Looking to de-virginize w/ a DONZI

[blueliner]

i am going to be a new boat owner soon and am looking for some advice as to what i should be looking for in a used boat. i am thinking of a 22zx as my first boat. too much boat, too little. what's the maintenance like?? i live in vancouver, bc on the water and have a boat slip w/ my house. i have to buy a boat when it is that easy and accessible. what are some of the problems associated w/ keeping your boat in the water year round??? what extra maintanance is required so the boat won't go to s#%*. any advice you can give will be greatly appreciated.

thanks in advance.

steve

[mattyboy]

Sorry I thought this was a "how to" on women and Donzi's
:tongue: :smileybo:
not a first time boat thingy
I would get to a gathering and see the models then make your choice.
leaving a boat in the water causes problems as blistering in paint and gel and water marks not to mention electrolosys on the drive
i don't think a step boat is a first time boat, they have their own handling characteristics as any performance boat does
and so does a classic for that matter, test drive one or better yet ride as a passenger that will give you a feel for the ride and handling


good luck on your search
Matty

[gcarter]

In the water all the time?
How about a "throw-away" boat like a Bayliner? :jestera:
Are'nt Bayliners made up in that direction? :)
Can you add a lift to your slip?

George

[Lenny]

Steve, I would buy a 22 Classic if I was you. It will work GREAT in your water. Having gone across the strait many times, and just last week in the Balckhawk, I can tell you it is a blast in that boat. If you are talking salt water I would say DON"T do it here, if you have a dock/shed in salt them maybe try and find a used "lift" somewhere like what we see on Okanogan Lake. If you are in the brack-ish water and then fresh of the Fraser River then don't worry about it. Nice thing about playing in the Gulf Islands and then coming "home" (yours') up the river, is you get to see all the nudes on Wreck Beach, then scenery up the river is very cool, and all the time you are flushing out the motor.

I couldn't bring myself to leaving a DONZI in salt for an extended period but that is just me. An overnighter or few days, okay.

Good luck in your hunt, we'lll see you on the water once you find her. BE PREPARED to go on a road trip and be prepared to end up in the Northeast and Southeast to get one. Don't waste your time looking at all the junk around here and the FEW that keep getting recycled down in Washington State.
There are some beautiful boats out then for about 35-40K$ Can.

One more thing. Attend a DONZI event, there are a bunch coming up. Spend the $1500-$2000 and get some airfare and a hotel and meet the people, and ride in some boats at an upcoming event. 16-18-22 etc. 1000 Islands run comes to mind and it is about $800 Can return to Vancouver. Add a car rental and a hotel and away you go. I think you will be pleasently surprised by all of them. It will show you first hand what these rides are all about. The 22 Classic fits the bill around here I think.

Happy hunting, let me know if I can help :D Lenny

[Fish boy]

Hi BlueLiner,
Welcome to the donzi registry. As you may have noticed, this is a big family with an abundance of humor. I am glad (although biased) that you are thinking about a donzi for a first boat.

Having said that, these are high performance boats and each has some unique handling characteristics (as do all high perf boats). Matty was correct in mentioning the caution with stepped hull right out of the box. It is very fast and requires the operator to drive, not steer the boat. Not trying to discourage, in fact, if that is the boat you like then by all means get it- you will not be dissapointed! But, it will take some seat time to get used to so please don't just go out and push the throttle all the way down - unless you are wearing depends LOL

As for leaving it in the water, you will not find too many supporters of that here. The cost of a lift or a trailer is nominal compared with the maintenance of leaving it in the water-especially salt water. depending on the water you plan on running in, you also might want to consider the 22c, 18c or 16c also.

Perhaps if you listed what kind of water (salt/fresh/choppy/lake...etc), what your needs/desires are, price range... you will get some great feedback here. Then again, nothing beats going to a get-together where you can see dozens of different types, meet some great folks, and go for a ride with people who own- rahter than a sales person who might not be as candid with pros and cons. Who knows, you might fall in love with a boat you never knew existed- it would not be the first time it has happened on this board.

Good luck, and welcome to the donzi family.

Fish

[gcarter]

OOOPS...I forgot to say Welcome!

I truley was being facetious.
And I feel pretty strongly about this. The reason is, in January of this year I bought an 18 year old Donzi that had spent an extended period of time in salt water.
Now when I went into this project, it was with the intention of restoring the boat. But about 30% to 40% more work was required because of the salt damage.
You see why I feel so strongly about this. I'm sure you'll find other opinions on the board, but that's mine.
I'm expecting to use my boat in salt water extensively,Duhh-I live in Florida, that's why I'm incorporating a closed cooling system along with my new engine. But it seems very few other members feel the same way I do. That's just an example of the diversity you'll find here.
But Fish Boy and Lenny are correct, come to Sarasota in October, cheap insurance against a wrong purchase.

