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View Full Version : Windshield on the 18 Classic?



MR MAGOO
02-25-2005, 09:50 AM
A buddy wants a windshield for his 18. I say no way. They don't belong on a classic. Might as well put tractor stacks and flaps on my Top Gun. Who agrees with me?

RickSE
02-25-2005, 09:56 AM
New windshields are OK. I don't like those big older style windshields.

MOP
02-25-2005, 10:01 AM
A buddy wants a windshield for his 18. I say no way. They don't belong on a classic. Might as well put tractor stacks and flaps on my Top Gun. Who agrees with me?

I sure agree on the pics of the one you posted, but disagree on the later style that looks similar to the 22 Classic. I did a little running this past summer with an 18 that had the later windshield it looked good and well proportioned to the boat. He did say that it did deflect the wind into his face but gave him something to duck behind when a big one came his way. I do like the no windshield look also, but it still boils down to individual taste.

Phil

MOP
02-25-2005, 10:03 AM
Now that is what I am talking about Rick, his boat is a match mate to yours and looks pretty darn nice!

Phil

donzi182003
02-25-2005, 10:21 AM
I like the windshield. When i was in the market for my boat I did not want a no-windshield boat. If you operate in salt or in open areas it helps keep spray away from guages and the interior of the boat. With the low freeboard that the 18 has, spray over the bow is pretty common. Also i notice when it is cold outside (62 degrees) :cool: it protects from the wind a little bit. Also the boat looks like a bigger boat with the windshield. Just my opinion.

P.S. The windshield on that boat on top of thread is huuuuge!!!!!! I agree that some might find that a bit much. My boat looks just like ricks (same windshield) xcept i have red sides.


Edward

Ranman
02-25-2005, 11:00 AM
- Tall clear on the 16 ski sporter (originals) or no windshield at all.
- No windshield on the original/older 18's

- None or low smoked on the late model 18's
- Windshield on a 22 Classic is a must. Non w/s 22's look odd.
- Late model 16's should have no windshield, the new low smoked ones look funny.

This is the correct "order of the Donzi windshield world" IMO. Make sense?

No one shall deviate or disagree with the "order" or a war of flames will quickly ensue. :biggrin.: :biggrin.:

Ranman
02-25-2005, 11:04 AM
Rick,

When was that picture taken? Of what boat? Do you have that pic in hi-res? That looks exactly like my 18 (which was originally an AZ boat). Would love that pic for my office.

Randy

RedDog
02-25-2005, 11:04 AM
dang - the world is going crazy. Ranman has is right :beer:

olredalert
02-25-2005, 11:34 AM
-------I would be willing to be sworn in, in court and testify that this windshield is not factory. I have never seen one quite like this affixed to any classic. The original Taylormade windshield that was an option back in the early days was truly much better looking than what is pictured in the first post........Bill S

Surfer
02-25-2005, 12:06 PM
No shield, the factory shield just directs the bugs into your face, and a big one looks real goofy. Gotta taste the salt!

Walt. H.
02-25-2005, 12:34 PM
OMG!! That big thing in the first pic is Fuggly, reminds me of someone trying to fit a Honda Goldwing fairing onto a Harley Davidson Sportster! :bonk:

Way out of scale. :eek!: :eek!:
Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder and its his boat, but if you boat and don't want to get wet buy a cruiser or keep it on the trailer. :biggrin.:

Plus that shield has to cost about 4-5 mph off the top end! :shocking:
Walt :cool!:

Crazy Horse
02-25-2005, 01:06 PM
I think the Classic 18 looks best with a windshield.

Marlin275
02-25-2005, 01:09 PM
X18 s never had them
Geoo goes 120 without one

Greg
02-25-2005, 03:01 PM
My '18 had the Taylor made on it when I got it. I have to say, I don't like the look, but I do like the windshield. Think I will go with one of those low-slung smoked ones whenever I finish it.

RickSE
02-25-2005, 04:00 PM
Ranman,
The picture is of my 96' 18 which now belongs to a co-worker. I thought your 18 came out of TX, TX via AZ?? Maybe I'm wrong, it's been a while. Sorry that's the highest resolution I have, was taken with an older digital camera.

Always nice to have an old summer boating picture to look at in the middle of winter.

I agree, X-18's should not have a windshields. The lines are just too good to cover up.

Eugene Nahemow
02-25-2005, 05:03 PM
No windshield on an 18!

mattyboy
02-25-2005, 05:55 PM
no no no no no no no ever ever ever a windshield, as Randy says they are only for looks except for the old style windshields the new ones are not really functional
drop down in behind a windshield???? if your worried about a lil spray or a cold wind buy a bayliner with a bimini and the plastic baggie sides :rolleyes:
nothing like the sting of the rain at 50 mph hitting your face, anyone who's been to the dustoff knows that feeling ;)

Cuda
02-25-2005, 09:52 PM
Way to go Kurt! Why don't you ask something that we can all agree on, like which oil is best! :bonk:

Btw, I like the low windshield look on an 18, but definetly no windshield on an X.

MR MAGOO
02-26-2005, 09:08 AM
Hey Cuda, I was in your 'hood again last week. Stopped at the Wing House in Daytona on the way to Miami.

Too bad you couldn't make the OSO party. It was packed (300 OSO'ers in attendance) People were looking for you!

Kurt :pimp:

Formula Jr
02-26-2005, 07:43 PM
18's don't have enough of a flare on the bow or rocker in the hull to counter the down force of a windshield. Hornets do have this flare, but not 16s or 18s. So flying an 18, with a windshield is not just a spray protection issue. It changes the dynamic of how the boat handles and makes you trim up too far to counter the down force of the shield at speed. This balance of the down force of the shield and the trim needed to over come it, sucks out power that could be used to move forward. The wind flows around you with out a shield. And even at 115 (the fastest I've been on a boat, its not bad with glasses) And I always sit on top of the head of the seat anyway on a shielded boat or stand. We all really need two boats.
One is the good time, fair weather boat, and the other an all weather boat with a cabin and an a shield, a head. And you can carry a portable galley. Don't try to make one into the other with sub 20 foot boats.

I love my 'Swirl 18 for what it does well. And I love the Jr for what it does well. But I wouldn't want to turn the 'Swirl into a Donzi killer (though people out here in the PNW have stuffed some serious HP in these boats, big block v8s that run in the mid seventies - cause the hull design is almost perfect for our varied water conditions), or turn the Jr in to an all weather boat. These are different tools for different uses.

boatnut
02-27-2005, 07:18 PM
18 Classic = no windshield (check the math)
Even the later factory windshields on 18 classics are a bad compromise on the most elegant classic design of any production speedboat ever produced.
My '81 22 Classic came without a windshield and it also was classic beauty.
If you are going to put a windshield on an 18 you might as well also add the swim platform and totally hose it! (Not that I have a strong opinion on this.)
Ed

p729lws
02-27-2005, 07:19 PM
Love the look with the windshield! :D

And the small area of deck under the windshield does give me a place to keep the handheld GPS and VHS.

Dan

Craig
02-28-2005, 08:18 AM
Hi folks. Haven't said hello for some time. I think the last time I wrote anything there was a windsheild debate!

My 2 cents: That particular windshield just looks wrong. The ole' Cobalt Donzi copy had the same glass (plexiglass) as the one Donzi used, so the look is the same.

The glass on the boat pictured is too high or something. Plus the extra piece of metal at the sides looks wierd. It also has a different curve down to the boat at it's ends too. Just doesn't look right!

It's a nice glass, but not on that boat.

The old plexiglass one is so easy to pop on and off that I remove it sometimes, and I have it on other times. I kind of like both looks, but favor the "no glass" look just a bit.

I will say that over the years, I've noticed I've had more people say they like the look of the glass on (but what do they know!). I suppose beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.

The stuff about the wind effect on the boat's attitude (above) is interesting. I had never thought about it because it seems like years ago someone told me that spoilers and ground effects on things like old Camaros, Vettes, etc. really didn't have much effect until you were going a good bit faster than most of these boats go (like around 70 or 80 mph -- I know "some" of the Classics get up there with some tweaking, but not most).

Neat Thread.

JimG
02-28-2005, 01:36 PM
Windshield or no?

I like 'em all! Face it, with or without a windshield the Donzi classics are the best looking small boats ever designed.

But, I'm glad my Donzi came without one. With a top speed of 55, don't need it. On my Thoroughbred I have flip up shields, helps a ton at higher speeds.

JimG

Barry Phillips
03-03-2005, 01:22 PM
I had a winshield on my 18, although it was useless I liked it, sort of a want to be 22 look. I like 18s without windshides to, matter of taste I guess.
Come to think of it the windshield on the 22s don't work much better eather, but who cares. :wink:

Tony
03-03-2005, 03:35 PM
In my totally unbiased opinion, certain boats look good with a windshield (see below). Also, there is a "spousal functionality factor" that is hard to put a value on!

joseph m. hahnl
03-03-2005, 06:21 PM
it's to far foward thats why it looks so goofy. if it was all the way back so it didn't shorten th bow so much and tinted it black it would probably look pretty good.
the newer splash sheild looks pissa. my opion is they look way better with the sheild that's why it cost $3000. for the glass. most people are to cheap to spend the extra doe not because they don't like it . you can put a windshield on any thing if you got the cash.I've been on the water since i was born, almost on my fathers 1965 trojan 31 . up here in the north the waters about 40 degrees out at sea and when you been out there all day. a windshield is a welcomed comfort. even if it's only a half shield. try whalering for 33 yrs and you will know what i'm talking about.

joseph m. hahnl
03-03-2005, 07:48 PM
I didn't like the windshield on my Whalers either... :eek: :eek:


the huma ga??? to bad mine never had one I probably would'nt be so bitter , cold that is. as in i'm f'n freezen. where's my cafe late maker. thank god hot chocolate in the live bait well. what was i thinkin there? oh no my thermos makes a lousy anchor plus it filled with shaving cream. dam i knew i should have taken that left turn at albecorky.:propeller :propeller :propeller :propeller

boatnut
03-03-2005, 08:54 PM
The first windshield on a Classic 22 was done by Dick Clark of Sierra Boat Co. in Lake Tahoe CA. The 22 was relatively new then and Dick was a Donzi dealer doing very well with Tahoe's big buck customer set. They loved the 22 (Tahoe has frequently choppy water) and thought it was perfect for the lake. However most customers required a windshield (they sold lots of Hornets and GT's) and Clark had a couple of shields designed and then worked with the Chishelms and talked Donzi into offering a windshield. Dick (he is no longer with us) also told me he was very instrumental in talking the Chishelms into building the 22 in the first place----a very possible story. Somewhere I have a picture of a 22 in Sierra's showroom with the prototype windshield on it that was used to convince Donzi management. In summary, in spite of Tahoes cold mornings, windshields look best elsewhere --- not on the classics, but they work well for the girley men :). Ed

joseph m. hahnl
03-04-2005, 04:27 PM
well I,m not arguing with you guys any more .you like what you like some people like lamboginis some like ferarri's either looks good to a poor man any way i don't have an 16,18, or a 22, my 20' minx was designed with a wind shield and i like it just fine so i leave it to you classic nuts to battle it out.

boatnut
03-04-2005, 05:43 PM
Joseph, I think you summarized the discussion pretty well. Especially defining a segment of us as classic "nuts". There is a progression to nut status. For me it started about 37 years ago: first you get instantly hooked by the look of a classic; next you ride in one and are also hooked by the ride/performance; next you have to own one or more and you learn how to take boating to a new level. Your boating takes on a primitive focus, action and fun without the complexities of excessive seating, adequate storage, glove boxes, swim platforms, and of course windshields. Next you become defensive about all these unneeded creature comforts that we choose not to add to our simplistically elegant classics. At this point we are qualified "nuts", but we do love these boats! Nice looking Minx! Ed

DonCig
03-06-2005, 10:52 PM
I am surprised by the lack of creativity out of this inventive bunch.
I to own a Classic 18 with a windshield. Are there are some days when I wish I could remove my windshield so the bugs can splat on my chest, and not just on my teeth?
You Betcha!
So creative geniuses, figure out a way to make a quick removeable windshild on my 1997 Classic 18' and my wallet will open up to your creativity.
And no, I do not need weenie bars, just some nice plugs to make my windshieldless Donzi look nice. And please treat the 22' crowd with the same respect.

DonCig

Lenny
03-07-2005, 12:27 AM
Boatnut, you coined it PERFECTLY,

That was my experience.

Thanks for reminding me :)