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View Full Version : New Aussie Member!!! (me!)



AquaLoony
08-19-2003, 08:55 PM
Hey there everyone!!!
i have only recently stumbled upon the beauty of DOnzi Classic boats (we don't get many, if any over here) and it was love at first site!!!! I'm an 18 y/o from Sydney, Australia and i'm starting to look at buying my first boat, as the old family half cab is getting a bit long in the tooth. I'm after about a 22 footer with a nice v8 in it that gives a decent amount of spped, as well as towing power, and i stumbled upon the 22 classic whilst browsing the net and i love it!!! The only problem is that there aren't any over here in Oz that i know of, os if anyone out there knows of one of these beauties in australia (no matter what condition!) i would love to knwo about it, as otherwise i am interested in importing one from over there as there are some nice examples that fall in my price range ( max $20000US) if nayone can help me out by telling me what to look for ina good 22, or any probs that the 22 is known for to help my search, or even how to import one please let me know, i would be most appreciative@!!!! thanks for your time all, and i hope you'll be seeing more of me around!!
Pete

Capt. Donzi
08-19-2003, 08:57 PM
Let me be the first to welcome you aboard mate!
This is a fun place with a wealth of knowledge.
You will find a boat for sale here that will be just what your after, just don't be in a hurry.

MOP
08-19-2003, 09:07 PM
I ditto Capt. Donzi welcome to the board, I too love the Classic 22 but own a 16. With the wealth of knowledge here I am sure you will succeed in finding a good one. Just need a freighter connection to get her home!

AquaLoony
08-19-2003, 09:24 PM
Thanks guys!!!! i'm in no hurry, got a good 12 months or so i think, summer is abotu to start here so i'll enjoy one last summer with our 22 y/o half cab and then start looking seriously next year i htink!

McGary911
08-19-2003, 10:30 PM
Pete, welcome to the board! Damn, Australia, that's a hike. We won't hold that bald energizer guy or yahoo serious against you, I promise :D Wow, youre 18 so that may be before your time.
Getting a 22 may be tough in your part of the globe, but i'm sure you can get one in the US that would fit your needs. Engine parts in your neck of the woods shouldnt be a problem. Holden is chevy there, no? Shipping a boat from here to there could run into some $$$, i would think. Maybe someone else on the board is more familiar with international shipping, and can give you an estimate. Plenty of info on this board, you'll learn a lot.
If you work it out, you may be the only one with a Donzi on your entire continent! That would be supremely cool.

Good luck in your research\search.

goatee
08-19-2003, 10:41 PM
nice mcgary!
welcome aboard pete. your gonna love it here

AquaLoony
08-20-2003, 05:44 AM
Cheers guys!!!!
Well that is what i was thinking to!!! hehe yeah and i remember good ol yahoo Serious and the bald energizer bloke, that is going back a bit thoguh, didn't know you go those over there!!! Well here in oz there are heaps fo company's that import various vehicles fomr there, mainly things like the pick ups that we don't get over here, and more recently there are some importers of foreign boat brands such as baja, and there are a few old Donzi's about, just no classics!!!! Your right about the chevy/holden thing!!! we have 3 holden's in our family, all only V6s, but here they use the gen 3 5.7 litre in the higher performance models with it putting out about 300 kw! Mercruser parts are everywhere here, as all boat engines are imported from the Us anyway, by ship i'm fairly sure. I got to see a bit of that when i worked in a marina in 2000, trucks use to bring in Bayliners and mercruser engines all in crates and bubble wrap! No Donzi's though=((( If anyone knows anythign abotu shipping it would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks again everyone!!!

wje
08-20-2003, 06:00 AM
I am a consistent lurker on this site, but your post prompted me to reply with one.

I am an an American living and working in Sydney and a lover of classic Donzi boats since my childhood in Florida. I currently own a superb 1973 21GT with a SBC/VP 280 which I have stored in Maine and get to use far too little when I am there once a year.

I am in the boat business here in Sydney and am located at d'Alboras Marina at The Spit, just on the northside of the Spit Bridge. Dealership is called 7Seas, and we just took on Four Winns and are the sole dealer in NSW for them. Just introduced them at the Sydney Boat Show two weeks ago. Good reception, particularly in a marketplace where Bayliner is percieved as a high end import. Sea Ray have really had that market much to themselves here, and we are located in the same Marina with the Sea Ray Dealer that has reportedly had the lowest customer satisfaction index of any dealer worldwide for several years running. A real "here's the keys, bank cheque (check!!) only please, you can get fuel up the way and good luck, have fun, don't call us with any problems...and if you do, our solicitor(lawyer) will look after you" mentality.

