My Take On Island Paradise!!!

[Dr. Dan]

:spongebob Well it was a very intense weekend of Boating... I can't remember the last Event I boated as much. First I wanna thank Steve Boxma for putting this whole show together...it's like herding Cats, with this crowd...and we all had a great time. Those of you who have never attended, ya really outta try to pencil it in for next year... it's gotta be one of the most spectacular places on the planet to boat.

So here's my list of Memorable Items frm this past Weekend:

1.) Polly Horne can keep up with Roadtrip when it comes to late night beverage consumption.
2.) Shea's boat has gorgeous "Trim Tabs"
3.) Most Boats Performance and Longevity Problems can be cured by Shimming their Drive.. just ask Phil!
4.) Dwight has obsessive compulsive disorder when it comes to misshipped parts... "hey what's Roadtrips Cell Number?"
5.) Ken & Martha should be sent into Outter Space to Procreate our next Seed Race of Superior Looking Human Specimans...Trina is gonna give him Grey Hair sooner or Later.
6.) Cliff & Liz make a hell of a "spotter team" when it comes to pointing out reasonablly significant things to avoid while driving ...Channel Markers, Boats, small floating Humans...
7.) Chris ya gotta move your boat...again.
8.) Seaweed likes Bravos, especially with Low Water Pickups.
9.) But Dan ...it's a 28 TXP!
10.) Jill reads alot when she is waiting patiently for the unwilling herd to assemble.
11.) Polly can be argumentative when she is trying to convince you to come to Cumberland... just one more time!
12.) How does Shea keep those Tabs from shaking while he's driving anyway?
13.) Barry McGlaughlin is always welcome with his Jet Powered Classic.
14.) Hornets can be found in the most unsuspecting places.
15.) Chris ya gotta move your boat...again.
16.) Hannah & Alley are really small Fish...that occassionally walk on land.
17.) Stevie & Suzie...always spice up any Event, glad you came.
18.) Diana, you're wearing your Glasses?
19.) Jump Liz ...Jump Now!!!
20.) Shea's Boat runs on High Octane!
21.) Swimming from a Safe Raft up position is always farther out than you think, when you're swimming back.
22.) Lake George Pirates invaded the Isles...Matty & Crew..
23.) Hey Joey, Ya meet Kens Daughter & her friend yet?
24.) Sunblock does not protect from Windburn...
25.) Todd has the best Stoggies...
26.) Boxy's Fantasy BBQ & Picnic..
27.) Eggs Benedict Please
28.) Monte & Sandy are awesome hosts for Strange Donzi Owners.
29.) Phil is not opposed to skinny dipping in remote locations...don't ask!
30.) Canadians make great Donzi Friends...Eh?
31.) Anne looked incredible...
32.) Shims...ya need more shimming...that's the problem.
33.) A 22 Classic with out a Deck Stripe still can be a pretty good looking boat, good to meet ya John...
34.) Tony's & Don's Boats looked awesome with their Windshields.
35.) Chocolate Labs, love chasing Vipers.
36.) Willie Nelson loves the French.
37.) Seaweed can be avoided if the Drive is Shimmed Properly.
38.) A Schedule doesn't help if ya show up late...shoulda used more Shims, then ya would been on time.
39.) Who wants a Toothpick...they're Free...really they give'm out over there? Phil...those are Shims Buddy...put them back!
40.) Shea knows how to Drive his 16 even in the wakes of Viking Cruisers, must be those Trim Tabs.

To be continued...

Doc of the Bay :beer:

[roadtrip se]

1) Following Stevie Marr as the guide boat can look something like chasing a fighting marlin, water spray in the air, he keeps getting farther away, no wait he's over there, whoops now he's over there.

2) Mustang Suzie IS NOT going to let go of that rub rail, no way, no how!

3) Some people run five miles before breakfast AND on the weekends. No Chris and Anne did not want a ride back from the A-bay docks.

4) Steve, the gas dock guy at A-bay, continues to be the rock star of gas procurement facilities. He remembered our names from last year. Class act.

5) I hate rocks.

6) I hate sea weed even more.

7) We burn gas like there will be no more tomorrow and never see the same place twice! Little puddle lakes pale in comparison.

8) Those freighters are really big suckers.

