Sleepless night

[JP BRESCIA]

The weather in N.J. yesterday was great. 65F and sunny. Woke up, called the assistant, told her to take messages, "I'm gone for the day." Completed a pre-launch prep and fired her up for the first time of the year. My intention was to just cruise @ 3000 and listen for any new noises before the season.

I was cruising in the Bay for less than 15 minutes when a new looking Maxxum bowrider pulled along side of us. He was slowing down and lined up next to me. He actually started making hand signals indicating he wanted to run me. I don't normally race much considering I'm in an original 1980 18' that tops out at 63 on the GPS. However, we were the only two boats on the water and a Maxxum bowrider was calling me out. Needless to say, I was not backing down, especially in front of my wife. Down went the noise-maker and off came the hat. WTF! That Maxxum continued to stay right next to me. Only after perfectly trimming out the boat did I start to walk away from him. After the battle we turned around and had the typical after race talk. What do you have?, How fast?, What year?, etc. He bought the Maxxum at the A.C. power boat show this year. It was a Maxxum 18' bowrider that came from the dealer with a 150 HP Mercury OB and a trailer with brakes. He said total cost was less than $16,000 including a coast guard safety package. After a brief chat we went different ways.

For my wife, it was a race we won and she was happy as clam. For me, it was too close and I was pissed. The race that I won, ruined my day.

It this a sign of things to come? Weekend warriors with a first boat breaking 60MPH?

[Christian]

JP,
What are you doing racing a max? thats the fun of owning a classic you can pick and choose your runs. I bet he'd feel pretty uneasy if you just stayed 3000 grand. I enjoy watching boaters trying to egg us on in the 18 but i'd hate to bring it back to my family with a broken mount, or drive and be out of the water for a few weeks. Where did you run him?

Christian Del Collo
http://rosebudracing.tripod.com

[Digger]

Don't let it ruin your day. New boats are built so much lighter than they used to be. That maxxum might even have a step in the hull for all I know.

Speed is only part of the game, in my opinion not the largest part. Take sea-keeping and quality construction for instance. Two thoughts to keep in mind:

1. how would he have done in a 3-4' chop ?

2. think anyone will be riding that same maxxum in 2024 ?

[Secret F233]

Digger's right + you said it your self He had a Outboard on an new 18' boat. O/B's are fast

[EricG]

Ahhh this is a subject very near to my heart. I had an experience two years ago that absolutely destroyed my view of other boaters for awhile:

I'm running in the Z21 in Lake Washington in pretty rough water - big wakes coming from all directions - I'm cruising along at about 30, just enjoying the day. This guy pulls along in a "Countach" (Read: late 80's wanna be go fast boat) It was probably about a 24'. I notice three things - his boat looked like crap, he had open exhaust, and he didn't have an engine cover (it was missing). I figured, my boat looks fast, it's a Donzi (that comes with a reputation), so if he want's to race me, he obviously has something. Whereas I have my 350 Mag/alpha combination that is good for about 53-54 on a good day. Just for fun I ran up next to him for a bit as we both accelerated then when I hit my WOT, I just back off and let him have his glory. The I stopped while he headed over for the post race BS session - I was all ready with "So, what have you go in there, etc". But instead he comes along side and before I can even speak says "So, won't daddy let you take it over 50.....Donzi, what an overrated piece of ****, Don Aronow, he was a loser....blah, blah, blah...". I was crushed, not because he was an A$@ hole, but because I was left speachless....and because I didn't have anything that could run with him.

I know I can't win many races, but one idiot has made me not even want to play....needless to say, I know what the sleepless nights feel like!!

-EG

[Crazy Horse]

JP, Just remember at the end of the day that poor soul has a Maxuum.

[Dr. Dan]

C-Horse,Exactly, Digger is right too!!! wink I was with my buddy who was in his "SHIP" a 419 Formula with Triple 454's, we were both cruising out of the Sassafras River last year when some bonzi Bass boat came up to run us, he was much lighter and easily 10 or more mph faster, as we came out into the Bay heading towards Turkey Point, he nearly did an end over :p when we hit a 2' to 3' chop, it was pricless, I smerked and kept steady at 60 mph or so and just sailed by like I was piloting a jet :D it was way cool, we didn't win, but neither did he, but I know who got back to the ramp first :rolleyes: I was on my second beer, wiping down my boat by the time he came into Anchor Marine in NorthEast,Md, ahhh, Life is always good with a beautiful wife and a Donzi Classic!....Doc

[Stix Magill]

JP,

Sell the Donzi and buy a Maxxum just like his. Hell, I'll take it off your hands!

