New color for Classics

[Magic Float]

Anyone thinking about a new Classic might want to consider a new color now available.Remember Honey from years ago? This was an option over white,it's back very close to the original,just got a new 22 with black hullsides, Honey/Beige deck,Honey/Beige upholstery and carpet,red pinstripes. Your local dealer could check with Donzi about availability. This is one of the best looking Classics I have seen.

[Donzi Blackhawk]

I watched that 22 go up the line. This is one of the most beautiful classics I have ever seen. I am sure we will see more in the future.

Bryant

[BigGrizzly]

Float, it was great to see you at the Lanier poker run. Hope you make again next year

[Tony]

Pictures?

[Magic Float]

Tony, I am pretty computer stupid. Karen posts all the pictures for me and she is away for a couple days.She did put some on www.boattrader.com (http://www.boattrader.com) but they are inside as it was raining Tues.,not real good ones. Go to the site, find a dealer, Nelems,browse our gallery and you will see them. Will try to get better photos next week, it is really a beautiful Classic

[Sagbay32]

Might as well buy a '87 Searay..... Yuck!

Mike in Michigan

[Ranman]

Ha Ha! Does it look anything like this underground spy photo? Notice the red pinstripe and flared windshield.

http://www.donzi.net/photos/22Classic_Sketch.jpg

[Magic Float]

Yeah,that's it without the deck logo. The red pinstripes are painted and clearcoated over.

[mattyboy]

I remember seeing alot Minx's with this set up, but I had only seen one 18 classic with it up at lake george the guys from Long Island( sorry I can never remember names).
I believe they called it creme back then and it didn't seem to be so dark!to me it looks like tan not honey.
So the jury is still out on this one I'll wait to I see it in person, maybe they will have one at the NYC boat show,

Matt

[Greg K]

Here it is...
http://www.donzi.net/photos/honey22.jpg http://www.donzi.net/photos/honeydeck.jpg http://www.donzi.net/photos/honeydash.jpg http://www.donzi.net/photos/honeyseat.jpg

[olredalert]

--------Pretty boat,but please paint that horn up near the nose hull color.It sticks out like a sore thumb!............Bill S....ol red!

[Magic Float]

The stupid horn was painted black yesterday!

[Darrell]

Hey Magic Float:

Is that going to be your personal boat or is for sale. I wished I would have bought that 26zx earlier in the year. All I can do is look at untill spring. Good to see ya on the board.

Darrell
2001 26ZX

[Magic Float]

Darrell,like your cars, every boat I have is for sale. I'm an 18 Classic guy myself.

[Air 22]

wink SHARP looking boat...keep it wet :D :D

[Shanghied Again]

Reminds me of the old Minx very pretty!

[Barry Phillips]

Magic Float:
I like It ! My wife wants a 22 with black hull sides after seeing a white on black Sweet 16 this fall. We amost ordered a 2002 496 HO last year with flag blue hull sides, Slient Choice Plus, and special ordered Monster gauge cluster, now standard for 03 with the millitary spec switches from the SE and 4 pop-up cleats. Had to pull out of the deal because of my job situation, which has in the past year gotten brighter. I like the black better anyway . I sill can't warm up to the windshield though, the stainless unit defines the 22 Classic and looks great on every color combination. The white horn cover on the colored hullside boats is just plain ugly, my 98 Classic 18 (special order black stripe/white hull) has a chrome one, again it looks good with every color. In case you are interested the horn is manufactured by Sea Fit and black covers are available from West Marine. I prefer the white deck and seats but the honey looks great, very retro, the interior looks really rich. Again another one of my pet pevs with Donzi, is that cheesy Grant steering wheel, just about every premium boat builder is coordinating the wheel to an accent color on the boat and thier is no reason Donzi can't do the same. I have seen stock wheels with a tan grip that would match your interior great. From the picture the white on black GT wheel sticks out like sore thumb. I can't wait to see this combination in person, lots of luck, I'm jealous.

PS. it may sound like getting down on Donzi but I'm not, things like the horn cover and wheel are minor details, although they make a big visual impact. And if Donzi must go to a framless windshied the one on the Minx and the early 22s looked 10 times better. I think what they are shipping with now is an eyesore.

