new donzi owner

[osur866]

Hello everyone, After two years of looking and looking and looking for a 18 classic I'm the proud owner of Bald Egales 06 red 18 classic. Yes I must have caught him in a weak moment but it has found a new home. And man can I tell you this thing is showroom condition looks as if it just arrived from the factory!! And a super great guy meet me half way to pass it off to me. Jeff thanks again and it was a true pleasure to have meet you and do business with. Now on to the fun part, after spending most of the day raining here got a short break in the weather and got to splash it for the very first time wow, now I know what all you guys have talked about in how these things handle and ride, very cool, I have been around boats since I was about 5yrs old and many different ones but this one is the most fun I have ever driven, although a very short ride less than a hour, weather just is not being friendly I must say it has changed my boating experience forever. The ride is much like my dads 32' Envision but soo much more responsive. Just got up to about 40 and played with it in very calm water I can tell this boat is going to take time to figure out, but the short time a had it was very cool. I will post more later on my progress on becoming a seasoned classic skipper. More later, :yes: :yes: Steve :yes: :yes:

[gold-n-rod]

Welcome, Steve. You got a GREAT boat. I've spent a short time at her helm and she's a rocket. The 6.2 makes her rare, too.

Enjoy the "new" boat and welcome to the sickness.

[Dr. Dan]

:wink: I have run with that boat in Michigan... in fact Golden Boy there was in the Boat with Jeff.... last summer up in White Hall Lake, during the Smoke On The Water Poker Run.... Jeff is in the same Marina as my brother.:wavey:

Anyway...good luck with the 18. I am sure you are anxious to try her out...one of the best ways to do that is at an Event... I was thinking ....why don't you bring it up to Lake Cumberland for the Awakening of the Horses Event? You will meet great people, have a great time running with other Donzi Lunatics and hey...you'll get some much needed seat time. check out the events section for the specifics...

Good Luck:beer:

Doc of the Bay:spongebob

[Carl C]

There is nothing quite like driving a boat that requires a lot of skill and seat time to drive properly and safely. It's very satisfying. The down side is that you cannot just put anyone behind the helm. Also, there's no surer way to make the weather go bad than to buy a "new" boat! Welcome to the Donzi Registry. Sorry we lost Bald Eagle though.:)

[gold-n-rod]

Sorry we lost Bald Eagle though.:)

Not lost. Think "AE"!!! :wink:

[BigGrizzly]

866 welcome. this is the beginning of a new life. The boat handling will come quick, don't be afraid to use the trim button. This is an information board for Donzis If we don't know how to fix it then it just ain't broke. Now you ard an official A.D.(Adult Delinquent)!!

[Dr. Dan]

Not lost. Think "AE"!!! :wink:

Yes...Carl...do Try To Keep Up will ya...less Brews, more literacy...study your Donzi Boards...there will be a Test next Quarter... maybe by then your boat will be running?:eek!:

Jeff got a Red 22 Aronow Edition and as I recall it was - "less than what was represented"... I am sure .. he will have it all in fine working order...next time we see him though.

Doc Moderator of Toxic Fumes & Dain Bramage :bonk:

[osur866]

Thanks guys for the harm welcome, yes jeff does have a 22 a.e. so he is not lost. dr. when is the lake cumberland event and where? I do most of my boating on a small lake and at the lake of the ozarks, until I have gotten to know this little rocket a little better I will probably stay on the small lake, the L.O.T.O. can be pretty wild at times, anybody that has been there will atest that it doesn't yeild to smaller boats well. I figure I'll just take things slow and not rush it and it will come to me, just need the weather to be more friendly.:confused:

[undertaker]

Go to events section click on AOTH Lake Cumberland all the info is there....hope to see ya at this event. Congrats on the new ride..


Undertaker

[Vegas Classic]

Congrats! I'm a relative noob to the 18 too. It just keeps getting better!

[Carl C]

Yes...Carl...do Try To Keep Up will ya...less Brews, more literacy...study your Donzi Boards...there will be a Test next Quarter... maybe by then your boat will be running?:eek!:
Jeff got a Red 22 Aronow Edition and as I recall it was - "less than what was represented"... I am sure .. he will have it all in fine working order...next time we see him though.
Doc Moderator of Toxic Fumes & Dain Bramage :bonk: Yes, now I remember the AE that was "less than represented". I didn't know that he also had an 18. Got a little confused.:bonk:

[osur866]

The dates won't work for cumberland this year maybe next:frown: , I will be at the lake if the ozarks shoot-out later in the summer. Steve

[BaldEagle]