[Steven Cohn]

JP,
I must agree w/the previous post. There's more to performance boating than speed. I've owned many boats, including three very fast power boats. I found the more money one was willing to spend the faster one can go. Look at the bigger picture - you're very fortunate to be able to own a Donzi.
Steven

[JP BRESCIA]

Thanks fella's for the kind words.

Christian, We were running in the back waters of North Wildwood, NJ. I did get a kick out of how much he had to back down once we entered Hereford Inlet (My backyard so to speak). The inlet was very sloppy and coming from all directions. I blasted through the rough seas while he backed WAY DOWN.

Digger, the hull was stepped and almost entirely out of the water. That's why I headed straight for the rough water.

Ironically, it was the very same scene, probably about 15 years ago, that turned me on to the DONZI tradition. We had a different version of the Who's Chicken Club that hung out everyday on Champagne Island(a large sandbar in the middle of Hereford Inlet). I was about 15 y/o and had a 13' Whaleer at the time. A friend of mine named Drew had a fairly new 18' Donzi. While hanging out at the sandbar, Drew was called out by a 21' Checkmate I/O with 5.7 Merc. We all hopped into our boats to watch the race from the water. They were flying down the Inlet headed towards the ocean. Both boats were neck and neck and balls to the wall. As most of us are well aware, 15 year old boys with boats tend to drive on the edge without looking down. As they approached the ocean near Moore's Inlet, the sea was real sloppy. The Checkmate was hanging around but had to stay trimmed up in order to compete. In the blink of an eye, the Checkmate skipped the crest of a swell and then landed on the face of the next one sending the bow straight up to the sky, 100% out of the water. When it landed, the driver and passenger were tossed onto the floor of the cockpit as the boat came to a dead stop. With most spectators being in Drew's corner, we pissed ourselves laughing. You know how a near death experience to a 15 yearold is considered F'n awesome. I always loved Drew's Donzi, but it was that exact race that made me always want one. 14 years later, I finally got it.

[Sam]

Think of it like this, when was the last time you saw a twenty year old Maxxum. We own Donzi's because they provide a complete package. They are fast, rugged and pretty to look at need I say more. There is something about thier lines that you just can't improve on. It would be like trying to reinvent the wheel.

Sam

Donzi Mainia, Catch It !

[JP BRESCIA]

Keep the comments coming. I am starting to feel better and better. :) I think I just figured it out. We usually get alot of stares and compliments from people when they see the Donzi and that makes me feel great. Put me next to that Maxxum in a crowd and guess who will be getting the attention. eek! eek! :D :D

[Stix Magill]

Two days after I bought my Minx, I was at a friends dock at Yellow Creek. There were 5 or 6 guys and girls admiring the boat. Comments like "man that thing flies sitting still" "look out, theres a new dog in town" "god, that thing sounds awesome" etc.
A neighbor pulls up on his brand new high powered Sea-do. He is visibly jealous and says something like "this thing will run circles around that boat". The dock went silent. I looked at him and said "Man I wish I was as cool as you." The dock busted out in laughter and the guy tooled away with his tail between his legs. I took the guys and girls for rides all day. Funny, we didn't see him out riding!

My boat's not the fastest on my river, just the coolest! That is, in my opinion. And mine is the only one that counts to me. http://www.donzi.net/photos/ssmith101.jpg

[boldts]

JP,
This is a subject very close to my heart. I own a 1969 18' Classic that tops out at 45 MPH. The thing is, she does 45 in any kind of water conditions. The boat flies straight and true and I've never had her come down on the side or in any way to scare me. I live in OH and have many times ventured up to Lake Erie. That lake is shallow and develops big swells in the slightest of winds. I too have had the guys with their offshore want-a-be boats pull up next to us. I can honestly say that more often than not, we're able to hang with many of these boats in the really ruff stuff. Like many of the above posts, I've spent more time while owning the boat talking to people about my Classic. A great example of this was at last years Lake Cumberland Poker Run. I pulled into Jamestown Resort in amongest some of the largest most well known boats built. I had more folks wanting to grab lines and take a moment to look my Classic over than any of the other boats there at the time. After a couple minutes when the boat was tied up and I had answered most of the questions, I went to get a bite to eat. The thing is, the crowd that had gathered remained. It was as though the boat was never seen before by anyone. That is the joy of owning a Donzi. Even if as in my case, it is not the fastest boat on the lake. :)

[2biguns]

I have yet to see a crowd pull up next to a Sea Doo and ask question about the vessel's heritage, nor have I seen anywhere on a Sea Doo to store a cooler, pack a lunch, put speakers for the stereo or get frisky in the back of a deserted slough :p

I've also never seen a group of bikini-clad women resting comfortably on the swim deck of a bass boat.

