"Donzi-esque" Sportboats From The Late '60s

[FlatRacer, aka BarrelBack]

Does anyone have any pics of boats from other manufacturers that attempted to capture the Donzi "sportboat" style of the late '60s classic designs?
I've snatched up the images of the 18' Cobalt that looks like the Donzi X18 from the "Cobalt" posting on the Donzi Performance Talk side of the forum. Are there any more pics out there of that model boat?
Also, I'm thinking of a Chris-Craft model which I think was called the X19(?), which I've seen as a stern drive and as a jet drive (possibly even offered as a V-drive).
Another model I recall was the Sea Ray Pachanga from the late '60s. The pics in my Dad's brochure were of a yellow jet drive boat with a rallye stripe on the deck. The boat had a bit more freeboard, but otherwise looked very much like a Donzi 18' Classic.
Any pics or leads would be greatly appreciated. I'm researching this topic for the fun of it, as well as a possible article for publication in some Donzi club newsletters.

Thanks,
Eric :)

[Craig]

Flat Racer,

The Donzi styled Cobalt 18' was popped from a Donzi 18' Corsican mold, not an X-18 mold. Also, I've e-mailed some old Donzi and Cobalt- "Donzi copy" magazine articles to Scot for eventual inclusion in the "old articles and/or ads" section. One particular ad was Powerboat Magazine (March 1970) re: the Cobalt XV-200 (copy of Donzi 16) (begins pg. 27). Powerboat Mag. will send you a copy of the article if you contact them, but as I said it should eventually pop up here along with some other old Donzi magazine ads I forwarded to him. Also, the Paghanga (by Sea Ray) you mentioned here was discussed a while back. They were a little "more different" but still, as you said "Donzi-esque". Click on search here and type in Pachanga. Some posts will pop up and maybe some pics. Also the "Fiberglassics" web page had some info on them. In summary (someone correct me if I'm wrong), they were fast, but a little more squirrely because of a flatter bottom.
I could probably forward some of the Cobalt info. to you (e-mail, snail mail etc.) if interested.
Other boats "along these lines" are Four Winns Unlimited U-17 and U-19, as well as the Viper 18 (by, I think Python??) but these are not from the 60's and 70's. More like the 90's up to present.

[Sagbay32]

Eric,
There is a pretty good site to check out:

www.fiberglassics.com (http://www.fiberglassics.com)

[Craig]

Eric,

Also, not sure whether you saw my post a few weeks ago about Cobalt's new 2002 catalog including a picture of their 1969 copy of the Donzi 16 (Cobalt XV-200 mentioned above). Click here -- (http://www.cobaltboats.com/company/history.html) to see it on Cobalt's web page. I grabbed a brochure from the local Cobalt dealer for the history and my own interest. My '69 XV-200 is like the one pictured but with the dark green stripes.

[Craig]

Trying link again for above entry.
http://www.cobaltboats.com/company/history.html

[FlatRacer, aka BarrelBack]

Craig,
Thanks for the info. I've seen ads for the Viper 18 recently (a few yrs back), but I hadn't heard about Four Winns, models. I'd be interested to see pics of those.
Thanks for the Cobalt link. It makes me wonder what, if any, deal there was between Cobalt and Donzi for Cobalt to do such an outright splash of those two hulls. Mr. Brown, would you be so kind as to enlighten us with a history lesson here?
I found a pic of a Pachanga at Boat Trader Online. Looks just like I remember it in my old brochures from the sixties. (If only Mom hadn't thrown out my box of boat catalogs!!)
I've seen the Chris Craft sport boat in person (not up close though). I think it was called the X19. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. I've yet to find any pics of those.
Craig, I'd love to see any pics of your Cobalt you feel like e-mailing me.

Eric :)

[Wavewalker]

Flatracer,

For photos of the Chris Craft XK19 check out the following site: http://forestportboatco.com/ChrisCraft.htm

[Craig]

Eric,
With regard to "a deal" between Donzi and Cobalt, according to most, basically "THERE WEREN'T ONE!" They (Cobalt) just did it and apparently got sued over it. That's why they didn't make many. A couple previous threads covered some of this info. Mr. Brown commented it was a complete surprise to them (DONZI) when Cobalt made the copies.
I'd be glad to e-mail some pics of the Cobalt info. as well as a few of the 90's Four Winns U-17 and U-19. The latter used the DONZI hull as a basis for their similar, but different design, but both Four Winns and DONZI were owned by the same company at the time so it wasn't a problem, I guess, for Four Winns to produce their boat.
One problem on the e-mail -- Can't find your e-mail address! Didn't show up in your profile. If you get it to me, I'll e-mail you some info. and pics.

[FlatRacer, aka BarrelBack]

Wavewalker, Got 'em. Thanks a million.
Craig, just hit the little icon of the envelope w/ the little man standing next to it at the top of this post. If that doesn't work, my address is eric.tolnes@verizon.net
Thanks,
Eric

[SWW]

I have a 1972 chris craft xk 18 it has BBC jet I think they are petty rare ill try and get some pics up and it does look like a donzi I have had it for 25 years I always wondered who copyed who eek!

[FlatRacer, aka BarrelBack]

SWW,
Thanks. Wow, I didn't know Chris Craft made them in two lengths. Does your XK18 look like the XK19 in the link to Forrestport Boat Co. (a couple posts above this one)? I remember seeing one on Lake George, but I thought it was a bit more similar to a Donzi than the ones pictured in the link. I was wondering if your boat had the same kind of "V" shape to the rear seatback.
Eric :)

[Dave911]

You might look into Sutphen boats from FL. I own a sistership to the craft shown below, and it is often mistaken for a Donzi.
img]http://www.offshoreonly.com/classifieds/upload/boats.1422.1.jpg[/img]
If image not visible, visit www.offshoreonly.com, (http://www.offshoreonly.com,) & visit the Sutphen GS 18' in the classified section.

[Dave911]

Hopefully this will work. '72 18 foot Sutphen GS.

http://www.donzi.net/photos/Sutphen18GS.jpg

[SWW]

Hey flat racer I seen the post above he said its 69-70 xk the one I have is a 71-72 xk and dont look nothing like that. :cool: Mine looks a old wooden cc but is glass Ill get some pics of mine ;)http://www.teshio.com/JetBoat/chriscraft.htm this is not my boat but if you copy and paste that what the 71 72 looks like I bet theres less then 100 made and their not cheap. eek!

[FlatRacer, aka BarrelBack]

Dave, Thanks for the pic. Yup, that definitely qualifies; looks like an 18' Classic if I ever saw one.
Walt, Can't wait to see the pics of your later model Chris Craft XK! How's the Sanger coming?

Later,
Eric :p

[Tony]

Eric,
Here's a link to a Four Winns U-17 (http://www.donzi.net/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=000057), currently for sale on the "other boats for sale" section of the Donzi Registry. These and the Cobalts were well built knock-offs, and I hear the Sutphen was, too.

[fasttrucker]

i had a north american s-18,boss-2.it was powered by an omc 307ci motor.iwould race my freind in his 18 donzi,iwas faster in calm water,but donzi would pass me in the chop.i have a picture maybe i could get it scaned?this was back in the middle/late 70s. :)

[FlatRacer, aka BarrelBack]

Fasttrucker,

Sounds pretty cool. I look foward to seeing it. Thanks.

Eric :)

[RT]

Another boat of Donzi looks is called a Monza. I just looked at one for sale in Greenport, LI,NY.
as someone told me it was a Donzi. He was partially right as it has a Donzi decal on both sides. This one looks about 19-20 ft. I believe it was made in Florida.

[Dave911]

Take a look at my newly refinished Sutphen under "Boat is finished...". I read a claim recently that there were only 17 produced. Dave

[FlatRacer, aka BarrelBack]

Dave,

I saw it. Very very nice! Did all the Sutphens have that "bump" in the deck fowrard of the helm?

Eric :confused:

[Formula Jr]

This XK Chris stuff is pretty interesting. The XK 18 isn't of the same family as the XK SuperSports, which are not copies or styling clones since Wynne designed them. As with the Formula 322 - which looks like a bigger Donzi 28 and the CC Lancer which looks like a scaled down Seven Meter. The Monza Is such a perfect clone of the GT 21 that It had me fooled for awhile, as did the Lightning - another GT 21 clone. Both show up two years after the original.

The cloning began before Donzi though. Take a look at an earily SeaRay 22. A dead ringer for the Formula 233 right down to the sliding hatch. It would be interesting to know who designed the earily Bertram Baron series....

[HyperDonzi]

from what i remember of a pic 5 years ago of a Duo X-18 ( is that right??) it had the overall hull design of a 18 except the windshield was bigger and it was an outboard.

[Dave911]

Eric - Thanks very much for the compliment. As far as the helm-side dash shape, yes, the few other Sutphen Gran Sports I've seen have had this same "speed bubble" look. Also, the stock boats featured a shapely windshield that stood up roughly 12 inches and provided good (not great) wind protection. Unfortunately, in my not-so-wise-youth, I tossed out the windshield (and the frame) when the visibility dulled. Bummer!

[Holman-Moody]

1970 Sea Ray Pachanga story and pics here:




http://members.aol.com/certforms

[vrod02]

I noticed the sea ray has a rocker hull as well. I think Poodle said somethin about X dim. Was the 21 GT like this?

[vrod02]

Donzi clone? Whatever great boat today, I love it.
http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e139/vrod02/?action=view&current=1_0836.jpg

[FlatRacer, aka BarrelBack]

That's a classy looking boat there VRod. Is it a Century?

Eric

[FlatRacer, aka BarrelBack]

1970 Sea Ray Pachanga story and pics here:
http://members.aol.com/certforms

Nice job, HM. I remember when was a kid, staring for hours at the 1969 Sea Ray catalog that my father had brought home from the boat show, and drooling over the yellow Pachanga pictured within. I just bought that same catalog a few months ago on eBay and did a little more drooling for old times sake. Gotta love eBay!

Eric

[vrod02]

That's a classy looking boat there VRod. Is it a Century?
Eric

Thank you Flatracer. Its a 72 Monza. Some say its a clone, whatever.