rear deck, classic 18...?

[oldLenny]

This boat,classic 18?, (if the link works,)has a different rear deck than any I have seen on this site or "For Sale" areas of the I-net. It looks as if it has a place to sit while waiting to ski, jump in etc. Is this a poor picture or did Donzi deviate from time to time on features? http://www.boattraderonline.com/addetail.html?4051520

[Jamesbon]

I'm definetly not the expert on this one, but I do believe Donzi offered this "raised" hatch lid on certain years. I think was offered for extra clearance between the flame arrester and hatch cover. Take a look at Rick Ryan's 18 on the "registered Boats" page. I've also seen a red 18 with the same configuration.

Nathan

[Stan]

Same lid as on my 1990 18 2+3

Stan

[CDMA]

Yeah but look close. Those raised hatches came on the newer boats. That is old. It has a Volvo and left hand steering. The better question is: so what is under the hatch? A BB?

Chris

[oldLenny]

Good eye Chris...Thanx everyone for replies. These things sure get a lot of "other boats stuff" and it's hard for a novice to tell what should be there and what shouldn't. This is a great place to learn FAST!

[GeneD]

I'm thinking if this thing is truely a 1973, the previous owner, or whoever, bought a new hatch from Donzi. They are available, for a price!
Lenny, you're killing me!
I think you are doing one hell of a job trying to find a boat. I hope you are successful, SOON!

------------------
GeneD
007
Melbourne, Florida

[RickSE]

Hey Lenny,
Would you be interested in a 1999 16-Classic for around $17,000. Includes 305 V-8, Alum. trailer, cockpit carpet and cover, thru hull exhaust, depth finder & fire supression system. It's in NM, guy bought it and his wife hates it, said he has to sell it. Boat probably has less than 5 hours on it. White with red stripe.

Not sure if your looking for an older project boat though, seems like you also would prefer an 18.

[olredalert]

Hope a little story about hatches will help at this point.While living in chicago in 1979 I kept going by a donzi dealer and drooling over two new donzi 18s.The first was an X-18 and the second was a standard deck 18.As if just being a Donzi wasnt enough both these 18s were powered by merc 454-TRS combos.At about that time the owner of the dealership chose to end his life.Shortly therafter I bought the X-18 from the bank that held the paper.As an aside it would do an easy 70 to 75 right out of the box.The point of the story however is that the other 18 had the engine hatch in question.The factory told me at that time that the X18 deck was partially designed to gain extra height for the 454.I was also told,however that donzi felt the boat to be over-powered and stopped production at less than 10 such hulls.I sold that X-18 to a rich guy on the west coast of FLA.It was all white with black and red trim.A very special boat.Would love to track it down today!!!!!!!Hope this long dissertation helps.

[RickR]

Lenny
Looks like my 1990 model hatch.
http://www.donzi.net/hull/DMRCA070F090/6.jpg

olredalert
Is this the same hatch that was on the 1979?
I agree my 454 has way too much power http://www.donzi.net/ubb/wink.gif
http://www.donzi.net/hull/DMRCA070F090/5.jpg
BTW; She's in the For Sale section.

------------------
RICKR
mailto:riggerb@aol.comriggerb@aol.com</A>

[This message has been edited by RickR (edited 10-06-2000).]

[Owen]

On earlier Donzis there was a hatch style that was refered to as the coffin top
or coffin hatch style. It was the entire hatch - not just a raised area - and a factory made option.

[olredalert]

RickR........The very same as was on that non-x18 all those years ago.If your boat came with that power plant it is indeed a very rare Donzi.I had two 71 18s with c/c LT1s come thru my dealership with volvos.What I dont know is if later small blocks with merc drives and high rise intakes needed the raised hatch.Maybe some one can answer this out there!........just......ol red!

[Barry Phillips]

I have wondered about this also. In the
Lake George Classic Club there is a
Miami Boat Show special, not shure of
the year, but has a very raised hatch
to clear a high rise intake and carb.
The boat has a special exhust manifolds
and Merc. TRS drive. The factory just cut
a hole in the hatch and screwed a raised
cover on it , crude but cool. You can still
see pencil lines on the underside of the
hatch. I have a late model 18 with a
rasied hatch and a 350 motor. Could this
have been done to raise the X dimention
of the drive. I'm curious why the 302 16s
don't have this feature, the engine
compartment must be smaller and a
302 can't be to much smaller than a 350.
SO-SLO

[olredalert]

While going thru some really old pics of past Donzis and taking a close look at one of the 18s I had during the summer of 1972 for sale I remembered something interesting.The two 18s I had with Chris-Craft LT1/volvo power had small holes cut in the hatch for clearance and app. 12 to 14 inch long scoops attached to the hatches with no openings.Those LT1s had extremely tall 1970 style Z-28 intakes,which was probobly where the problem was.The designers srruggled for years with clearance problems and,as stated before,the X-18 was another method for realizing a few more important inches.It is suprising however that at that point they didnt make many more X-18s as they not only gained the needed clearance but were arguably the handsomest of all the 18s built!!!!!!!!....just.........ol red!