Think of the group that the Maxum would draw when he pulls up to the gas pump.

[Bandit]

You've got to watch out for those bass boats wanting to race powerboats.

I was out on Cumberland last yr. and decided to head over to another dock about 15mi away. Once I hit the nowake zone it started to sprinkle and I still had a pretty good ways to go. I glanced over my should a couple times and a bass boat was making a huge wake as it was coming up from behind. Finally I heard some guy yelling and he was waving his arms so I backed off to let them catch up (I was in the nowake zone for awhile). Well, it happened to be a guy I knew back in the runaround days which I haven't seen for yrs. We had the usual catchup talk, brief since the rain was picking up, and I was on my way to my buddies houseboat.

I hung out for about an hr, until the rain blew over, and I decided to head back to my dock. During that time, these guys stayed over against the far bank, yep, in the rain (by the way, they didn't have any fishing poles).

As soon as I fired up my motors, here they came. I idled slowly out and sure enough, they came right up next to me. At this time I was putting 2 & 2 together. They must have seen me coming up the creek earlier and decided to try to catch up to bust my A@@. Then they waited in the rain and now it was the time they had been waiting for. And here I thought you're suppose to fish from a bass boat!

I looked out in front and sure enough the water was like glass after the rain. As we approached the end of the nowake zone they both glanced my way several times, pulled up to make sure our noses were even and then hit it! I just pulled mine up on plain and came out of the hole like I've done 100's of times. I cranked it up to 3000 rpm and just cruised. They had shot out around the bin and had backed off to wait for me down the straight-a-way and as we got side-by-side he hit full throttle again and pulled away. They did this micky mouse about 6 times before they realized I wasn't in the mood to play, not in the creek that is! As I was cruising on out the creek to the main lake they decided to turn back, I'm sure totally discouraged.

I've put a few bass boats away on a good chop and some took a long stretch to do it, but I won't race them on glass. Hopefully I'll catch them out this summer in my conditions!

[Sagbay32]

I can see it 10 years from now:

18' Maxxum for sale, low hours $2500.00 or best.

Wherever my Donzi stops, either on water or on the trailer, there is someone who wants to talk to me about it. Guaranteed!

[JP BRESCIA]

It is amazing how boating differs in different parts of the country. My topic must be old news to most of the guys out there. I mean, I can count on one hand the number of Bassboats I have seen in the Inlet. Boats of this type just cannot handle the waters. We see a few Hi-Perf outboards once in a while. Just before dusk and with no wind. Yes, they are very fast and out of my league entirely. I guess if I saw those boats on a regular basis, I would realize my place among the real speedboats.

[CrackerJack]

I have had people who never knew of Donzi make
comments on the great style and timeless design
of the classic.

There will always be someone newer.
There will always be someone faster.
There will never be another DONZI.

The people that have one and that you get to know
are the intangible bonus. Jack

[Bryan Tuvell 33ZX]

Many great points above, only owning Donzi's from the begining has been a real treat for us.
There is satisfaction in owning a GREAT boat, a part of history etc. Hell I am a new boater going into only my 3rd season, I have been spanked more times than I can count.
I tend to pick and choose who I run now on/in their enviroment, a smart approach. wink

DONZI owners have the total boating package, and yes we look faster than we are, on and off the trailer, and people DO KNOW the name.
But in real water, swells, rollers, chop etc,
they fly, I drive by...

Maybe I should repost the 24 Liberator vs my Donzi story that snapped his bolster out of the deck in the ocean, he was winning until the next wave! :D :D :D Let alone it threw both belts and we had to go back and help him :rolleyes: ....

Bryan

[Scott Pearson]

Its all the same...even with cars. I have a 1965 Pontiac GTO. I have owned this car sine I was 17. I'm 34 now. The body and int. is all orig. Except it has a 468 ci. Big Block Chevy that dynoed 539 hp. Borg Werner 4 speed and a 1965 Chevelle 12 bolt rear w/410's. Any whooooo....I havent drove this car in a very long time, about 10 years or so. It just lays there in my garage with crap piled all over it. But when I did drive it I use to get all the A-holes with there Mustang GT's, Corvettes,Grand Nationals and Fire Terds. And I would never race them...That pisses them off even more then if the had lost. I know I could have beat most of them...My GTO turnes in the mid 11's through exhaust and not even beating the hell out of it.

