Lake Cumberland Spring Kickoff

[Magicallbill]

Hey. Y'all
I certainly appreciate the feedback on my prop question last week on the Performance Talk section.
I wanted to let you know if you don't already to be careful on Cumberland. I've been down there for years boating, and when it's in high pool there are logs everywhere.
I've been in every cove from Jamestown to Grider Hill, and the drift tends to collect in the creeks and narrows. Obviously, as the lake drops throughout the year, it goes ashore.
Are there any other get-togethers in the Midwest area set up for 04? I would like to attend one if it's not too far from Indianapolis.
Have a great time for your Cumberland Party, but watch out; It'll be pretty high water around Memorial Day.
Bill

[Donzigo]

.........LOGS? .............."we don't need no stinking LOGS!"

Nope, I don't think anyone in this group knows anything about those logs you're talking about............... :rlol:

Could you re-state your prop question?

[Rootsy]

Bill,

we whom have attended AOTH for the last couple of years know all too well about the landmines... 2 years ago was pretty hairy... and we all love our sterndrives to death...

last year wasn;t bad and hopefully the rain will hold off in may to allow us to have relatively debris free boating.

As far as other Midwest gatherings.... check the events section cause the M.A.D.C.O.W's are having our first "official" event on Lk. St. Clair the end of July... we generally do a couple of informal outings a summer... anyone who attends won't be disappointed with the water, watering holes and the Aisle of Flesh :eek!: PLUS... landmines are EXTREMELY few and far between... ;)

JR- why yes i do love my grenade

[Magicallbill]

Rootsy,
I, too will cross my fingers for drift-free Donzi-runs for your Cumberland trip.
My son and I will have 2 Ski Sporters this spring all done-up that we would like to try to bring to your St. Clair rendevous.
As I said in my prop selection question in the "Performance Talk" site, they are restoration projects that will hopefully be done in May or early June.
I have spent a little time on St. Clair when I had my 22ft. Grady-White. I would come up thru Erie from the islands and go to Port Huron and back. Except for running the main shipping channel, I know little about the lake.
Do you book motels way in advance? Can I get launch ramp info, etc. on the "events" site? I'm new at this stuff, so you'll have to walk me thru the procedure, but I would dig meeting all of you and talkin' Donzi's for a weekend.
Donzigo, my prop question was what kind of prop would be a good match for a 16 Ski Sporter with a Volvo 250 and a 342 Ford with between 310-320 Horsepower.(My mechanic doing the work says old Volvo's will eat about 50-60 horse, so, maybe 250-60 at the prop.) Got some good replies, but would welcome yours, Rootsys or anybody else's. Like JR Ewing said on "Dallas" "the more you know, the luckier you are."
This registry is great. What a neat way to keep up on the coolest boats there are!
Bill

[Rootsy]

Bill,

i believe roadtrip (Todd) and Sam have setup the one hotel... there were something like 22 rooms available, i have no idea how many are left. I believe there is docking there and there are numerous launch ramps around the area.

[boldts]

Hello Bill and welcome to the Registry. Looking forward to seeing both of the 16s you and your son are restoring.

For the last 4 years now, I along with other Donzi friends have been the creator and organizer of the May Lake Cumberland gathering called the Awakening of the Horses. The first year, we held it in early May to keep the cost of the rooms still on the Spring rate. It was also on Mother's Day that year. Since then, I've been able to move the date to later in May for the very reasons you stated. The Jamestown Resort has worked with me to still give us the Spring rates rather than the higher Summer rates. We have been blessed every year with little or no rain in the forecast and most of the time, the temperatures have been bearable also. Some years, more Donzi owners show up than other years, but that is OK because when I first created the Midwest Donzi Club and this gathering, I was praying that just one other owner would show up with their Donzi.

I too am looking forward to the MADCOW gathering on St.Clair. In years past many of us in the area have gotten together before AOTH to run the boats to make sure everything is ready for Cumberland on Lake St.Clair. Like any other lake, you have to be smart there also and purchase a lake map that shows depth and obstacles.

The thing about Donzi gatherings is not the number of attendees, but the quality of the attendees. You won't find a better group of people than the owners who attend these gatherings. Many travel great distances and may even have difficulties in actually getting to the location. Things haven't always gone as smooth as I would like. We had some really expensive hamburgers one year LOL but, when they arrive, it's like they have stepped into a new world. No complaining about the trip or about weather or even the logs that may crop up. It's always been "Hi Scott, I'm ________ from _______. What can I do to help?" The launch ramp on Thursday is a thing of beauty! Anyone needing a hand doesn't have to ask twice.

This year, we are honoring the Donzi Criterion with a first ever, Criterion Reunion. If there are folks out there sitting on the fence about coming to KY, don't wait to long to decide. The Criterion is one of the rarest Donzi models built. Supposedly only 25 to 29 were ever produced and I'm working to get as many of these Donzis that still exist to KY in May. If you've never seen this model Donzi in person, you need to be at this gathering. I've not yet released the shirt design for this year, but it is in it's final stages and just as a hint of things to come, may be the only time you will see all Criterion models side by side.