SO-SLO

[Barry Phillips]

Magic Float are the Dealer?

[boldts]

Magic - Nice looking 22. I still favor the blue over the black though. Honey vs White? I don't know and this is a personal choice again, but I like the white because it looks cleaner in my opinion. How-ever I'll bet that cream doesn't show the dirt quite as bad.

Barry - I had to laugh when I read your reply about the horn. I have a 98 22 Classic with blue sides. The first thing I saw when looking at it for the first time was that obtrusive white horn cover on my blue side. I hate it so much, I'm either having it painted to match the hull color or purchasing the chrome cover this winter. I haven't fully decided yet. I'm a little afraid to have it painted for the fear that I'll then have blue paint peeling off the cover. Got to do something though. My dad told me about this post tonight at dinner. He said the Black and Honey 22 had docking lights. My first question back to him was: "Are you sure that wasn't that ugly white horn they put on the front of the Classics?" Sure enough, now that I look at the picture, that is exactly what my father was calling a docking light! I also agree with your statement about the steering wheel. On a boat with white, the wheel looks fine, but with the honey, it is out of place. I'd be happy to trade my black steering wheel for that white one though. At least my black one would match the boat hull.

[Magic Float]

I guess I thru Donzi a curve when I ordered this boat. Neither of us thought about the horn,wheel,even the speakers!The horn has been handled, wheel is an easy swap, and we may paint the speakers honey/beige/tan,whatever. They did change the white rubrail base from white to black, which looks nice, I forgot that but they picked upon it. I wanted to leave off the horn completely like in the 80's and carry a hand held, but if you are NMMA certified you can't do that anymore. The rear cleats and ski tow were left off, like it used to be.Bottom line I guess is the appeal of the Classics is that is has been unchanged for so long and no one ese can get away with that except Donzi. Had lunch yesterday where a Harley run was going on,guy had a V-rod,it was watercooled. Is that a Harley? You decide.What makes a Classic Donzi? I think most of us know.

[RH]

I think that color combo is so striking! I looked at a 1979 18'Classic in 1995 at Fox Lake Illinois. The boat was beautiful and apparently ended up in Lake Geneva Wisconsin. I have also seen a Minx in a royal blue hull with the honey colored interior. Gotta love that combo on a classic!
RH

[hottub]

Any feedback from Donzi regarding the windshields?? Initially they are not my favorite. Is there any ability to special order one like the past?

[Magic Float]

Apparantly the guy that made the polished frame 22 W/S's retired,and no one else is willing to toolup for a special low volume W/S like this.Seems to me that they could go to whoever is doing the 16 and 18,who knows. I personally like the new one ok, it is better for wind deflection, but I am aware some of you don't like it. Some of the factory people will be at the Bham boat show the end of Jan, maybe we can discuss it then.

[roadtrip se]

Robert,

As the owner of a 2001 22 Classic with lots of mechanical and visual modifications, I think I can speak for the majority here by stating that we all loved the old stainless windshield.

After adding gauges, dash panel, steering wheel, pop-up cleats, billeted battery boxes, 500EFI, Latham steering, Imco polished shortie, Simrek drive shower, and numerous props; I think I finally have my Classic set up the way I want it.

The last thing I would consider is taking my windshield off and putting the new one on.

With your creativity in ordering boats likes this one and others like it, I think you probably understand the Classic mystique better than any other dealer out there. Tell-em we want the old style windshield back!

There will be a bunch of us at the Miami Show, including Jill and I, and we would be happy to back you up in a little impromptou windshield focus group with the Donzi folks!

Great looking boat!

Todd

[Magic Float]

Sounds like a reasonable idea, I'll try to lay a little groundwork.There has to be someone that can reproduce the W/S you guys want. Thanks for the input.