Just a stupid story,

(NJ)Scott

[mjpcowboy]

It is about the total package not just the speed, however when I am going 84 MPH my Donzi 33ZX there is not much on the lake that can go past you. Any Donzi made is great and stands out over most boats. There will always be some boats that can go faster however how many can enjoy a full drink at that speed? Always a Donzi fan!!

[mjpcowboy]

It is not all about speed it is about the total package, however at 84 MPH in a Donzi 33ZX there is not many boats that go past you. There is something about any Donzi that stands out from the rest of the boats. Remember that there may always be a boat the goes faster however can they enjoy a full drink at that speed? Love all Donzi's!!!

[JimG205]

JP-No sweat! Just remember You ride in a classic piece of boating history,I haven't read too many books on Maxuum's.Enough said-best regards,Jim

[marcdups]

I had a couple last year at our local small lake who must have wanted to show off their new Mariah with thru hull exhaust and fancy colours, a friend and myself in my little 16 were just watching some buddies wake board and this jerk decided to do figure 8's at WOT and such, so we decided to move on, we'll we were following them as we decided to move to the dam a couple of miles away, well mister in his " new boat" was up for a race, I did not think i had the balls for it but what the hell my ego took over, he was next to me and taunting me so I let it eat, he was not getting away from me at all and i saw his wife asking him if that all he had, we were close, and he shook his head and said that he was balls to the wall, to my advantage my buddy knew my boat and I told him to brace himself before we went over the four foot wake of the ski boat, flew over it and left Mr Mariah behind, he tried everything to catch us, but to no avail, at the post race meet I thought he had a 350 but had a 454, and when he asked me what I had which is a stock 4.3 he did not want to chit chat anymore, bet he did not get any that nite eek! :D eek!

[clayman]

One thing for sure, someone will always have a faster, or bigger boat, a more chromed out bike, etc, etc. Its style that counts most for me, and Donzi's have style.

[Bryan Tuvell 33ZX]

OK had to relive it/repost it 28 July 2001, one correction, passenger seat broke, from his body! a neat 22ZX story.

"Great day on the bay, we were beached up and a 24 LIBERATOR, twin 350's was talking crap...
We spank in 2 or 3 footers, at 60 MPH I drove by him.... Just then he went full throttle (winning now) WAVE!!!!! THEN he flew out of his seat, broke his passenger seat in half and out of the deck (boat is still wide open with no driver!) then all of a sudden after he gets up, his boat turns hard, slamming him again, steering belts broke....
You should have seen his arm!"

Like I said, I pick and choose now. Sometimes not running someone is more fun!
Bryan

[JP BRESCIA]

Seems like yesterday i read that post. Quick and strange year. Thank the gods in the heavens that for most of us, it's boating season again.
BROTHERS AND SISTERS...Can I get an AMEN!! :D :D :D

[Bryan Tuvell 33ZX]

AMEN BROTHER, we launch again in about 40 hours!
You have a good memory!
There is also several "I look at 4 exhaust stories as they wave goodbye!" Oh well, trying can be fun too, half of the battle is the drama before a show down starts! eek!
Bryan

[RH]

Being a life long boater and new Donzi owner, I can relate. Yes there is water here in Iowa, and the lake that I boat on is typically quite large. When the wind picks up, you want a large craft to handle the rollers. I have spent many an afternoon on my friends 22' Classic watching the Mariahs, Crownlines and other brands with the thru transom exhaust taunt us. It is really fun coming out of the bay and then watching them really get on it. When we run the first mile, we head out onto the main lake where the water gets fun, that is when you separate the men from the boys. The 22 is just getting into her "element" in the rough stuff, but the comfort level is simply amazing. It is fun to watch them pound themselves to death while we just start cranking up. It will be fun with the "new" Hornet this summer. I know that it will not be the fastest, but at 30 years old, I know that it will be one of the classiest boats on the lake. The weather is finally starting to turn here in Iowa. I can't wait!

[farmer tx]

First splash last thurs., real nice day. Loaded up about 6:00pm and headed home. About 50 miles down the road we stoped for fuel.By the the time I pumped 23 gal. in the truck and 45 gal. in the Donzi 22 four different guys and one REAL SWEET little gal had stopped to tell me I had a low tire on my trailer. People notice a Donzi.

[Moody Blu']

Amen!

Hey jp, imagine what would happen if that maxum raced you in the conditions we were in on barnegat bay with frank c.

He would probaly be out of the boat and in the water.

I too have a story about spanking "other boats" in rough water.

