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View Full Version : Chariot sighting



Owen
09-25-2000, 04:16 PM
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1210712&a=8942774

PaulO
09-25-2000, 06:22 PM
So, what is the story and who is "me"?

GeneD
09-25-2000, 08:17 PM
PaulO,
You never heard the famous "Satan's Chariot" thread of many moons ago?
Owen, ha! Good one! Where the heck did you run into that thing?
Does that say Magnum Marine behind the Donzi emblem on the bow?
What a riot! Do you know what they are doing with it?
Seems to be in good condition.

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GeneD
007
Melbourne, Florida

superhatz
09-25-2000, 10:35 PM
Seriously...What is that?

Owen
09-25-2000, 11:34 PM
Me? Well. That's pretty self explanitory. http://www.donzi.net/ubb/smile.gif

This is a boat that has been shadowing my life for about 28 years. Almost bought it once before it was restored. It's the current owner's pride and joy
and he did a fantastic job at restoration. This is one of the five Banana Boats Aronow designed and raced in 1967. There are no known other survivors.
Refer to page 67 in "Thunderboat Row."

To Paraphrase Miicheal Aronow:

"The Banana boat was an experimental version of the Magnum 27-foot. Harry and Gene Schoell built it buy narrowing the beam to only 6 1/2 feet. The boat was built in north miami and had two supercharged 409s. Don called them banana boats because they were all yellow. 1n 1967, the boat as the fastest 27 foot offshore powerboat in the world. But the boat had wicked handling. She could go over 75 MPH but would chine walk badly. Don built two for himself, two for Kiekhaefer and one for Ed Kendall. "She's too hairy, too dangerous, someone's going to get killed," is what Aronow thought of the boats. Don raced it twice once in The Hennessy cup and once in the New York Around Long lsland Race. John Mecom Jr bought one of Don's Banana boats and raced in local texas races in 1968. The boat could beat anything at the time, but it was so scarry to race that the design was abandoned and the molds were discarded.

In 1969, this Banana boat was bought in Miami and ran up the ICW to the Chesapeak Bay where it was abandoned at a boat yard for about 12 years. We tryed buying it several times but the time was never the right time. The current owner has lovingly cared for it.

I was 14 years old when I first saw this boat in the bone yard section of a marina somewhere around 1972. This boat lit the donzi flame for me. I'm 42 now and I still get a thrill when I see her.

seano
09-26-2000, 06:39 AM
Owen...you are a lucky man...this is a rare sighting indeed. one question though, wasn't this boat spotted on the east coast? I thought it was in Massachussetts???

GeneD
09-26-2000, 11:45 AM
Hmmm, you're right. But I thought it was New Jersey.

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GeneD
007
Melbourne, Florida

BERTRAM BOY
09-26-2000, 07:46 PM
WOWWWWW AWESOME PHOTOS OWEN!!!!!!! Does this mean that you're dragging the Jr. cross-country?
BERTRAM BOY

Owen
09-27-2000, 07:55 AM
Yes, I'm working on the check list right now for the 3800 mile tow. I keep forgetting how big this frigging country is. Lovely weather you guys have been dealing with on the east coast - this sucks for September. Today will be the first good one in a while so we're going out for sea trials. Issac be gone!
Leaving in a few days so if you guys have some suggestions on great lakes to splash, I'll check 'em out on the way back. MD to OR.

Rob
09-27-2000, 08:09 AM
Has the boat been modified substantially since it's race days? Does it still have the supercharged 409's?

I can't imagine them routing the exhaust from that set up through the trim tab exhaust ports.

olredalert
10-05-2000, 10:44 PM
While the satan boat is a fabulous Donzi and posotivly one of the banana boats,it isnt the only one left as i saw one here in MI.only two summers ago.I answered an add that said:27ft. donzi x-race boat for sale.When I went to see it I had "The King of Thunderboat Row" with me.They are unforgettable boats.I wish now in retrospect that I hadnt felt that it was hopelessley overpriced.It needed alot and Im being kind with that description.Maybe I should try to find my way back to it now.Saying it was in the boonies is an understatement!!!!!!The hull and deck were intact and appeared good.

Owen
10-07-2000, 08:17 AM
olredalert,
Did you get any pics of the MI boat? Over the years I've hear countless second hand stories of other survivors, but the boats can never be traced later on.
Chariot is most likely Kendall's boat as it was not rigged for pure racing. It had and has twin 289s and lots of teak. The pure race boats would have had larger engines that were staggered since the beam is so narrow. Its hard to put a price on these things since they are so rare, but only appeal to a small group of people. What was the asking price for the MI boat?

BERTRAM BOY
10-07-2000, 11:18 AM
Boy, you don't really relize how narrow it is until you look at the "heads on" pic for awhile.
BERTRAM BOY

olredalert
10-07-2000, 02:17 PM
Owen........Sorry about posting new thread but I forgot where I posted Last time.Another senior moment you know.You will find some of your answers on my post to you.My wife and I both think the price was around $14500.There were many patched small holes,denoting many many modifications.There appeared to have been some attempts to civilize the beast,some more sucessful than others,but in my opinion(and i have done just a small amount of offshore racing)the boat was a racer originally.It appeared ,though,to have only been a single screw all its life.I didnt look deep enough to confirm that fact though...........just...ol red!

Tom on Lanier
10-07-2000, 03:28 PM
Owen - nice shots of an unusual boat. It is interesting how many varieties of boats have carried the Donzi name over the years.
Ol Red - if you really want a Corsican, keep your eyes and ears open because they do seem to pop up every now and then. In fact, Big Grizzly has a nice one with Holman-Moody etc. Don't think he is selling right now though. Seems like there was one for sale in the Detroit area a couple months back.

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Tom
"Tomahawk"

olredalert
10-07-2000, 08:53 PM
Tom on Lanier: Thanks for the glimmer of hope.As it happens there is a rare Corsican up here around Harsens Island.Its mostly yellow with white trim,but thats not the rare part.This particular Corsican was delivered with a 427cu.-400hp. Holman-Moody/v-drive package.Have only seen it the one time,but managed to wangle a ride in it for my neighbor and I.Original gelcoat and upholstery were in good condition.Driver said it was his uncles machine but his uncle didnt use it much anymore.Engine had had 3 rebuilds over the years.To tell you the truth,the boat didnt impress all that much.Obviously,the angle of the shaft and prop are such that a whole lot of boat is in the water at any speed.No speedo but it felt about like 60mph or so.Also, with that much hull in the water the ride was really nice.You just couldnt get it to fly like a boat with trim.Id still give my left.....for it,but she aint for sale.OH WELL!......just.....ol red!