit's handle.

It appears to have the same 'shaggy carpet' used on the cuddy interior that the Doral Sportster uses on it's ceiling.

I'm confused- Where'd the extra space go?

Just aft of the rear seat, my Doral Sportster has a sundeck running across the boat over the engine compartment that houses the twin Chris Craft 320s. Standard Doral's also have this sundeck over the engine compartment which actually has some room to work.

Perhaps it is the pictures, but the boat hulls are the same, the cabins 'appear' to be the same size with the front seats located at the same position aft, and it appears to have the same space between the front and rear seating. The picture prior to the hour guage shows the well between the front seats to be small or covered- on the Doral it comes aft almost as far as the back of the front seats.


Where does the Spirit use the extra space that the Doral's engine compartment/rear seat use?

Bill- In terms of orignal power, according to the March 1973 GO BOATING, boat test review, the Doral's base power came with a single 188 Merc for $11,300 base, a Berkely Jet with 455 Olds for $12,550 and a batch of choices (unspecified) in between. On duals, it started with twin 165s and went all the way up to a pair of 320hp Chris Craft blocks with a $16,800 base. How was your El Pesc. powered new?

Q. Any predictions on speed? According to this review the twin 188s had a sea trial speed of 47.8 statute miles per hour. The recently rebuilt 320 Chris' in my boat haven't been run WOT yet. What sort of top end would you predict for the different power package?

My overall take on the market's Donzi was trying to reach with these 24 footers..

* Years are from the model list except the Doral Supersport which isn't on the board, but since mine is a 1973, I've added.

Spitfire (76-77)- 'Hornet' like speedboat w/Luxuary 'GT type' interior (referred to in article as a long-decked, short cockpit; raceboat style)

Doral(74-76)- Cuddy Cruiser
Doral Sportster (73-??)- Luxury Cuddy Cruiser

El Pesc (76)- Fishing Boat (referred to in article as a completely open center console fishing boat)

Spirit (76-77)- Cuddy Fishing boat(referred to in article as Trunk Cabin cruiser unless this is a reference to the Sprit 24 that the model list shows available only in 1974?)The Spirit seems to be a Doral with a less expensive 'windshield assembly' that turns El Pesc. as she runs aft.

I'd enjoy hearing feedback from board members who remembered how these boats were actually positioned and why if the Sportster came out in 73 Donzi waited until 76 to release the Spirit, El. Pesc. and Spitfire as their publicized intention in 1973?

[olredalert]

-------Since my El Pescador is a 75 and there is another just north of here that is a 74,my take is that the center consoles were built thruout the 73 to 77 era.In a way every one of the four models started out life as a center console as the center console went on first before the second deck was added.
-------My boat had twin Merc.iron duke 4s with merc drives.It still ran around 43/45mph the only time I ever tried her out with that power.This power and drive set-up is one reason I was so happy to find this boat as I had virtually no transom work to switch from the old Merc drives to the new Alphas.
-------Speed(at least with my boat)is entirely based on the trim switch,once you have the power.I cant remember if your Doral has power trim or not.If it doesnt it should run in the low to mid 50s.If it does it may crack 60.Remember that the Doral has two decks on it and therefore a bit more weight.He//,the El Pescador weighs 5400 with a full tank.The Doral has to be heavier.
-------I dont think DONZI waited to release any of these models to any great degree.They all came out at app.the same time.Just remember that the model listings and build dates on the board here have not been updated in a lloooonnnnngggg time.
-------By the way,I believe that the Spirits cabin is shorter than the Dorals.Thats where the extra space aft comes from.Not claiming that DONZI didnt make a Doral Supersport or Sportster but I have never heard of one.Whats supposed to be different from a straight DORAL?..........Bill S

[TuxedoPk]

Bill- Thanks again for encouraging me to purchase the Doral when I was starting to get cold feet.. Power trim-Yes. 5400lbs El Pescador- How many anchors/cases of beer are you including? The Doral is just under 4000 empty plus figure another 600lbs for 100gallons of gas.


Spirit-
After looking at the pictures again I pretty certain that the Spirit and Doral's cabin and aft are same size-which would make sense. The Doral's rear bench would run accross on the same plane as the cushioned cooler sitting starboard in this Spirit.

It really doesn't appear that with the exception of perhaps the front seats and wood grained dash that the Spirit has any parts not found on the El Pescador or Doral. It would have made it much easier if they had just called it an El Camino :)The Spirit is simply the front of a Doral with the aft of the El Pescador.

However- If you look at the Spirit (http://www.donzi.net/photos/osaffell621.jpg) pic in model list it has the Spirit's windshield, but the aft has the Doral's sunpad covering the engine compartment, and the rear passengers certainly look like they are sitting on a bench. I wouldn't be surprised if the rear seat and supported sunpad were a factory option. The rear seats shown on the E-bay pic don't look like factory original styling.

Also, this Spirit has different front seats from the model list front seats, nor are they of a style that I picture Donzi would have been shipping on this model. Does anyone know whether these are indeed aftermarket or an alternate sytle that Donzi offered? I can't tell from the picture, but I wonder if they kept the Doral's cigarette lighter?


Doral & Super Sport version-
The RE: line of the March 1973 Donzi Press release refers to the "Donzi 24 Doral". The press release states "twin swivel seats with armrests are standard in the DORAL. However, the SUPER SPORT version offers two classic-styled fiberglass high back seats with adjustable cusions, and a built-in bar and service table, with generous additional stowage space." I faxed the press release and article to Poodle so that he can post them for the board in the appropriate spot.

Bill- "In a way every one of the four models started out life as a center console as the center console went on first before the second deck was added."

I wonder if perhaps there may be another possiblity to what you and others have said about 24' Donzis being built over the El Pescador liner.
Alernate liners for the different models.

Wouldn't it have made more sense for Donzi just to have created a seperate liner for the Doral than putting second deck on? Why add the extra weight and wouldn't it have cost more to produce in this fashion?

If the El Pescador's fiberglass engine compartment, center console, front or rear seating are part of the liner, this would support the idea of alternate versions rather than liner on top of liner construction. I'm looking forward to your feedback and that from other board members.

(For those who aren't familiar with the 24's, they are stringer-less and are monocoupe hulls with liner construction)
http://www.donzi.net/photos/rverlaque001.jpg http://www.donzi.net/photos/rverlaque002.jpg http://www.donzi.net/photos/rverlaque003.jpg http://www.donzi.net/photos/rverlaque004.jpg http://www.donzi.net/photos/acf1391.jpg

[olredalert]

------I dont know what would have been easier or more difficult,or what makes more or less sense.I just know how they built it.As for weight,go run your boat over a scale,instead of reading and tell me what you get then.

------Im thru with this thread.Any body else want to jump in?.......Bill S

[TuxedoPk]

I'm glad you liked what I faxed you; I'm looking forward to having you post the press release and boat review.

Much thanx to you and bill for making sure I didn't believe what I read; the tow vehicle that I was considering was only capable of 6500lbs.

[Spirit]

http://donzi.net/photos/JneeDMR240890376-SpiritB4.jpg

http://donzi.net/photos/Jneedonzispirit.JPG

http://donzi.net/photos/Jneedonzispirita.JPG

http://donzi.net/photos/Jneedonzispiritb.JPG

[TuxedoPk]

Spirit-Thanks for the post. I've never seen this brochure before. Is your's powered with a Chris 350?

The e-bay seller told me that it had that package and the front seating were originally Pomponette molded uncushioned buckets.

[Spirit]

He is me!