I was cruising under neath the manahawkin bridge(no wake zone) and there was a 26ft?baja outlaw a little in front of me. He was with another guy and a girl. The guy nudged his friend and they both looked over, all i did was smile.We were both just about clearing the bridge and his friend waved me to hit it. It was really choppy slop waves in every direction. we both got on it.
I jumped out ahead and then stayed right were I was. It was really choppy and I was getting bounced all over but I stayed in front, after about a half mile he let off, by that time he was just in front of me.(he creeped by)

A couple weeks later I am at dutchmans quelle(boy I cant wait to go there again) and one of the guys who lives on my block is there and we start talkin, he tells me how all his buds knew about the little baja outlaw race. He said his friend was wondering how the hell his worked 454 baja barely beat me.I was just being humble, but when I walked back to my seat I had a big grin on my face and in my head I was like THATS RIGHT!

I have the same heritage as jp sort of speaking, we both had 13ft whalers and then 18ft donzi's...

Now, if I could only get a job like jp! :p

those whalers were fun but DAMN what a pain in the ass LITERALLY! wink

[Formula Jr]

I'm only talking about quality boats here.

Boats are built for different conditions, regional conditions. Donzi's are built for certain conditions. There is no, "do it all Boat." That doesn't exist. But at least Donzi builds a true "Off Shore" Boat. Not a "Lake Boat" pretending to be an off shore boat. And I'm still glad about that.

On flat water to one foot chop, a straight 24 degree hull, has no chance against something that rides on it's prop. Ala Bass Boat, or tunnel hull. If I get beat in flat water, I don't give a damn. There is no "Play." Its just speed. Its the difference of a drag racer against an MX motorcycle. Both have interesting things to offer. In a perfect world, we could all have a drag boat, a flats boat, a cocktail barg, a ski boat and and an Off Shore Boat. Donzi's are sport hum-vees of the boating world. We are MX with big suspentions. Its a no brainer that other boats are faster in flat water. Has anyone else ever been out in open water in a Drag Boat? It isn't pleasent. I could bearly walk the next day and lost a tooth with the cinderblock pound, cracks that were blasting up my spine.

I have an SR500 Yam. motorcycle. At 36 HP, it isn't the fastest bike on earth. On Straight stuff it's probably the slowest. But on certain, rather bendy roads, it rules.

Any boat true to its intended mission as a singular expession of design, is a classic.

[Moody Blu']

formula jr, I luv how you compared our boats to mx bikes !!!!!!!

AWESOME.

..... you could compare our donzi's to the baddest quad ever made the honda trx250r, for those of you who dont know, Honda stopped production of the 250r in 1989 because of
lawsuits, but is still wanted more than any other quad that is still in production! they sold for about $3000 back then and they command more than $5000 now!

it may not be the fastest quad for drags but it will beat any other quad in the woods and on the mx track! :D :D

here are both classics:

http://www.donzi.net/photos/mytoys.jpg

[Formula Jr]

They are MX bikes, Quad or other wise. That's how you have to think about them. It's cool, that you "Get That." Most people don't. Looking forward to an East Coast run. Like you guys did with the big stuff last year. :D

[RedDog]

Formula - those SR500s are too cool. Never riden one but I love big singles. My first pure street bike was a BSA 441 set up cafe style.

[CnV & Family]

I'll throw this small experience out as we are new boaters... Maybe it will put a few smiles on ya'lls faces

My absolutly wonderful wife and I were coming out onto the 'main drag' of Lanier one morning and found ourselves in a mass of ugly traffic. Sitting in a 16' and here goes all this thunder past us. My wife jams down the throttle and says 'hang on'. :D She ran us on up the lake for about 10 minutes and we saw it: A houseboat with any and all type boats available lined up to get their cards...

So, we decided to head back down the lake and see how we might fare against the masses. We swapped and I took off bouncing over waves and generally just all over the place. I have never in my life seen so many people point, look, and even stare before. We even had several of the 'big boys' (Donzi / Baja / Fountain / who knows what else) slow down and ride along side us before opening up and blasting off. She made me slow down after taking the Donzi partially airborne. Honestly it scared us both, but I thought it was fun (looking back :) ). I'll never forget pulling to the side, pulling out the cooler for 2 cold waters and watching all the boats go by that we just manuvered past.

We were sore as all get out the next day but I'll never forget it. I knew we had something that was nice, but I would never have guessed it would slow down some of the largest boats... That's when I knew it went from 'nice' to 'special'.

-C

PS. I use the term largest boats loosly. Remember, just now going into our first season (the end of last year was just the primer :) )

[Secret F233]

Man you guys I cant wait to run the F233 down in the Lake of the go carts.

An old friend of mine Runs a 75 21' Cobia w/ a 6 in it & he runs with all the wanta-go-fasts. The look on there faces when we drive by with lawn chair's, Cuting walls of water & a rag for a gas cap is just priceless & all as there flying wildly in & out of the water on the verge of a Rollover!!!! man it's the best.....

[Blewbyu]

The FIRST day I owned our X-18,I took my 'Woman Who Runs With The Wolves' 30 year old daughter out for a run in it.She was driving, and had her (long)brunette hair piled up under her baseball hat.We heard a hull smacking water behind us as we were 'idling' along about 4000 rpm-and turned to see a 33' Formula gaining on us.She(leadfoot)waited 'till they were just past us,then dropped the loud pedal.We sorta 'jumped 'em',but they caught on fast and firewalled their twin 502's.Just as their Gaffrig speedo showed 71, we sneaked on by(tach @ 5700,speedo failed @ 65),and leadfoot pulled her hat off,letting her hair fly in the wind, and letting the guys aboard the Formula know that a WOMAN DRIVER had just whipped their butts in an 18' boat and a 3' chop!!!We did get our butts bruised,and I don't think their martinis even rippled, but they ALL wanted to meet her!Took me a week to git the smile off my face.I make her buy the gas now,she has 'the habit', and has repeated that stunt often.She picks mostly on cripples tho,won't take a chance with bass boats or Fountain triples-knows her stuff!Makes me proud! :D eek! :D

[oldLenny]

Cool. :D Reminds me of my youth...only never seen a real small DONZI here in my life.

Brunettes, Yes. Water Yes, Fun, Yes!!!

Man I love these tales!!! eek!

[Jake]

Guys this has been a very entertaining thread. I just wish I had a story to contribue with. Every please add theirs!!

[Jake]

Guys this has been a very entertaining thread. I just wish I had a story to contribue with. Every please add yours!!

[GEOO]

A few years back I was up at one of the Lake George events. I came up on a 26(+,-) Velocity. He started to move the throttle down, so I did the same. It was a little choppy but not bad. I gave it more throttle and was slowly passing him. Didn't think much of it. But latter that night, the owner of the Velocity, was at a bar and bumped in to Ed H. from the Lake George Donzi Club. The guy said he was going over 80 and couldn't believe this little Donzi was creeping by him. Ed laughed and said that must of been GEOO's X-18.

I also have recieved a few frustrated and confused looks from 30-35 footers in Poker runs, when I cruise by them. Frank C. know's that feeling. His 22XZ passed alot of the larger boat's at these events.

It's all in the fun of it...Alway remember Boat Safe!!!!

[JP BRESCIA]

Geoo.. I had a good time talking to Frank at a rain-date event for the N/E Club. I can honestly say I felt bad for Frank that day. He was stuck with a few other stock 18's all day long. Proably why we spent a few hours at the bar and Tices Shoals (sp?). :p :D Your name did come up quite a few times. :D I look forward to meeting you sometime. You obviously do not feel my pain in the MPH dept.

I am sooooo close to committing some significant money towards going faster. I have been painfully talked myself in and out of it several times over the past year. The biggest question has been, "How can I justify committing that much money and time into a S/B in an 18 foot boat?" I am only asking for low 70's when the time is right for it. Therfore, I should need significantly less setup consideration then you. And coin no doubt.

I bet it sure would be alot of fun! :D :D Still pondering.... And still a little sleepless..

[FASTEDDIE]

OK I didn't want to tell this story but I'm sitting here waiting for my wife so I'll tell you a story that will roll you in the aisles.
It was my first boat, a brand spanking new 1978 Arrowglass Cheetah Bowrider tri-hull, 18 feet with a OMC 140 I/O and trailer. Paid $7800.00 plus tax and thought I died and went to heaven. Took it to a large reservoir for the first run and I thought I did pretty good.(Lucky,very lucky) Now remember, I never owned a boat, rented one once, never towed a boat so I was green as could be.
I come home and brag about how good I am with the new boat and my wife tells me company is coming tommorrow to visit and I suggest we take their family of four plus our family of four boating. We have 8 seats in the boat so it should work. The next day ,the family shows up, we invite them to take a trip, one hour up to Lake George where the captain will find a launch site and we can all go boating. They agree. We leave towing the boat North and the visiting family follows our family in their Minivan. Since I 've never launched at Lake George, I hand my wife a New york State Camping brochure showing all launch sites on Lake George. After one hour we arrive in the village where the traffic is bumper to bumper at 5 miles an hour and as I tow through the narrow streets ,I am missing cars by 2 inches. My blood pressure starts to go up. My kids are looking for the first launch site in the village and we find it but its for "canoes" only. After a 20 minute backup a trailer in the street lesson, we move up farther North. We again get in narrow traffic in the next town. We start over this large mountain and I look in the mirror and this family is still following me. The Lake is narrow and 32 miles long but I realize that I've already gone 20 miles up the west side and if I don't launch soon, not only am I going to run out of Lake, but the family behind is running low on gas and soon we will approach Lake Champlain which is another ball of wax. We now been on the road for one and a half hours. So as I come down the backside of the mountain, I approached a small town with a launch and pull my 18' 1976 Cadillac connected to my 24 foot trailer and bring all of the 42 foot appartus to a stop in front of an 80 year old women collecting launch fees. "How much" I ask. She replies"Three dollars for the boat". How much for the car and trailer? I ask."You can park that for free up at the high school 4 miles up Route 8". I ask"How do I get back here,is there a bus?". She says"You walk". You dont understand ,I have 8 people here for a boat ride and they can't wait much longer for a ride, no less wait for me to walk back from the High School. "Sorry,thats the rules". I give her the three dollars and tilt the motor and prop up and ask everyone to get in the boat. The visiting family is thrilled that the boat is backed in the water and my wife and two kids get in too. My male friend holds the launch rope and with the ass end of the boat pointing out this 500' long narrow launch canal,I observe 4 bare chested, dark tanned ,bermuda shorts claid men on this 35 foot sail boat tied up in the narrow canal drinking beer as they dry sand this beautiful wooden boat apparently in preperation for some shellac.
I go and park the car along side the road with the trailer and put it in park and lock up the emergency brake. The old woman screams "You can't park there,we are calling the police" I said "Good , lets see if they can tow 42 foot of steel with all the brakes on. I'm going boating". I step in to my boat and now I realize that its facing in and I must turn it around in this narrow channel and I'm afraid I'll bump this big sailboat behind me. They are dry sanding it so I ask the kids to push me off away from the sail boat. Well I start drifting in toward the sail boat with my outdrive sticking straight out. I imagine the dent I will cause if I hit their hull so with out thinking I fire the engine with the outdrive still tilted up and my 19" prop throws 5000 gallons of water in the sailboat in 5 seconds, water all over these men, their hair is on their noses,they are drenched. As I apoligise and turn the boat around one says "I would jump in the boat and kick your ass but you don't have an empty seat for me to sit in ". As we pass the sailboat I am humiliated and as I go further down the canal an old timer comes up to the edge and says "You must be new, watch out, there's a rock pile out there about 200 yards. Stay straight for a long time before you turn left or right or you will rip your prop off". OK, thanks ,I say. Well their family has two girls and one is sitting at the point up front in my bow rider with a bathing suit and a towel around her neck facing all the passengers . I now feel we are far enough from shore to give it some gas. I holler ,Is everybody ready? Yes,we are. OK, then hold on. I push the throttle foward and the boat nose goes straight up in the air. This 15 year old girl in the front holds on to both aluminum rails on each side with her arms but her feet are now on my forehead as I try to plane off. People are screaming and I see flashes of the Titanic in front of me. White bath towels are flying by my face. All Hell is breaking loose. All my instruments are pegged. What's wrong? We go another 500 feet and now people who were sitting in the front of the windshield are now flying pass me . I hold the throttle WOT. We go across the lake straight up and down. Finally after a quarter of a mile I pull back on the throttle and people land in their seats as my new friend explained weight limits on my coast guard plate and how they apply to the boats performance. I thought seats counted, not weight. Ok .lets go in and empty half the boat and we will take turns, I head back to shore and as I approach the launch I inadvertently hit the dreaded unmarked rock pile and wipe out the new aluminum prop. I now creep in and as I past "THE BOYS" they have put rain coats on and are holding umbrellas and said "We are ready for you now,asshole". Needless to say,we had a terrible boating day.

[JP BRESCIA]

Wife must have come home eek! :rolleyes: :D :rolleyes:

[pmreed]

Fasteddie, that is just plain scary eek! . I don't know if my ego would have ever recovered from an experience like that.

Phil

[Cuda]

Hey Geoo and JP, I saw Frank C running in the poker run in Sarasota today. I was at the docks in Sarasota yesterday and noticed a 26 ZX that had a NJPPC sticker on it. I figured it had to be Frank. Today we were at John's Pass in Treasure Island watching the PR boats come in. I saw Frank and whistled at him. He waved even though I'm sure he didn't know who it was. I have never met him in person, but have corresponded with him.

[SundanceKid]

Donzi definately builds if not the fastest, then the best rough-water boats available. All the tournaments we've fished in our 35 ZF w/ twin 225s, we've left everyone. I remember when we first got our 35, all the guys in the Contenders and Conchs (http://www.conch27.com/ http://www.contender.com/ - real high-quality, high-performance custom fish boats in S. Florida) would not shut up about how Donzi has no clue on how to build a fishing boat ad how they were gonna walk away from us in the Bimini start. The next morning, we started at the back of the pack in a 3-5 foot sea. Within 5 minutes, we were at the front of the pack of 200 some boats (one of which was a 31 Fountain with the Fountain rep on-board, Clayton Kirby) and never looked back. We never had one hard landing, and never got wet once. As we showed up at the weigh-in, we had everyone's attention. Nobody could believe that this 35 footer could beat all of the smaller boats with the same power, and even some with 250's! The reason is simple, Donzi builds a boat that not only hadles any seas, but does it in complete comfort. While the smaller boats can run 60 in a flat-calm while we'll only run about 53-54 loaded up, as soon as those seas pick up, they're in the air and falling further behind. Moral of the story is that Donzi bulds a sea boat far superior than anything available.

[Bryan Tuvell 33ZX]

SUNDANCE, your last line says it all.
Great stories.
Bryan

[Digger]

awesome thread guys-- great stories! keep 'em comin'

[CDMA]

My best memory has to be with GEOO going toe to toe with a 37 outlimits. It was in the great sotth bay and it was a nasty day. We were in the NJPPC poker run and it was the first real run for the 434 ci "monster mouse". The poker run started and it was pandamoneium (sp). Before I knew it we were next to some brand new 37 outerlimits. There were three guys in it all with color matching full race jump suits matched to the custom paint on the boat. It probably was a 1/2 million dollar boat. So he gives it throttle and so does Geoo. Both boats start inching up and going faster and faster. We never did pull away from him but he never did pull away from us. Some very wealthy guy must have been real annoyed this little pocket rocket stayed with his top of the line race boat. What a day...

Chris

[Dvo]

JP,
Like to add to the good practical wisdom shared by our members. Most novice boaters start out by wanting faster boats, which they cannot handle above 50 MPH. So make sure you give these folks some distance in a run. I have had two very close calls, where wanna-be-racers lost control and almost hit my boat at speeds above 70.

I have owned various high performance boats, and most V6 HP outboards will generally beat a V8 I/O in a fair < 2 ft. chop sea condition. So, you were smart to head for the heavier sea condition. Donzi is still a heavy boat, and built to perform in an offshore sea. Light weight HP outboard boats are very hard to control above 50 MPH in rough water. At this speed they tend to kite up in the air, land stern first <stall>, or flip over backwards <raced a against a Hydrostream that did this right next to me>.

Most inexperienced boater racers make two potential deadly mistakes. First, they get excited and don't correctly read the conditions ahead of their high speed path, i.e., other boats, large waves/wakes, water depth <if they come off plane>, wind gusts <look for whitecaps>, and obstacles <surface/subsurface>. Second, they are not aware of the right hand propeller torque <single engine> created at very high speed, which gradually raises your boat out of the water with higher speeds, and requires constant right hand turning compensation to keep the hull from going left. So throttle control is critical at high speed, because a sudden power loss will quickly drop the bow (this rapid de-accerleration is very bad), and abruptly pivot the entire boat to the left - possibly ejecting the boat occupants <deep into the sea bed, no kidding>. So, a little practice will ensure your safety and confidence.

Good News! Your are the owner/operator of a performance boat legend, with a 30 year heritage. You really don't have to prove anything, they do. Personally, my Donzi 22 Classic is the most balanced and precise handling performance boat, I have ever driven/owned. It has/can beat serious boats beyond its class. But, if you really want to race - think 100+ MPH. Then buy a Triad STV with Merc 2.5 Pro Max for the lake, or a Douglass Skater for the ocean. However, neither boat will draw any more admiration than a Donzi Classic.

[Stix Magill]

WOW. I uh... agree...

Lovin' the Donzi,

Stix

[GEOO]

I agree it's a lot easier to buy a new light OB and realy fly. But that's not what we're all about. :cool: Well you could have both in a Donzi. You just need to be a tad Excessive Compulsive???.
By the way, the expression on the guys face in a small 22' OB Cat, Bass Boat, STV, or similar, when a Classic Donzi keeps up or walks by is priceless.
Everyone loves the looks and feeling of a Donzi, it unexplainable. A ride in any Donzi just
puts a grin on your face.
If you get to hooked up in the speed thing you sometimes miss the whole picture of what boating, " Donzing " is all about, and just keep tring to ring the last 1 mph out of her; or worry about were the last 2 mph went.
GEOO