9) Viking cruisers make for waves that no boat and no human can survive. God bless Jill for her driving skill and patience with me as we tried to find clean water behind that behemoth. We were the only ones dry at the docks... I love my wife!

10) 7:45 AM in front of Singer Castle with the sun coming up and having clicked off 81 is a moment to be relished and shared with your buddies who couldn't make it. Adrnealine is better than caffiene any time in the morning.

11) TXP is THE new three letter word and three bladed prop on the SE.

12) Those who get the wrong parts shipped to them have a great excuse to come get them, especially if they have access to free airplane flights! Quit calling and get on up here. Drats no kamikaze prop testing, foiled again!

13) Tony and Cheri have more patience than anyone I know in the Donzi world. Three major repairs in a week, camping in the rain, and I never saw their smiles fade. Kudos to MOP and Ken for helping get my fellow MADCOWs on the water several times!

14) I really like "trim tabs".

15) Have my people call your people. Please stop ringing cell phone, please!

16) It don't get no better than two stroke blender margies and a big fat stogie on the 500 deck watching the sun fade over the trees.

17) Living with two women, Polly and Jill aka the "Executive Harem", can make for a humbling experience. You two ARE my favorite Donzi girls. Polly has fantastic pictures of all of the "cats".

18) Where can I get some of those shims?

19) Old Donzis never fade, they just become things of Classic beauty. What a show of sweet old rides!

20) Boxy is onto something here. Thanks for putting it together and we'll be back...

[RedDog]

I sure like all of the photos in the photo gallery - NOT! :kaioken: :kaioken: :kaioken:

[boxy]

There are no pictures, we banned cameras at the pre run drivers meeting..... :D

I think Polly and Matty have a bunch of great shots, but they are still enroute home.

I'd like to thank all of my old and new friends for once again visiting the piece of the World that X and I (and Shea, and John) get to call home. If you've been here before, we missed you this year. If you haven't been here yet, you don't know what you are missing.

I think I'm learning something every year, and this year was no exception.

This year I learned that....
1) My daughter's love the boat, but only if it is moving fast or stopped where they can swim.
2) Having a sunpad makes for great neighbours at the beach.
3) The Veth's are great boat partners.
4) My favorite faded black Donzi.net hat is a 75 MPH hat.
5) It is NOT a 76 MPH hat.
6) If it was shimmed right I still might have it.
7) Everybody loves Donzi's even if they wake you up the morning your buddy gets married.
8) Nice shoes.
9) We know some of the best people in the world.
10) Sometimes the best BBQ is the one you cancel.

[glashole]

-strange UFO sightings after dark :shocking:


sorry we missed saying good bye to you guys but I had to adjust the trim tabs late sat after supper and again early sun morn. http://www.donzi.net/ubb/rolleyes.gif (you know how it goes)

had a great time looking forward to the next event

Dr Dan please note that I have the shims you were looking for and will send them to in a PM.


great to meet everyone


Shea

[CHACHI]

-strange UFO sightings after dark :shocking:


sorry we missed saying good bye to you guys but I had to adjust the trim tabs late sat after supper and again early sun morn. http://www.donzi.net/ubb/rolleyes.gif (you know how it goes)

had a great time looking forward to the next event

Dr Dan please note that I have the shims you were looking for and will send them to in a PM.


great to meet everyone


SheaShea, It was great to meet you and Stephanie this past weekend. Lunch in Kingston was great, not to mention the Mounties that passed by. Thanks for the tour down the Bateau, the views are wonderful. Hope to see you all again next year. Ken P.S. Listen to Tony .....get tabs.

[mattyboy]

We had a blast!!!!!!!
Thanks to Steve and Lou and the Girls for a great weekend
some pics are up in the gallery section now , Brad Verd I'm not ;)

I was having so much fun I lost the lines on all the wagers but, a sure bet was fun this weekend if you didn't have it you were not there or you're Dead!

some of the mysteries of the islands i solved this weekend

man with big bumpers get respect

SHIM IT SHIM IT REAL GOOD !!!!

was neat to see 2 boats side by side that haven't been that way since they were in the factory in 1967, Tony and Cheri it was a pleasure

my boat needs to loose weight, the battery on the port side a 351w both love to eat freeboard

Steve and Susie are great , that 18 runs like an ape raped by a bull hamsta,


met a bunch of new Donzi friends all with different accents, ehh!! Qui !!
Shea, Polly, Gille, Ken,Tony Cheri, Steve and Susie,

Blasting by the pack when they have stopped to see some awesome site, and not stopping to let them know you're going down the river a piece to get set up to take fly by pictures only means that everyone slows down to make sure you're ok, donzi people are great,but sometimes your pics are not so hot :)

a tricycle with bad shocks is to a 1978 lincoln town car as riding in a 16 on the river is to Xtreme and Ann as they float by in a 33 while a diamond cutter is splitting rare gems in the back seat

being shorter than the windshield or knowing when to duck is everything in life right Boxy :)

Lounging pool side with Cliff and Di is very relaxing, we had a great Sunday

500 tickets in an arcade doesn't get you much these days

Todd's lower looks like a set of darts I have

Watching some nice power boats start a poker run is cool but knowing you have a Donzi waiting with a bunch of friends is way cooler

Shea Tony and I could have kicked there ass :rolleyes:

some people still don't get ramp courtesy it must be a NY thing

I now know if you hit a wake so big that hard that you hear the air leave everyones body and at the same time you hear sounds you don't want to from a 40 year old piece of fiberglass when you get to the dock to open the hatch and expect to see water and are relieved not to but you get puzzled by new location of you battery DON'T JUST GRAB IT AND TRY AND PUT IN BACK IN ITS PLACE :lightning :shocking:

Dr Dan tells the best stories and Liz is a wonderful co capt.

Jill can run that SE like a pro, man they have their post boat routine down to a science :)

What is it with water and the events this year ??? I think It is Kenny Lessard getting up at the wee hours using all the hot water ;)

when you wearing your favorite red bandana make sure it is yours not your daughters, a rhine stone pirate is not a pretty picture and when you go to grab it from flying off your head they leave marks

Potters beach is the stuff

gas cans not just for boat fuel anymore

to be continued

[mattyboy]

Boxy this is the boat count I have, now I didn't specify boats or number of drives on the wagers but we can work that out

33zx safari edition green gold and white twin 502's bravos n/w
30z red white and black twin 460's and omc n/w
22 SE red white 500 bravo imco shorty
22 teal monster 500 omc
22 LE black grey red 454 alpha ss
22 white 496 ho bravo no stripe
22 experimental edition blue white 383 and blackhawk
20 minx red white 350 alpha
20 minx honey blue 350 alpha
X 18 yellow white and red 350 black hawk n/w
18 barbados blue and white BB olds and a berkley jet
18 yellow and black 302 ford volvo
16 black and white 302 ford omc n/w
16 red and white 302 ford volvo
16 red and white 351 ford volvo n/w
23 power quest 454 merc
one white fountain
did I forget anyone??
* n/w = no windshield
9 merc drives
8 other
5 red and white boats
5 no windhields
2 MI plates
6 Candian boats
1 boat towed
advice right from the get go
a ton of fun

[Tony]

Alright, here we go...


Ken & Terri Ciacci are wonderful hosts. They saved us on several ocassions, sharing their deck, yard, wine, boat, laughs, toolshed, and time with us. Thanks a million, Ciacci's!

The Thousand Islands are spectacular! This venue is among my top four favorite boating locations, with the others being the Les Cheneaux Islands, Lake Cumberland, and Torch Lake.

I can't wait to see Ron's pictures...hopefully his camera will focus better than he was Saturday morning!

I hate it when you have a blowout on the boat trailer.

Tim Morris and Cindy look great in their sweet Minx. I hope one of my shots will be worthy of enlargement...if anyone can enhance a photo it is them!

A blown upper seal costs about $400 if you can't do it yourself.

Wilbur @ French Creek Marina in Clayton has every imaginable Volvo part...except the riser gaskets I needed.

If all Canadians are as nice as Tim, Don, Cindy, Ron, Shea, and Stephanie then I am moving there...maybe to Kingston!

Listen to your friends and install a marinized alternator.

Ken needs to get out in the sun more often.

Bonnie, Terri, and Phil like wine, but Michelle really likes wine.

I cannot imagine a 16 without tabs...mine loosened up from overworking them! Shea, earn some brownie points with Stephanie and get 'em installed.

Phil's middle name must be MaGuyver...he can fix anything. With help from Ron and Joe we knocked off that job in record time. Thanks again Phil!

Camping is O.K. unless it rains. It rained.

I hate it when the truck mysteriously locks itself after getting out to inspect the blowout on the highway...in 90 degree heat! That boner cost me another $100 Canadian.

Don Mugford plays 70 hockey games a year. He is a GOD in my book!

When Phil took the dink to get Larry and his wife, the whole deck broke out laughing because he looked exactly like Henry Fonda in "On Golden Pond".

Ron needs a Donzi...I think a red and white Ski Sporter would fit him nicely.

I change my mind about moving to Canada, we lost an hour in Toronto due to traffic, and another hour and a half at the Sarnia bridge.

Go to the Koffee Kove in Clayton for breakfast every morning you can.

While in Clayton the Antique Boat Museum is also a must stop.

Don's yellow and black 18' is the most original, coolest color combo, baddest-assed pocket rocket I have ever seen. A 35 year old one owner boat in that condition is extremely rare, and WAY cool.

It was great to finally meet Matty, whose posts are classic with their bluntness. Man, his Ski Sporter can run!

Todd, Jill, and Polly may need to go around the south side of Lakes Ontario and Erie next year...to avoid customs. Maybe they thought Polly was Annie Oakley and Todd was John Wayne.

Despite the boat repairs and travel woes, Cherrie and I had an EXCELLENT time and will be back next year.

I posted some pictures in the NE Donzi Club Thousand Islands 2005 gallery, here is the link:
http://www.donzi.net/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=578&password=

[roadtrip se]

not exactly the highlight of our trip, so I hadn't mentioned it here.

Boxy called me before the trip to let me know things were a little hairy at the bridge. I looked at the trip coming north versus south. Seven and a half hours thru Canada and ten and a half thru the US.

We gambled and made it going east in great time.

Going back was another story...

Theories on the stop:

- I mumbled and stuttered like I had cotton mouth when talking to the agent.
- Jill asked for an explanation of the duty free policy.
- Polly handed them a driver's license with a concealed hand gun permit on the back.
- Random luck.

Either way, we found ourselves standing fifty feet from the Excursion as they went through everything in the truck, how do you like our dirty underwear sir, with great detail.

THEN, they started to go after the boat. I made it very clear in a polite but firm tone that they were not going to tear apart my boat in the same manner as the Excursion. I pointed to an old muscle car driving by and compared the value of the two. I put towels down for their black soled boots and they proceeded with me right on them. For once, I was happy for the lack of storage on a classic. Then they asked about easier access to the bow area. I stated that there was none and I wasn't following him in to pull him out. They passed and we were released.

I wasn't pleased with the guilty until proven innocent attitude of these guys, but it went fast and we were on our way. We ran into the traffic in Toronto and Sarnia, but I would still recomend the route to anyone coming across from Michigan.

Sometimes you gamble...

Funny thing, on the Sarnia side, the agent didn't even look at our documentation, just waved us on through.

[OKII]

I just wanted to let everyone know that it was such a pleasure meeting great people from all over the place. Its great to hear that the 1000 islands are as well liked by our guests as it is our locals (Myself, Boxy, X, Shea, and anyone else that I missed meeting on my short visit).. Tony and Roadtrip, I'm sorry for your misfortunes, I hope that will not deter you from visiting again. Roadtrip, as a U.S. citizen with a Canadian mainland vacation address, I know your frustration. I will tell you it really does get better every time you visit (customs that is).
--a few Pictures will be posted as soon as I hook up this camera to this computer.
I realized a few things in my own town after just a few hours of being there.
--. The best way to fix my 16 V6 with a top end problem is to just put a big block in it. (thanks Shea)
-- Make sure to mooch a ride in Roadtrips SE next year,,,that baby flies!!
-- Dr Dan's accessories both in his boat and the ones I will dress my wife in are outstanding
-- No matter how big or small, fast or slow, customized or stock, old or new, striped or unstriped your donzi is,, they all look so great on the water together.
-- I really need to block out this weekend next year
-- I really need to block out this weekend next year

Great meeting everyone once again !! ---Burnsie

P.S. Did I mention that I really need to block out this weekend next year!??