George

[Koenig]

The family kids boat was a Sea Ray Seville 17 that spent about 4 months at a time in salt. We bought it brand new and by the second year it looked ten years old! We did a redo of the interior and a few other engine repairs, rebuilt carb, replaced belts and alternator, few more things that I can't remember. One of our marina neighbors bought the same boat, color everything, but they took it out of the water after each use, hosed it down, etcetera. Their kids used it as well and at the "same" level of teen abuse as us, but theirs looked ten times better over the years. Third year rebuilt drive and engine. When we sold it in 1990 best offer we received was $3,500, bought showroom new in June 1986 for $27,000 and change. The marina people bought cabin on a lake and are still using the same boat! Doubt our old Sea Ray is still alive.

[mattyboy]

Blueliner,

I cannot comment on the ills of salt water but my boat stays in fresh water for the summer season in the north east and well
IT'S A BOAT, I USE IT EVERY CHANCE I GET , IT GETS DIRTY YOU CLEAN IT, IT BREAKS YOU FIX IT, IT RUNS YOU ENJOY IT,
RUN HER TILL SHE BUCKS YA, PONY UP AND THEN RIDE HER SOME MORE ;)

oh and remember salt is for margaritas, fresh water is for boating :tongue:


Matty

[blueliner]

thanks for all the info. i live of off the burrard inlet up near the indian arm outside vancouver in a seaside commun ity called deep cove. it is not directly on the ocean but up a ways from it. i guess it is still salt water, even though it seems a lot of the water is runoff from the mountains, which would be fresh water of course. maybe it is not as strong of salt water. i mean there are two marinas w/ in walking distance of my house. there are a lot of boats including some rather large and expensive yachts, and these all are in the water 24/7. why would all these people leave there boats moored if it was os detrimental. are they just lazy??? i guess if you have a boat slip that came w/ your house (prepaid)for 20 years, it would seem pointless not to utilize the convenience of just deciding on a whim to take the boat out fro the afternoon. instead of bringing the truck to the storage place,hitch it up and then drive it to the launch. is there such a thing as not so salty water????

ha ha

steve

[gcarter]

Hi Steve;
Inboard yahts are designed to stay in saltwater continuously. Prop shafts are Monel, props are bronze or SST, rudder stocks are Monel, and rudders are bronze or SST. Many zinks are used to reduce effects of electrolosis. Additionally, the hull is painted annually or semiannually with with antifouling paint, guaranteed to kill the performance of your boat.
On the other hand, outdrives are aluminum and will eventually corrode no matter what you do to it. Corrosion in the outdrive will eventually sink your boat. Mine, when I bought it (sight unseen) had a large hole in the gimbal housing that had been filled with a tube of filler. The entire outdrive when stripped looked like a Swiss cheese. There was a number of coats of anti fouling paint on the bottom that hid a remarkable amount of hull damage.
If I make a suggestion, either add a lift, if possible, or change your goals to an inboard boat and use the normal precautions for keeping it in the water.
There's nothing wrong with an inboard, Here in Florida there's a number of companies that build essentially fishing boat hulls finished to your standards and fitted with 800 HP to 1000 HP diesels that are no slouches, 40 to 50 knots all day. Just like in Maine there are companies that build high speed lobster boats with a lot of character.
I guess I got a little wordy, but these are just my opinions. I'd say worth about $0.02 US.
Welcome again;

George ;) :cool:

[blueliner]

not wanting to sound stupid, but, doesn't a 22zx have an inboard motor??? what is brackish and what are the common maintenance you are referring to? again, i have never owned a boat before. sorry for asking dumb questions, but i want to know what to expect. thanks again

[Islander]

An alternative might be an outboard powered boat. We have a Mako with two Yamaha's that has been floating non-stop off docks in Miami and the Bahamas since 1987. We don't even have a trailer for it. Last time I checked, it was still there. Only pain is an annual haul for fresh bottom paint and periodic replacement of zinc anodes. But it sure beats having to trailer it back and forth to a ramp whenever you want to use it.

Too much noise is made about salt. It involves a bit more maintenance and expense, but it’s not the terrible evil that the fresh water enthusiasts warn about. A quality boat designed for salt water use should give you many years of service provided you keep ahead of the maintenance curve.