[Barry Phillips]

Bolts, I'm surprised your 98 22 has a white horn cover, I thought it was 99 addition, my 18 is a early 98 delivered 7/4/97. Dose your boat have the chrome VDOs? 98 was the only year Donzi used the marine VDO Standards. In 99 they when to the Gaffrig 2s which where no better in quaility than the VDOs. The Red Lines would have been a better choice, but the Monsters changed all that. I would go with a chrome horn cover if you can find one, I 'm not sure if paint well hold up. Even on the white hulls the white looks cheep in my humble opinion, plastic by any other name is plastic. My 18 has a Grant drop spoke, black rim and brusded silver spokes. I still like it better than that retro white on black thing they are using now. Allthough a MOMO is what belongs in a Donzi, Grants are a cheep PEP Boys item. Check out the wheel in the SE on the web site, or a 2002 cataloge, white on polished silver, very nice.

I understand Donzi's position in reference to the windshield but wind spilts or not, it's ugly. What was the designer thinking, the aluminum unit on my 18 looks a lot better and can be coated to match the boat. The problem is just about every sport boat in the world is using aluminum or framless units, so thats why I say the stainless frame defines the 22 Classic. Please Donzi try harder to find a new vendor because that thing sucks and dimishes one of the most beautiful hull designs on the planet. Of course I'm biased.

So-SLO

[Rodger]

Actually, that windshield is the old original style if you go back far enough. The original 22 Classic, called the F22, introduced in 1978 had the smoked all plexiglass w/s as an option. When Donzi changed the deck to a flat style and called the boat a 22 2+3, the all plexi w/s remained and some of them had the wind deflection curves similar to the boat of discussion. Also, some mid 80's Hornet's and Minx's had this type of w/s.

[boldts]

Barry - You know, I'd have to go down and uncover her to see which gauges are in my 22. I truthfully can't remember. It seems to me, they are black. No chrome on the gauges. The hull number says she is a 98 and I have the white horn. Anyone got a job in FL and a home they could lend me for 5 months of the year. I really miss riding in my Donzi Classic! frown

[HyperDonzi]

Boldts, I think the gauge faces are white. As for riding in the boat, Alum Creek is still unfrozen and the docks are empty, Im sure it isnt hard to rig up a heater to run off 12v for the engine.... :D LOL

[Barry Phillips]

Rodger, the only thing the new wiindshield has in common with the early 22s and the Minx is that it is plexy. The Minx unit has a neat little rolled lip on the leading edge windshield for wind deflection and full length side curtains the overall shape is similar to the stainless unit.. The early 22s are almost the same as the Minx. I am looking at photos of both, they are very elegant shapes. Thier was an older black on white 22 at the Lage George Donzi meet with a plexly unit and solid red interior, the combination looked great. Donzi can call this unit vintage if it wants, but I'm not buying it. I will reserve final judgment until the NY Boat Show , but I still think the stainless unit looks better. The 2 warts on the top of the new one look stupid.

Bolts, dose your boat have a crome helm cover behined the weel, white is a another 99 change and dose not belong with the cream hull color. Check out the photo again.
If your boat has the white Gaffrig 2s it may be a 99.

SO-SLO

[Rodger]

Barry, take a look at my profile. There is a pic of my boat which is the earliest of the 22's. Most people think my windshield is cheap looking. Some even ask me if it's home made. I think it's just so so. What do you think?

[Barry Phillips]

Hi Rodger, I checked out your 22 I love it, I have not seen one before the back end looks a lot like a Minx. It also reminds me of the 20ft Cig on this site. The windshied intergrates into the aft deck just like the Minx. I do not think it looks cheap bcause it is so well integrated into the deck and not just ploped on the deck like the 03 22. I liked the way the stainless windshield ran all the way to the rear seat backs with the glass ending short in the frame offering the rear sit pasengers a hand grab, the new one just ends. Are thier seams at the corners or is the windshield one unit. The Minx has a seam just bhind where the windshield curves and it also has the rolled edge along the top. The point is that your boat and the Minx the windshield works because its intergrated with the design of the boat. The new one is just sitting there and I still hate the warts on top.

PS whats her top end? Is it Black? Great boat.
SO-SLO

[HyperDonzi]

The back end on your 22 is awesome looking. The windshield goes with it. Homemade? Who thought that?

[Rodger]

I guess my windshield looks OK, but the mounting is a joke. It definitely was an after-thought. It just sits on the deck with SS clips screwed to the windshield and to the deck using number 8 screws spaced about every 16 inches. It flexes easily if someone should lean on it and often will break one of those clips. I keep a supply of clips handy. I had to add a vertical strut to the front between the dash and w/s because it flexed so much in rough water that it was stress cracking at the corners, not to mention the rattling noise. I made clip on wind diverters that go in front of the driver and passenger for those cold days. When they are on, the w/s looks like the one of discussion, but they sure work nice.

[Verdugo]

Hey Roger I am pretty New to Donzi but not Boats I must add your windshield look GREAT!!

Have a 16 classic and would like to geat some wind protection

Verdugo

[Rodger]

Verdugo,
I also have a 16' so I know what you mean by the wind on a cold day. When it's hot though, no w/s is the way to go.

[Barry Phillips]

I know what you mean Scott my 18 has the same problem it snags everything, but I can live with it. I noticed the brace on Rodger's boat. Thats one of the big benifits of the stainless frame, it's sturdy. Even my aluminum frame will flex, I need to be careful going up on deck. I took another look at the new windshield and it looks like their is some kind a half frame, their seems to be screws running up the corners and alone the bottom, it looks an unfinished after thought. I really want a 22 with in the next 2 years but not with that thing sitting on the deck. I wish I purchased one of the 2002s I was looking at . If the navy blue 2002 I was going to buy is still available I well consider it, it has the Monsters and everything I want except the 496 HO. Cool boat. I called a dealer today, he said that Donzi is aware of the problem and is working a replacement, God I hope so. I noticed on donzimarine.com that they retouched the stainless windshied to look like the 03 model but they did not add the warts excuse me ( wind vsors), looks better already.

SO-SLO

[Barry Phillips]

I know what you mean Scott my 18 has the same problem it snags everything, but I can live with it. I noticed the brace on Rodger's boat. Thats one of the big benifits of the stainless frame, it's sturdy. Even my aluminum frame will flex, I need to be careful going up on deck. I took another look at the new windshield and it looks like their is some kind a half frame, their seems to be screws running up the corners and alone the bottom, it looks an unfinished after thought. I really want a 22 with in the next 2 years but not with that thing sitting on the deck. I wish I purchased one of the 2002s I was looking at . If the navy blue 2002 I was going to buy is still available I well consider it, it has the Monsters and everything I want except the 496 HO. Cool boat. I called a dealer today, he said that Donzi is aware of the problem and is working a replacement, God I hope so. I noticed on donzimarine.com that they retouched the stainless windshied to look like the 03 model but they did not add the warts excuse me ( wind vsors), looks better already.

SO-SLO

[boldts]

Un-covered my 22 today just to take a look at the gauges and get the snow off the cover. Steering wheel has chrome base with black wheel. Gauges are black Faria models. Would like to install Gaffrig II's with white faces and blue bezels. Also hope to change the black steering wheel for a better matching and cooler in the summer heat white wheel. Have to see how good I've been in Santa's eyes! :D

[Barry Phillips]

Bolts, if your boat is a 98, it should have crome bezeled VDOs Standards. The marine version of the automotive VDO Cockpits found in the BMW Z-3. The earlier boats used the same gauge with black bezels. I would get the Gaffrig Red Lines instead of 2s, although the dials look cool they are not anti-fog, the red lines are. Your boat probably has a plastic white gauge panel if its like mine. Try www.nisongermarine.com, (http://www.nisongermarine.com,) they make alumimum replacement dash panels for Classic Donzis with gauges already installed. They are a Gaffrig dealer and will make up any color panel with a Donzi logo inscriped on it, with the bezels you want. Prices are very reasonable.

SO-SLO

[boldts]

Barry - Thanks for the website. There is a lot of nice pieces there! Your link for some reason didn't work, but I used Yahoo search and found the site. Nisonger Marine (http://www.nisongermarine.com) I asked them to send me their recommendations as far as the gauges to use. Not sure, but I thought the Gaffrig II's were better more accurate gauges. I may be wrong. It wouldn't be the first time. LOL The anti-fog gauges you suggest, may also be their suggestion for marine use. I also like that white Momo steering wheel they have available. Again, thanks very much!