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View Full Version : Looking for a Donzi FC 23 center console



RickyR
05-13-2004, 08:52 AM
I prefer the 1988 model. but am willing to look at the 1987 or 1989's. I am willing to travel the east side for one.
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks, Ricky...

edit: not an F C it's just "F"

Capt Don
05-16-2004, 12:06 PM
Great Lakes yacht Sales in Chicago has a 1989, asking $22,500. You can find it on Yacht World.

Fish boy
05-19-2004, 12:35 AM
Hey RickyR,
Welcome to the Donzi Registry. The f-23 is a great boat! Not too many of them around, but I wish you luck in your search. They pop up for sale from time to time, if I come across one I will post it for ya.

I am not personally familiar with the one in Chicago, but IMHO, it is a little more $$$ than they usually go for.

Fish

Fish boy
05-19-2004, 12:43 AM
here is the one from yacht world. Looks like the price came down a little bit. I think this has been for sale for several months- someone posted a question here about this boat a few months ago. Looks real clean from the pic, but still a little pricey IMHO.

f-23 (http://yachtworld.com/core/listing/pl_boat_detail.jsp?currency=USD&units=Feet&checked_boats=1182463&slim=quick&)

RickyR
05-19-2004, 04:23 AM
Thanks for the replies.. I may have found one..... Will let y'all know what happens..

I had one of these boats as a tender for the Hatteras sport fish I used to run, a good while back. The guy I worked for made a deal with Donzi, and he and his buddies bought (3) 23's and (1) 33 direct. We used the 23 extensively in the Bahamas and south Florida for years. I towed it everywhere, behind the big boat. I even have video of the Donzi airbourne when we got caught in some nasty weather. I had a reinforced towing eye built, and it towed extremely well at 25 knots..
Anyway, I will hopefully be posting pics of my new toy soon..
Thanks again, Ricky...seeya...

Fish boy
05-19-2004, 06:14 AM
Ricky,
was the 23 you used in the bahamas by any chance a yellow one with twin 150's?

Looking forward to seeing the pics of your new toy, and glad there willl be another f-233 on the site.

Fish

RickyR
05-19-2004, 06:36 AM
No, Ours was grey with a 225, then we had it painted Imron white to match the big boat.
If we are talking about the same yellow boat, I think it had 140's. He was a buddy of mine named Cavin. They were from St. Augustine. I forget the name of the big boat though. The guy owned a construction company in the Jax/St. Aug area??? I even think that boat sunk. Pretty common for these.

One of our group did have a yellow one with a 225, that was a tender to the 65 Hatteras Motor Yacht. A red one that went with a 52' Hatteras Sport fish (watched it flip over in the surf near Green Turtle Cay but we rited it and towed it back to Fla.)
Then the blue 33 was a tender to the 65' Hatteras sport fish.
Thanks, Ricky...seeya...

MOP
05-20-2004, 07:47 AM
Says its a 22 but maybe they are wrong.

Phil

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listing/pl_boat_detail.jsp?currency=USD&units=Feet&checked_boats=1224133&slim=quick&

RickyR
05-20-2004, 08:23 AM
Phil,
I called those guys and asked all kinds of questions.. They said that it was a "nice" boat. We agreed on $5500 subject to my approval, (was asking $7500 with 1/2 of a motor) and I drove down (with trailer) cash in hand.. So, 9 hours later, I'm wondering if his idea of a "nice" boat and my idea of a nice boat were even similar.. The deck is softer than a loaf of bread,the wood in the console is rotten, the liners in the aft hatches are missing, the deck under the port aft hatch was broken...etc.... So I went inside, and asked to speak to the manager, to see if he would still work with me. I offered $3500, He wouldn't get out of his seat, I must have insulted him.....
They said that it was a used boat and that was that...NO MAS..So I got back in my truck and drove back to Chas..22 1/2 horus later....:angryfire

BTW they have a 33 center console that's almost as bad..
Thanks again, Ricky...seeya...

Fish boy
05-20-2004, 08:41 AM
RickR,
As soon as I saw phils post I was curious and sent an email asking about the boat too. After reading the answers to my questions from some guy named Joel, and looking at the pics, I was thinking the same thing as you in terms of what someone should pay for this- somewhere around $3000-3500 for just bare hull. It is probably worth more, but it is a project and who knows how far you will have to go into it.

Good luck in your search and if I can be of any assistance lemme know.

fish

RickyR
05-21-2004, 08:44 PM
Fish,

Don't waste yout time with that boat..Trust me :(
Anyway, my new toy is in the back yard.. I found one and picked it up today..At least this trip was only 11 1/2 hours round trip ( VA). I found it on ebay. Well not exactly.. The guy was selling the arch off of it, and I sent him an e-mail inquiring about the boat..Well, turns out he was considering selling to boat too.. So making a long story short, I got it..
I'll post some pics soon...
BTW.. It's yellow.. Not the one that was posted here.
http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=33717&page=3&highlight=f23
but a deeper yellow with a yamaha 200..
Thanks again for y'all's efforts..
Ricky...seeya...

Brian Freeman
05-22-2004, 10:16 AM
was the boat in good shape that you boat?

RickyR
05-24-2004, 08:07 PM
Brian, I think the boat is ok. Not spectacular, but it will suit my useage well. I spent the last 2 days cleaning the bilges, and straightening out the wiring. It looked like a spider web of wires in the stbd rear hatch, and under the console. I have some rot in the deck of the port rear hatch, and the normal spider cracks near the first compartment in front of the console. I haven't had the chance to run the engine, but feel pretty sure the previous owner was truthful about it's condition. Overall, I am very happy with the boat, and am looking foward to my first voyage. We will not be using it Memorial Day weekend... Too many idiots yachting that weekend,, We will be taking the jeep to Tellico (Murphy, NC) while it is still cool up there..

I do plan to mix some oil in the fuel for another break in period... At least this is what a buddy recommended. I have little experience with outboards...Gimme a 12-71 Detroit anyday...

Still planning on pics soon..
Thanks, Ricky...seeya...

Brian Freeman
05-25-2004, 06:54 AM
congradulations on the purchase and enjoy!

Fish boy
05-25-2004, 07:35 AM
Congrats on the new boat Ricky. Glad to hear there will be another one on the registry. As for the one in s. Fla, thanks for the warning, but I am pretty happy with the one I have and not looking for another. The price just seemed almost too good to be true with a 225 and trailer so I was curious... it was too good to be true.:(

Can't wait to see some pics. If I can be of any help, lemme know.

See ya,
fish

txtaz
05-25-2004, 11:13 AM
Hey Ricky, Congrats on the purchase. Smart move on running extra oil until you know the engine. There are several schools of thoughts for break in. The Korean fishermen in South Texas idle their outboards for 24-30 hours. These motors are for heavy duty use and hardly ever in the shop. On my hopped up 140 rebuild for a light boat, I used the variable speed break in. If I remember correctly, first hour idle only, next 10 hours variable speed under 2500RPM. Don't stay at any speed more than 15 mins.. After this some like to run WOT for a burst, Then next 10 hours, variable speeds under 4000RPM, same 15 min rule ( a few spikes to WOT). Some quit after this point. The pro bay fishermen run another 10 to 20 hours under WOT, spiking and varying the RPM's. They claim it seats the rings better. So since they make their living off the motor, I would trust them. Then again, they put thousands of hours a year on their motors and swap out every few years. Also, clean the plugs well and often. If you have a newer motor with an oil injection system, it will not be in break in mode like a new motor. I don't know if they have feedback for engine performance, but to be safe I would clean the plugs often since you will be smoking quit a bit.
Hope this helps,
Wes

Fish boy
05-26-2004, 08:28 AM
Ricky, what motor does it have?