[gcarter]

Yes Steve the engine is inboard, but the outdrive, the part thats outside the boat, is aluminum. With most Donzis, with the inboard engines all the way aft, it's not possible for the outdrive to be raised all the way out of the water like an outboard so corrosion is always a problem.
Islander's idea is a good one. When an outboard is raised it is clear of the water therefore reducing corrosion issues.

George

[blueliner]

gotcha, but the 22zx doesn't come in an outboard and that's what i really want. a hoist sounds like a good idea, but how do you mount something like that on a boat slip in a marina. i assume it needs to be mounted to something very solid. any websites you know of to get some pics of these hoists??also, what is brackish water???

thanks again

[blueliner]

checkout www.jetdock.com (http://www.jetdock.com). does this thing look like it would work??? it would definately solve my problems. it looks like it keeps your boat fully out of the water. what do you think???


steve

[Dax McDavid]

brackish water is a mix between salt and freshwater. Buy my 22zx!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :biggrin:

[gcarter]

Sea water (salty) is about 20% salt. Brackish water is less than that. Usually it will be nominally fresh water that, because of tidal movement, will have some salt in it.
As far as lifts go, the yellow pages will have local contractors listed who do this work, contact several for pricing.
I can't stress enough about attending an event to gain experience and knowledge about these boats.

George

[Islander]

If you're dead set on a boat with an outdrive, then I would definitely find a lift for it.

[blueliner]

well, right now i am in the UK working on the new Batman movie. I will be back in Vancouver at the end of august. i will have to look for anevent to attend then. do you know of any off hand??? do you see jetdock.com ?? i am a person who is all about quality and performance. i don't mind spending more to get more. everything i have read about the donzi line, is that the workmanship is top notch and they look and perform great as well. having never been a boat owner, all i have heard are the nightmare stories about being money pits. i want to make sure i buy the right boat for me and my wife. e-mail me the link to your 22zx so i can take a look.


steve

[gcarter]

Look under "Events and Gatherings" for "Donzi Owners Renezvous 2004". It takes place in early October and you can probably swing a tour of the Donzi plant.

Looking forward to meeting you;

George

[Dax McDavid]

i agree, attend an event first. A zx and a clasic are two completly different animals. You really need to know what you are looking for.

[Lenny]

Brackish water is the stuff where the Fraser river meets the Georgia Strait. It is a mixture of the fresh water coming down the "mighty Fraser" where it meets with the tidal Salt waters of the coast. You will notice that most of the Fraser you see in Vancouver is affected by the tide in the ocean.

I know Deep Cove well. I lived in Van for 7 years and played all over there. A lift is basically the size of your boat and takes the place of it at the wharf. The boat drives into it and you raise it above the water by a couple feet. There are MANY designs of these.

I am wondering why your "first boat" is going to be a DONZI.

It is going to be a handful for a first timer, with many tradeoffs in relation to a run of the mill cookie cutter boat. You would probably be better off starting out in something that has already lost a lot of its value, is more novice friendly and the useage and deterioration is not so much of an issue.

http://www.google.ca/search?q=boat+lifts&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&meta=

http://www.boatlift.com/lift/ultra_lift.php

[gcarter]

Steve, I agree with Lenny, set yourself a budget of $10,00- $18,000 and buy a used Donzi. Figure it all out, and when you're ready you should be able to recover most or all your money. A ZX may not be your cup of tea. It's easier and cheaper to move up rather than "out". There's nothing wrong with this method. As a first timer, it may surprise you how much performance a 18C, Minx, 22C or other Donzi model has.
This is another $0.02 worth of opinion. :bonk:

George

[KRAVEN]

Hey Blueliner,
There is a company out of Stoney Creek Ontario that manufactours a Lift.The company is Leisure Lift,they do have a web site.Bo and Angela are very helpfull and it is very reasonable.I purchased one 3yrs ago when I took delivery of my 18 Donzi.It is worth looking into. ;)

[notdaddys]

Hey, I was just reading through the posts and wanted to say I hadn't ever driven, trailered, or owned a boat when I bought mine. Granted mine isn't a ZX model. I bought a '98 22Z ith the stepped hull and cuddy. Noone in my family ever owned a boat, I just rode on my friends boat a couple times and HAD to have one. This Donzi just fell into my lap. From everyone I had spoken to when I was researching what to buy, the majority said to purchase a used boat. I find the stepped hull is very easy to drive, and I haven't had any problems with anything. So me, being a girl, learned a lot in the past year. And whatever needs to be done, and all the stuff that you need to learn, people are always willing to give advice. So if you want a 22zx, then thats what you should get. I have had a ton of fun on my 22Z, and have had brought about 8-9 people on it, comfortably. Its ideal for speed and for fun with friends.

Tami