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Tony
10-02-2000, 09:59 PM
These Sea Ray Pachangas are on the Fiberglassics (http://www.fiberglassics.com/) site, and look pretty cool. Built in '69, '70, and '71...they are a bit similar to our Donzis, 'eh?

http://www.boatclassics.com/stevead.JPG

http://www.boatclassics.com/newforsale.JPG

http://www.boatclassics.com/tim's70airborne.jpg


[This message has been edited by Tony (edited 10-04-2000).]

BERTRAM BOY
10-03-2000, 08:19 AM
That Lifting eye and gasoline deck fill look familiar, don't they!!!
BERTRAM BOY

Scott Pearson
10-03-2000, 08:45 AM
Tony,
I owned this exact boat back in 1988. Same colors yellow with a black gut and all...Scary. It was a 1969 all orig gelcoat, Small block chevy with a Kiekhaefer drive. It did not have that railing around the sides. I have the pictures and a Marine survey that shows all equipment. The name I had on the boat was "RAMBUNCTIOUS"


Still....Its not a DONZI!

(NJ) Scott

Craig
10-03-2000, 11:24 AM
Tony,
Never knew there was a Sea Ray Pachanga that long ago. I've got some literature (an add) of one from, I believe the 80's, that was apparently a pretty hot boat. As I recall it said something like 800 hp in the specs (this was bigger than these old ones pictured here and looked a lot different). The one here does have a slight "Donzi" classic look, especially the nose shot. The hull looks a good bit different to me though in profile. Scott, how fast with the 350?

Scott Pearson
10-03-2000, 12:45 PM
Craig,
Not all that fast... GPS around 59-60mph. Still wish I had that boat. It was real clean. They owner before me took great care of it.

(NJ)Scott

PaulO
10-03-2000, 01:43 PM
Hey Gene D!

Your name and old e-mail is listed under one of the old Pachangas for sale!!

GeneD
10-03-2000, 01:50 PM
Okay guys, you caught me...
I was going to post this this morning, but photopoint is not working today and I have two photos to show. I'll cut and paste my post, (I save it on word pending photopoint's return) without the photos. Hopefully Scot can do it for me later.
"Actually, they are not like our Donzis.
I have done a complete comparison of these boats compared to mine.
Right now, this is the fastest boat in my town.

http://www.donzi.net/pachangatom.jpg
http://www.donzi.net/tomracing.jpg

Thing is, they are fat, high, and the deadrise is not even close to 24 degrees.
But they are fast as hell!
Also, the engine hatch doesn't even lend itself to checking the oil. Doing anything to that motor requires an elf to climb in there.
But they are fast as hell!
The cockpit interior is not very comfortable either. And the pedestal seats are a bit unwieldy.
But they are fast as hell!
I originally was looking for one of these boats when I stumbled across my Donzi. The Donzi is way more pretty than the Pachanga, and my buddy agrees.
I, for one, am very glad I got the Donzi instead of this boat. At high speeds they are very unstable. Chine walking is inherent in the design and Sea Ray discontinued this model soon after it's inception.
The new Pachanga model is not even close in design to the older model.
The boat I am showing here above (a 1969) belongs to my childhood buddy and I've been trying to beat him for years. It was only after getting my 260 Merc and my Alpha SS that I was finally able to take his butt.
This boat has a Mercruiser 350 EFI and Alpha SS combo that is pretty tough to beat.
But as with most boats, they can't handle the rough water like a Donzi can, and that is when can I take him out. The hull config at the transom is rounded and like I mentioned before, the deadrise is not 24 degree. They (my Sea Ray buddies) claimed that it was, until they saw my boat. The difference is like night and day. Also, it does not contain any composite structure like the Donzi does, and the hull and deck are solid fiberglass, but the boat is extremely light.
And guess what?
They are fast as hell!"
So there you have it. The story of GeneD and the Pachanga. Kinda...because this saga continues!


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GeneD
007
Melbourne, Florida

[This message has been edited by GeneD (edited 10-03-2000).]

[This message has been edited by harbormaster (edited 10-04-2000).]