Sorry, I get long winded writing about this gathering and Donzi boats. Look forward to the release of the shirt design for 04 and an itinerary of planned happenings during the long weekend. Hope to see as many Donzi and other Aronow factory boats in attendance as can make it. Oh, and if your Donzi is still being restored or you don't own one yet? Don't let that stop you from coming. You won't be left standing on the dock because there is nothing Donzi owners love more than showing off their Donzi to someone with the desire to also be behind the wheel of a Donzi. :)

[Magicallbill]

Hey Scott,
Thanks for the note and the info on your club. I never get tired of reading about "Donzi Stuff."
Unfortunately, I can't make it to Jamestown because my son and I are musicians out of Indy. We also own and operate a PA Company and provide pro-audio for events, and the end of May is "Indy 500" time as you know. I don't see how we can get away with our schedule;That's why I was asking about Lake St. Clair. That would be much better timing and less debris in the water.
Where on the Lake is it? Anchor Bay? Grosse Pointe? Mt. Clemens? I'm gonna fill out your info to join and you can E-Mail me or call and let me know the details. Heck, getting to join in on one of your shindigs would be better for me than a trip to Disney World.
I'll cut this off here directly, but I might as well tell you all too that my son&I have gone off the deep end; We have two other 18 classics besides our restoration projects. He has a 350 mag in his and I have the Scorpion Pak in mine. His is a 2000, I think and mine is an 02. They tell me at the Donzi Plant that the Scorpion 18 is kinda rare; not many have been ordered. My engine is the 377(350 HP) with the Bravo XZ drive. The darn thing won't stay in the water at high speeds; Too much weight aft, I think, but I'm no expert on that stuff.
Again, I'm looking foreward to a good summer, best wishes to all of you for the same. Let me know about St. Clair and upcoming stuff,
Bill

[Rootsy]

hey, get it right.. it's 12 days of BAD SLEDDING!

Bill,

July 23 - 25 is the MADCOW event. A lot of us put in at the sherrif's launch just north of Metro Beach... the Hotel is further north where the rooms are blocked and there is a place to put in closer to it in algonac.

check this thread out... http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=31902

those at the head of the organizing can help you more than i can. i'm along for the ride :D


Root - Damn the lake refroze last night...

[Ranman]

For the other 18 Scorpion look here:

http://www.donzi.net/hull.cfm?id=591

http://www.donzi.net/hull/DNAC8003E102/DSCF0037.jpg
http://www.donzi.net/hull/DNAC8003E102/DSCF0038.jpg

[BLACKIE]

;) You Florida guys know that if it was not for the snow being frozen here in the north it would be water running down into the ocean and that would cause Florida to be flooded. You would be mooring your donzi's to the top of a palm tree. :D :D

We are doing you a favor by shoveling it instead of wishing for warm weather to melt it. So the next time you see a northern license plate on a car in Florida tell em thanks........

[BLACKIE]

;) You Florida guys know that if it was not for the snow being frozen here in the north it would be water running down into the ocean and that would cause Florida to be flooded. You would be mooring your donzi's to the top of a palm tree. :D :D

We are doing you a favor by shoveling it instead of wishing for warm weather to melt it. So the next time you see a northern license plate on a car in Florida tell em thanks........

[Tony]

Magical Bill...welcome aboard!

My '67 Ski Sporter (http://www.donzi.net/hull.cfm?id=198) has a tricked up 302 Ford putting out about 300 horsies, with a Volvo AQ200 (virtually identical to the 250). My standard aluminum 14 x 21 inch prop gives me the best hole shot, towing ability, and mid-range "wake jump punch". But for top end, and less steering torque, I've got a 14 x 24 SS Volvo Ultra that I like to use, especially when I know the lake well and am confident there is no chance of a surprise log or shallow spot. The Ultra is said to be kind of hard to come by, but I think there is currently one listed on this site.

If you've got the horses, and don't mind a bit of slip out of the hole, the Volvo Ultra also comes in a 26" pitch. This is a prop I would love to try if I could locate one! But, I feel that the basic design of the Volvo 200/250 limits top speed due to its hydrodynamics. Also, when the Ultra is on my 16, and I am at 5200 rpms and 60 mph...things get a bit hairy. Helmet slop and chine walk combine to discourage me from letting it all hang out very often!

Got any pictures of your 16's? What year are they? Four Donzis in your family...there are only a few on this board that can claim that! The Lake St. Clair get-together will have some very sweet Ski Sporters, including the fastest (Rootsy's) and one that is hot on his tail (Sam's). You better call the hotel for the Lake St. Clair gig and get your room, when I called there were only a few left.

Tony Sporer

[Magicallbill]

Hey Tony,
Thanks for the info, and I"m havin' great fun posting back-and-forth with you all.
As I did with the other feedback I got, I will send the prop info along to my guy whose doing the restoration.
I'm really fired-up about mine and my son's 16's. He bought my blue '68 from Jerry Eisele, and we picked his '66 up North of Atlanta. Are you familiar with Skater, the guys who make the Champion racing offshore cats? They are doing the paint job and the hull work and strengthing; my mechanic who I've worked with for years is doing the engine install, cosmetics, etc.
I have a couple shots of the hulls with the decks off, but, as I told Scott Boldt, I am new with computers, and I'll need help to get them to you all, but I will.
As for the other, they are both 18's a 99 and an '02 Scorpion. Yes, we have 4 Donzis, but we also have a payment books as thick as "War&Peace."
Your Ski Sporter sounds way cool, and obviously similar to the way ours will be. I've heard the same info about the Volvo Drives not being areodynamically engineered for hi speeds. I have yet to pilot a 16 in that 60-mph range, but I can tell you my Scorpion 18 starts doing the "macarena" at 68mph on up.(The speedo says it's goin' that fast, I guess it is.)
I would love to see your 16, and, heck, for that matter, everybody elses at the St. Clair jamboree. I've still got to make sure were not working that weekend.
Thanks again for the info on your boat and the prop news. Think you could take me for a spin this summer if I bring my cooler along?
Bill