Steve,
I was glad to hear you got your new 18 home and in the water. Im sure all of my ranting a raving about it didn't do it justice. Nothing makes up for getting behind the wheel. Look forward to seeing you again. The Lake of the Ozarks outing sounds like a great time.
RE the "AE"
It is under repair to correct the little surprises it came with and of course some more bling. I did find that one of the trim tabs was mounted outboard about 1-1/2" further than the other side. Maybe accounts for some strange leaning to the port side i encountered occasionally.
Thanks all for the kind words and yes, the AE will be looking proper for the season.
Frp repair on deck and hull side and repaint
refinish all corroded monster guage trim rings
replace all zincs
repair damage to bent alum windscreen and mounts
repair seats and interior trim
modify rear engine hatch to fit properly
Frp repair VHF mount
replace hour meter
add K-Planes with mechanical indicators
add engine compartment fire ext
add depth sounder
add fuel flow indicator
add CMI headers with diverters
I have a set of Bennett sport tabs and a Corsa Q&Q plus exhaust system off of this 22 which I will probably post on ebay shortly. It had 40 Hrs on it when they were pulled.

[osur866]

Well got some nice weather today and got about 2 1/2 hrs. time, figured out how to make tight turns and put the rub rail in the water, very cool, the trim is very touchie anything under about 35-40, start all the way down with a little tabs get up to 30-35 bring the tabs up and slowly just a little trim up and rides very good, I find myself wanting to trim up too far at 35-40 then the nose starts to propise. ran at 3600 rpm with the speedo saying 50, don't have a g.p.s., very stable almost like a sunday drive at 50. nice and smooth. I just need to get better at the trim at lower speeds so to not propise as much. Steve

[DonCig]

Thanks guys for the harm welcome, yes jeff does have a 22 a.e. so he is not lost. dr. when is the lake cumberland event and where? I do most of my boating on a small lake and at the lake of the ozarks, until I have gotten to know this little rocket a little better I will probably stay on the small lake, the L.O.T.O. can be pretty wild at times, anybody that has been there will atest that it doesn't yeild to smaller boats well. I figure I'll just take things slow and not rush it and it will come to me, just need the weather to be more friendly.:confused:

Steve, I am at Mile Marker 6.5 at the LOTO, and I can atest that I have run my 18' on every major weekend of the summer. Sometimes I choose to get off the lake at 11 am, sometimes at 10 am; but I have run up to Party Cove on the worst of days, so in time when you master that 18, do not run away and hide as some have suggested that I do at times. LOL
The 18 has a sense of thrill that few boats can pass on to you. I like the 22 as a ocean boat or to haul a lot of people; but for out and out thrill rides my heart goes with the 16 or 18. Watch those rouge waves that occasionally sink the stray 28' Sea Rays loaded down with intoxicated boaters from the burbs out of St. Louis. To people like you and I and a few other 16 & 18 owners; those rouge waves mean serious air time. I occasionaly back off a really big 46' Sea Ray wake, bit most of the time I can run the sea lice away from the really good water. Rememeber to always wear a really good life vest and do not be afraid to turn away from the really big mean nasty waves. It is amazing what a little 18' can get through when just floating like a little cork when needed. Also be sure that you have double bilge pumps, one being an automatic pump. During a few really big rainstorms and one really big wave it helped me get the boat dry quickly so I could go play again. As sometimes quoted elsewhere: It is not the size of the tool; but the skill of the operator that results in customer satisfaction.
I have been trying to get a group to go to LOTO or Table Rock. But it is going to take some time and energy to get them there. They have been scared away by the propaganda. Little do they know that come Sunday at 3 p.m. untill the following Friday at 3 p.m. that LOTO is a piece of Class Glass, sometimes with a little white chop that makes our boats fly. This could be why the first Donzi 18 that I ever saw was on a windy day during the middle of the week piloted by an Ex Air Force Fighter Pilot from Nam. That Vision never dies!
Give me a call sometime and we can hook up. I will be at LOTO the end of April for a lilttle prop/outdrive testing. I have one of the slower Donzis at this site but I still love wringing it out in the early am giving the Triton and Ranger Bass boys a run for their Wheaties.

Don Tamm
Rocky Mount, MO
&
Castle Rock, CO

[osur866]

Don, thanks for the info. unfortuenly I am one of those people from the suburbs of k.c. I live on a small lake right outside of k.c. my folks have a place at loto right down from big dick's at the 43 mp. And yes after 3p.m. on sunday after all the tycoons put their 40 and 50 fotters away the lake is calm and clear. Being at the 6.5 you really are in the rough stuff on a busy weekend. Yes I will get with you later in the summer and we can hook up. Steve