Craig
10-03-2000, 03:56 PM
So Gene you're saying they're pretty fast? ... Fast and cheaply made? Nice combination. Hey, I found the old ad for the Pachanga I mentioned above. I thought 800 hp sounded high as soon as I wrote it, but it was 600 hp (still a lot) but its a Pachanga 32, so I guess it balances out. Get this it was in a 13 yr. old magazine I had and the price of it, in a write up elsewhere in the magazine, was $67,195.00 (in 1987)!! Also article critiques a Donzi Z-33 Crossbow. I've seen Z-33's but hadn't heard the name "Crossbow" on the site. Its price wasn't given. Also shows a Magnum 63 Sport (yes 63 is for 63' long!!) ...price? $1,400,000.00 Whoa!

Gearhead99
10-03-2000, 08:52 PM
Oh, yes a Pachanga. Some kind of a boat. Had a very good friend with one in the late 70's, early 80's. I had a 16 Donzi at the time. His Pachanga was Yellow too and had the wrap around windsheild. VERY FAST

It was powered with a SBC and an OMC outdrive. Boat had twin buckets and a dorky consul under the dash with a tach and some other gauges or switches in it. Very hard to read and kept coming loose.

Had the stripe off to one side. The front didn't have a lifting ring. It is a cleat with a hole in the middle of it.

GeneD, I don't remember it not being a deep "V" hull. My memory tells me it was very deep and had the inside strakes go all the way to the transom too. She would chime walk at speed in glass smooth water. Not uncontrolable, but would keep you on your toes. My 18 Donzi would chime walk "REAL" bad on smooth water about 70 mph on the bottle. I would touch the tabs a tad to stop it. Damn that Pachanga was Fast.

Very light, built kind of on the cheap side too. The deck would oil can when you walked on it too.

But, bottom line it was FAST. Always mistaken for a DONZI too. Had transom exhaust also. Believe me when I tell you I was a very unhappy camper everytime we went out and he would come around my 16. The darn "hook" in the bottom of the 16 kept the speed down. You could feel the bow coming down as the speed increased.

Not many original Pachanga's around. Kind of neat boats. VERY FAST TOO.

I remember the fuel tank was mounted to the deck under the front bow. Not under the deck. Very strange. The stringers went "noware" in the boat. I mean noware!!

The motor mounts for the rear mounts went trough the bottom and were a carrige bolt. No kidding. Believe me, I helped put the engine and drive in the 69 several times.

Brings back nice memories though. Very FAST too.

GeneD
10-04-2000, 11:34 AM
I wouldn't go so far as to say they were cheaply made. This particular boat was gutted and re-strung (new stringers) properly.
It has the original center console under the dash, and yes, the tank is bolted to the hull floor under the bow deck. The strip is off to one side, and you would be able to see this is Scot got off his Texas butt and posted my pics! (Gosh I like bashing Texans! HA, only kidding, I make no distinction!)
Yes, these boats are fast. And weird looking on plane. The thing goes up in the air so that the only thing in the water is a couple of feet of transom. And again, you could see this in one of the photos above, it Scot would...you know...
But in the end, let me tell you. It can't hold a Q-Beam to the Donzi. The Donzi is a much better handling boat, more pretty, more comfortable, and damn it, with the proper set up, faster than that old Sea Ray hunk of polyester resin!
The Yellow Boat, HUH!
I'm sick of hearing about it.
Long Live Donzi!

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GeneD
007
Melbourne, Florida

harbormaster
10-04-2000, 10:16 PM
Geno, if Tommie heard you talking about his Searay like that he would kick your ass!

The smartass texan

GeneD
10-05-2000, 10:24 AM
Well Scot,
At the very least I would get an irate phone call from him!
Thank Don he doesn't know how to use a computer!
Thanks for the pics, makes everything visual at least.
Yeah, that boat. I worked on it last week, and after he took it for a ride, he called and said it was as fast as ever. Said he scared the hell out of Gail.
Hold on little girl!
You know, that brings up an interesting topic.
How many guys out there have had their significant others thrown around the boat to the point of near-ejection?
Why is it that women won't hold on? DonziGirl thinks she is the boaters woman and thinks it is really cool to NOT hold on. This has resulted in numerous injuries to her 94 lb frame. Some attributed to ME! As if I had something to do with her not holding on!
What's with that?


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GeneD
007
Melbourne, Florida