Mine's A Splash But Can I Play Anyway??

[Instigator]

:p Here's a picture of my baby bellow.
It's a '85 24' Sonic which I am 99% confident was splashed from a mid/late '70's Donzi. I looked at one and the hull and deck was identical.
Have had mine about 6 yrs now and have done a complete re-rig, re-power of it.
Have had boats all my life and usually get bored every 2 yrs:embarasse
This one broke the mold for me!!
Am in the middle of building/modifying the two OMC 250 V-6 O/B's and they should be done by mid/late April.
Do almost all my boating in West end Lake Erie and I'm sure have seen some of you guys around.
Have had nothing but problems the last 2/3 seasons though and have been learning what I can break, AND what I can break! Been through L/U issues (broke one twice 25 miles from shore both freagin times), power heads (don't ask), trim tab lines blowing off ( 4'/5' beam seas!! OF COURSE!), trailer tires (blew three on my way to Fla last Summer!) anyhow, you guys all know the story I'm sure.
Biggest thing was (learning curve) that the boat ran the best right after re-rig with box stock motors :p And we all know "STOCK SUCKS" right?? Everything I've tried since has either slowed the boat down, blown up motors, or both!!
So that's who I am and I wanted to say thanks for this board and for letting me hang with you guys!!
BTW, I grew up on Erie in the '70's and saw (drooled) all the Magnum's, Cigarette's, and Donzi's cruising our area and am lucky to have been there for that. My parents actually docked their boat at Cedar Point when they had the "Stroh's Grand National" there and I have a few pix's of me jizzing on the boats in the parking lot:D
Back when men were men and "Offshore" Racing meant........, welll... "OFF" Freagin shore!!! 140 MPH cat's, gimmme a break! Cool boats but "Offshore"???
Yeah and 5'9" is tall in my world too:wink:
Funny too, Hot Boat did a stroy on the legandary Dr. Bob Magoon and he even commented in the story about that race and how the waves coming from all directions beat the tar out of them:rlol: I've been in the Atlantic, and the Gulf and ain't nothing like Lake Erie when she's pissed off!!
Try setting the boat up for a 4' head swell and then see a 5 footer coming straight for your beam at the same time:eek: Definately keeps your attention!

[mattyboy]

Instigator,
nice boat but it doesn't look like any 24 foot mid 70's donzi I know
spitfire or spirit or doral , 7 meter ???, to me looks more like a 24 superboat splash
anyone can play but you better have a thick skin with any splash around here ;) :)

and with that screen name you're checking in a little late it is almost spring
:rlol: :)

wait but it is april fools day

[Instigator]

thick skin? check
plash? check
Beleive me, understand and have seen both sides to splashing. I "do" understand that I know enough toi be able to splash some one eles design and probably have it run good.
I also understand that if I had to design it, pay for the R&D work, making the plug, etc, etc. it would make a Bagliner look like a Formula and get out run by a liner w/a 4 banger Volvo I/O :biggrin.:
Anyhow on my boat a couple of knowledgable people toold me that including a past Sonic employee.
The one I saw though was about a '74/75???? that was for sale at Lake Erie, had been toataly re-doone and had twin small blocks with Volvo Duo Props (shoud have bought it)
Don't know model etc, but the lines were identical from what I remember.
Instigator,
nice boat but it doesn't look like any 24 foot mid 70's donzi I know
spitfire or spirit or doral , 7 meter ???, to me looks more like a 24 superboat splash
anyone can play but you better have a thick skin with any splash around here ;) :)

and with that screen name you're checking in a little late it is almost spring
:rlol: :)

[Ranman]

Looks like a 24 Spitfire to me. Not that I'm a great judge as I've only seen one close up and in person.

[mattyboy]

Randy that was my first guess too but the spitfire if I remember correctly had a straight windshield, the windshield on the sonic looks bevelled that's more of a doral type windshield but the rest of the hull is definetly not a doral
the spitfire would have had twins volvo also that would explain the volvo duo props in the redo that instigator saw maybe a spitfire splash wish the model list was back up that would help

[olredalert]

-------I think its possible that we are looking at the Doral deck with a modified windshield. The lines are right. Your graphics, while nice, make it a bit harder to posatively ID the hull in that picture. How about more pics? Nice boat, Instigator! If you can find your way up to Lake St.Clair for one of our impromptu get-togethers this summer, we can check the hull against my El Pescador which is the center console version of what I believe your boat to be. Did yours start out as an IO???? Has your Sonic connection told you what they did with these molds? Its just plain depressing................Bill S

[Greg K]

I do believe he is correct, since the 24 molds did go to Sonic..
Here's a 24' Spitfire
http://www.donzi.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1367

[Instigator]

