Ahhh, Craig, the COBALT XV-500 is a little different

[Lenny]

http://www.donzi.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=21725&d=1151363657

The foredeck has an X-18 flare to it. Not raised as much mind you, but different from the 18 DONZI...

hmmm... did DONZI look at that boat deck layout in '72 and make a change ??? for the short lived "X" .???

[Craig]

Lenny; How ya doin? - Yeah, I don't have a clue about that 18' Cobalt. I was blown away when these folks shared that info. and catalog picture with me. I was convinced that the XV-500 didn't exist; but I guess it does, or did (at least one anyway - the one pictured).

I was noticing the flare to the deck too. It doesn't look like the one in the earlier art rendered catalog. That version looked more like the standard Donzi 18-2+3.

Who knows what they did. The new pics were a neat find. Wonder what ever became of that boat? It seems unlikely that I would have been able to locate nearly a dozen XV-200's and GT-500's (total combined) and not one XV-500 after years of looking and asking questions.

I'm guessing that might be the only XV-500 ever made (and don't forget the 23' copy of the Donzi 7 meter - maybe also one of a kind).

Again, who knows!

[Lenny]

REALLY cool info Craig. :yes:

Just when ya think you know it all, $hit like this pops up...

THAT deck existed BEFORE the X-18 deck did...hmmm :confused:

Awesome $hit...

Thanx for keeping my interest :)

Thanx for the incredible stuff you provide :yes:

[Craig]

Lenny, I hadn't really thought of the timing thing; that this model would have preceeded the X-18's flared deck. That is pretty wild. Ah well, the flare on the X-18, I think looks cooler anyway, and then there's the stern (those boats are so cool looking). I think that Cobalt (while they were copying boats :-) ) should have just stayed with copying the 18-2+3 exactly like they did with the 16. It looks like they were going that route from the first catalog pics of an 18' copy in 1969 (the catalog with the drawings). Of course they did also "pop" a handful of 18' Corsicans very precisely. Ah well, it gives a boat nut more to talk about! Had the ole' Cobalt out yeterday and we're going out this afternoon too. This is a big deal as I didn't even get it in the water once until June 30th!!!!!! Yikes.