We at 7seas are changing the whole model and our focus on customer service strives to be second to none in the industry here locally. ( I was previously the GM at Ferrari(Automobiles) of New England in West Newton, Massachusetts, USA)

In any event, before I go on rambling about how great our business is and my fancy background, I jsut want to extend an invite to visit at us at 7Seas, I will not try to sell you a Four Winns and I can and would welcome the opportunity to assist with getting you a Donzi over here. I have lots of experience with transport, freight , duties and all that stuff, as well as local knowledge from Maine to Florida in the USA and the East Coast of Australia from Sydney to Cairns. In addition, you have just found a website filled with enthusiasm, a wealth of knowledge and, particulary important, a community with genuine credibility.

A 22 Classic would be a fantastic Sydney Harbour/Pittwater boat.

Call me at work 9960 1999 or mobile 0404 444 077

I will be out of the office the next couple days as my wife is arriving in the morning from the States with our 19 month old daughter after being away far too long! Try me Saturday.

Cheers! Jed

AquaLoony
08-20-2003, 06:20 AM
Hey Jed!
Thanks heaps for the reply mate, i know exactly where you guys are at the spit! I don't live far from there in fact! And i also have heard of the reputation that sports marine have there....unfortunately it is one of those things the boating industry is plagued with, especially in Oz!!! I may try and drop around sometime soon, as i mentioned earlier at the moment i'm just investigating as i need to work on my cash flow before a purchase is made! So would you be able to import a second hand boat from over seas if a purchase was made? Is that kind of thing possible? and would you have any idea about cost of that sort fo operation? (i assume that would vary depending on what part of the US it would be coming from) and i agree, it would look great out on Pittwater or up around Cowan Creek (my major boating spot)! Thanks a lot for your time and help!!!! it is muchly appreciated!

BUIZILLA
08-20-2003, 07:08 AM
Hey Pete, man bro, you just ain't around the corner for coffee are ya's ?? eek!

Anywho, I have a 2004 GTO on order for delivery soon, what's the talk down there in OZ about them??

Jim

Morgan's Cloud
08-20-2003, 07:22 AM
Hey Aqualoony.. How's that for a cordial welcome..nice to know Jed's over there too.It's nice to see a few more 'international' members on board...helps keep a different perspective.
Being on the other side of the world from you presented the same problems when it came time to ship in my old girl but it is'nt that difficult at all.. once you start asking questions and poking around.
Small world ...I just bought in a set of Aussie 'HiTek' stainless steel manifolds ...nothing like them on the market anywhere !
Welcome to THE Donzi site .
Steve

AquaLoony
08-20-2003, 07:46 AM
Geez guys you don't know how special i fgeel with all these greetings, most boards i go to i don't even get one reply!!! Man i am soo jealour you are getting a GTO, I'm not sure if you know much abotu the background of it but it is based on a two door coupe we have here called the Monaro, which is a 2 door version of a sedan we have called a commodore (my family have 3 of these!!) There is heaps of hype about it here, especially int he car mags and so on, i think it is a pretty big thing for the Australian car industry, and i can tell you that your GTO will be quite a performer!!! and will look ace as well!! and nothing like that 5.7 litre alloy monster under the hood to top it off!!! i'm not sure what output it is gooing to be giving out in the GTO though!!!!!

Well anyhow back to boats!!! I'm derfinately going ot look into this importing thing, admittedly it may not be a top class 22 when i start with it, but that is all part of the fun!! restoring it your self!!!! Just have to hassle my folks for some yard space to keep it, and also for use of the tow vehicles:P I'm doing mechanical engineering at the UNiversity of Technolgy in Sydney, so i'm hoping my final thesis (not for a few years yet) could be boat related!!! so thatis another reason i'm after a project!!! but i kepe on having this reoccuring vision of having a beautiful Donzi 22 with Navy sides and a nice big 502 or 454 in the engine room to catch some attention at the local ramp:P send all those egg beaters running for cover!!! (this coming from a current outboard boater:P) thanks again everyone!!! anyhow, i'm off to bed now, but i will be back!!!!

AquaLoony
08-20-2003, 07:48 AM
By the way Steve! those Hitek's are awesome, i saw a set of them at the boat show which was only acoula weeks ago!!!! beautoifully made and i have seen them on a few of the 21ft ski race boats here!!!!

wje
08-20-2003, 07:53 AM
Pete...No problem with organizing a pre owned Donzi when you are ready. I have imported a number of used boats and ship out of Savannah Georgia. Straight through the Panama Canal to Darling Harbour. I'll help any way I can. Easy stuff when you've been there and done it, but seems a bit overwhelming when it all seems so far away. I've spent the better part of the last four years back and forth to the States after living in Queensland for 6 years before that. Accrued so many FF miles I took my 2 oldest kids to Maine last year and back from Brisbane for free, and still had a couple trips left. Love United Airlines. Anyhow, look forward to seeing you at the Spit.

MP...I think my boat is registered. I was living in Amesbury, Ma. at the time, so it may show that address. I posted some pictures a while back as well, but not in the registered boats section. I think if you click on my (very few!) past posts they will come up. Very original boat, although has had some repowers through the years. Currently, it has a very stock 260HP SBC and 280 Drive. Original interior. I bought her in 1993 when I was delivering another boat I had sold to a marina in Boothbay Harbor Maine where I knew the marina owner. I was buying lots of used boats in Florida and reselling them in New England at the time. Anyway, he asked me if I knew anyone interested in an old Donzi. I took off the cockpit cover and fifteen minutes later she was mine. I knew I would always own her. No real interest in bringing her to Sydney, but would like to have a 18 2+3 or similar here and may when finances permit.
I'll try and be a better contributor to the board, but I generally just have a glance through most days. An incredible resource to be sure.

BUIZILLA
08-20-2003, 08:04 AM
Loony, my GTO order form says 460kw or 345 RWHP which is fine by me for starters... If you see a silver/red interior 6 speed running around, it's prolly mine!! Mine is in the first batch built, my order # was allocated last December, confirmed last month. Target build date of week 2 in Sept, delivery of late Nov, early December. thats an awfully slow freighter...

Anyways, back to boats...

J

oldLenny
08-20-2003, 11:05 AM
Nice looking GT...

the past re-visited below

http://www.donzi.net/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=002694#000000

mattyboy
08-20-2003, 11:11 AM
FOSTER'S AUSSIE FOR BEER!!!!
DONZI AUSSIE FOR BOAT!!!!
welcome aboard Aqua, good to have ya!
Hey poodle we got someone way south of you now!!!

Matty

AquaLoony
08-20-2003, 06:04 PM
geez 465 kw, that is a hell of a lot more then they let us have down here!!!!!! I htink you'll be pretty proud of it!!! To tell ya the trith i didn't realise they were that close to coming out!! you must be pretty excited, i know i would be!!!!!!

Thanks for all the welcomes and info guys!!! you are all a great help!!!! and i look forward to poking my ugly head around here and there during the days!@!! when i should realy be doing my uni work, but ah well, what can ya do!!!!

AquaLoony
08-20-2003, 06:06 PM
and Matty mate, we don't really drink Fosters here much, everywhere i have been such as china and so on all have fosters advertising everywhere!!! but here we stick to other beers such as VB (Victoria Bitter) or Toohey's New! it is kinda handy for me as my uni is right across the road from the brewery!

mattyboy
08-20-2003, 07:32 PM
ACROSS THE ROAD FROM THE BREWERY!!!!!
OH I GOT TO COME VISIT!!!!!!!!!
I guess i could have a few pints of those beers, I'm a guiness and harp man myself rum and tonic
during the summer,
well let me put it this way I haven't met a cold beer I didn't like wink

Matty

AquaLoony
08-20-2003, 07:53 PM
It works out well for the uni bar, cheap beer kegs!!!! The popular drink around guys our age is Beam and coke or similar! the beer ain't bad here, i have to say i'm a guinness man to, the aussie beers just dont' cut it sometimes, i'll only drink it out of the tap, the bottled Stuff is terrible!!!

I have been browsing thourgh the classifieds and so on on all the used boat sites, is there anything i should be particularly looking for ina donzi 22? liek are there any known defects, and particular years i should look out for, i'm thinking somethign in the 90s that is running and relatively low hours, basically i'm looking for the impossible in my prcie range, somethign around the 15-17 thou mark would be beaut, as that way i can afford to actually get it shipped over here.... i'm liking the thoguth of being the only Donzi 22 owner on the water here!! hehe i will finally be able to look down my nose at all those malibu owners:P (malibu is theboat to have here atm, ever since they set up a factory here)!!!

Surfer
08-21-2003, 09:10 AM
Aqua, greetings, are you into the waves also? Perfect combo take out the 22 on flat days, ride waves when its up. I've got more boat time than surf time where I live though. I've been wanting to visit all my life, whats the best time of year, or does it go off all the time? good luck finding that 22 they're out there, and you came to the right place.

AquaLoony
08-21-2003, 06:50 PM
mate i don't surf much, i swim at the ebach a bit thoguh, the beaches here in sydney are awesome, especially the northern beaches!! you shoudl come check it out if you get the chance!!! best time of the year is probably our summer so anytime between october and february really!!!!!!!