My contact @ Sonic was 6 yrs ago when re-rigging the boat.
I was actually calling O/B bracket Mfg's for info on a new one for my boat and I just happened to get a guy on the phone @ Stainless Marine that said he worked for Sonic while they were dialing the 24' O/B's and he knew about it. Told me exact set back distance which was a huge variable for me as mine was rigged with two of the old Gil tube style of bracket which was all that was available back then.
Mine started life as an O/B an I have actually seen a few around. There's one for sale on Boat Tarder right now. Actually, tow. One nice, one toast!
The old Donzi I saw with the twin Volvo's was a "real" Donzi or had a good set of graphics on it.
Never forget it either as it was "PERFECT" from what I saw. Orig. "Era" blue naugayde interior. The motors had "Corvette" valve covers and were advertised as Vette motors.
Thing would have been a hoot to drive with the Duo Props!!
I think I have some more pix's of my Sonic on a floppy still?? I'll load em if so.
I am actually planning on spending some time farther North this Summer if all goes well. Been trying to do Georgian Bay/North Channel since I've had the boat but never seem to have the $$$ + time + dependable boat at the same damn time :)
Again, great site! I love the history and the knowledge and background from you guys is incredible!

[Instigator]

That's defionately the hull but I think my deck is higher.
One of the reasons I like my boat so much is it has sit down head room in the cabin and nothing else in the class did/does.

My contact @ Sonic was 6 yrs ago when re-rigging the boat.
I was actually calling O/B bracket Mfg's for info on a new one for my boat and I just happened to get a guy on the phone @ Stainless Marine that said he worked for Sonic while they were dialing the 24' O/B's and he knew about it. Told me exact set back distance which was a huge variable for me as mine was rigged with two of the old Gil tube style of bracket which was all that was available back then.
Mine started life as an O/B an I have actually seen a few around. There's one for sale on Boat Tarder right now. Actually, tow. One nice, one toast!
The old Donzi I saw with the twin Volvo's was a "real" Donzi or had a good set of graphics on it.
Never forget it either as it was "PERFECT" from what I saw. Orig. "Era" blue naugayde interior. The motors had "Corvette" valve covers and were advertised as Vette motors.
Thing would have been a hoot to drive with the Duo Props!!
I think I have some more pix's of my Sonic on a floppy still?? I'll load em if so.
I am actually planning on spending some time farther North this Summer if all goes well. Been trying to do Georgian Bay/North Channel since I've had the boat but never seem to have the $$$ + time + dependable boat at the same damn time :)
Again, great site! I love the history and the knowledge and background from you guys is incredible!

[Formula Jr]

http://www.donzi.net/photos/osaffell526.jpg (http://www/donzi.net/photos/osaffell526.jpg)

humm.... guess it don't work dat way no more......
Oh well, must have missed the memo.
Yes, it does look like a spitfire 24. Or an F23.

I feel your pain on "improving" Outboards. They start out so high strung that there isn't much you can do to them.

[Instigator]

hope this helps you experts





http://www.donzi.net/photos/osaffell526.jpg (http://www/donzi.net/photos/osaffell526.jpg)

[Instigator]

The name Doral rings a bell for some reason??
I thought I knew Donzi's half way and you've already listed several names I've never heard of??
And so to not get off on the wrong foot, I called you guys "experts" because you are to me on this subject.
Thanks for the info so far.

hope this helps you experts

[Greg K]

Here are two more...the hull is the same with modifications, Sonic more than likely modeified the deck to suit them.
http://www.donzi.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1368
http://www.donzi.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1366

[olredalert]

-------Great pics! Thanks....Im thinking that Sonic (much the same as DONZI) built the hull and inner liner (basis for the El P) and built a new deck mold as that deck has very little in common with any of the DONZI configurations. You can see the inner edge that the deck indexes into toward the stern. Definetly nothing even close to the Spitfire.

-------By the way, Instigator, your hull was originally designed by the great Harry Schoell. Im biased but I believe its the best work he ever did............Bill S

[Instigator]

GregK, some great pix's Thanx!

Olred, I'm not familiar with Harry Schoell??

Here's another shot of what I started with. Seperate brackets (pulled transom loose from supports due to twisting), all steering hydraulics and rams completely exposed.
Don't really have a good "after" shot but I hid all lines, ram's etc inside new modular bracket/platform.
I have a couple more good ones @ speed but they are on a floppy that I am having trouble with??

[Instigator]

here's one I got to work that is a 1/2 descent "after" of the transom/rigging

[Instigator]

Very interesting!
You're saying 15 of my boat built?? I'd guess that low. If not, I've seen at least 1/2 of them since I've had mine.

Good point on the "splash" comment and I would have to agree.
Guess my definition of "splash" would be " design/model stolen from the orig. builder or rightfull owner of said design".
Sound about right??
If you paid for or in any way had rightfull wonership of the design/molds then it becomes "your model" until you change/improve it then it becomes your "design".
Lived in Fla last Summer and spend a lot of time down there and their "opinion/definiton" of splash is way different than most peoples.
On another site there is a set of 24 Skater "copy" molds for sale right now. No pretending what they are.
Gary

[Instigator]

Just caught your "just N. of Cuba" avatar:biggrin: :smile:
Then followed your link to where I'm guessing you call home.
Was supposed to be there right now but weather and finances (lack there of) cancelled my trip :mad: