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Donziweasel
08-24-2007, 10:30 AM
On another thread "worse windshield in History" I posted what I had heard about the different country flags on classics. Growing up, ours had British flag and American flag. I had heard it was a marketing idea to sell to other countries. The lifting hooks were installed for possible tender sales.

In a reply, it was said that is not the case about the flags. Just wondering what the real history and reason the different country flags were placed on the classics in the 60' and possible early 70's. I really like history.:)

Marlin275
08-24-2007, 04:24 PM
I had heard that because the first Donzis raced from Miami to Nassau it was used as a way to define the international race record/pedigree.
The 1966 ad below has this copy at the very end,.
"This modern classic is very fast, very stable and very beautiful . . . and as rugged as the ocean recers that sired her.

My boat year had the original Lion & Dolphin shields, but when given the choice by Richard Weaver I had to go with the original flag combo.
Hard to beat the design of that Union Jack sticker, and the first 18 I ever saw, had that combo in 65 ?

http://www.donzi.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=31287&d=1188013617

http://www.donzi.net/cat/cat66/pix/66-18-2p3bw.gif

http://www.donzi.net/cat/cat72/pix/Red16SkiSporter.jpg

Magicallbill
08-25-2007, 02:14 AM
Donziweasel;
I too was intent on getting the right flag combo for our restored Ski Sporters.
We contacted Richard Weaver and he said our 66 and 67-era boats called for the British Flag/Am Flag combo.
He sent us perfect replicas and we fly them proudly.

I guess the changeover to the Dolphin/Lion logo was early 70's.

It still drives me nuts when I see a restored rig with the wrong decals.
To some it's insignificant, but to me, it's the 1st thing you look at to identify the boat.

Sweet little 16
08-25-2007, 05:48 AM
oh it was a marketing ploy allright but not to worldly yacht owners and remember they didn'y need a real marketing plan all the needed was Don and to win races as they were pushing boats out of the factory left and right in the early days. as marlin said the flags were used to show races won and for the most part the us flag was for the miami nassau race and the british flag was for the big race in england cowes or something like that and you might see a few boats with a swedish flag for their race the leppionet or something like that

the lifting rings i am not sure about i guess it was to make it easy on the owners who had lifts or maybe to make it easy to splash boats at the factory with out trailers???

BigGrizzly
08-25-2007, 08:38 AM
It wasn't just a marketing deal, Windmill won in Europe before the US. The lifting rings were a common lift in the 60's, not just for tenders. However I can remember Frank Sanatra's 120 footer with a tender just like out 1966 16. Just goes to show you Frank had real class.

Marlin275
08-25-2007, 09:46 AM
as marlin said the flags were used to show races won and for the most part the us flag was for the miami nassau race and the british flag was for the big race in england cowes or something like that

The Union Jack represented Nassau Bahamas, which was part of the British Empire at the time, it all changed in 1973 when they were granted their independence, That is also when Donzi changed the flag to the lion/ dolphin.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/9/newsid_2498000/2498835.stm

1973: Bahamas' sun sets on British Empire
Prince Charles has enjoyed the Bahamas' last day as a British colony.
He hosted a formal reception at Government House, Nassau, last night for dignitaries from 52 countries overseeing the end of over 300 years of British sovereignty.

As the Queen's representative, Prince Charles arrived yesterday on the frigate Minerva, on which he is serving.

Just before midnight tonight (0400 GMT) he will witness the final lowering of the Union Jack on hills overlooking Nassau harbour in a ceremony to be replicated on all 22 of the inhabited Bahamian islands.

Sweet little 16
08-25-2007, 08:33 PM
The Union Jack represented Nassau Bahamas, which was part of the British Empire at the time, it all changed in 1973 when they were granted their independence, That is also when Donzi changed the flag to the lion/ dolphin.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/9/newsid_2498000/2498835.stm

1973: Bahamas' sun sets on British Empire
Prince Charles has enjoyed the Bahamas' last day as a British colony.
He hosted a formal reception at Government House, Nassau, last night for dignitaries from 52 countries overseeing the end of over 300 years of British sovereignty.

As the Queen's representative, Prince Charles arrived yesterday on the frigate Minerva, on which he is serving.

Just before midnight tonight (0400 GMT) he will witness the final lowering of the Union Jack on hills overlooking Nassau harbour in a ceremony to be replicated on all 22 of the inhabited Bahamian islands.

I love the revisionist history but the lion and dolphin appeared well before 1973

Marlin275
08-25-2007, 09:19 PM
I love the revisionist history but the lion and dolphin appeared well before 1973

There is a 1972 catalog in the ad archives in the left hand Menu section of this site and none of the photos have the lion and dolphin flag.
The change over might have been in the 1972 production run year?

LKSD
08-25-2007, 10:25 PM
There is a 1972 catalog in the ad archives in the left hand Menu section of this site and none of the photos have the lion and dolphin flag.
The change over might have been in the 1972 production run year?

I believe it was 1971 maybe 72.. I had one in this past year that had the US flag as well as the lion & dolphin.. I believe it was 18' hull #385 if I remember correctly.. :) Jamie / Lakeside

.

Sweet little 16
08-26-2007, 07:52 AM
here's pictures of 2 1971 18 they have been posted on this site quite often both are original
http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=46122
and this one

http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=29555

the pictures in that brochure in the ad archieves appeared in the 1970 brochure not sure if it is mis-marked or if they just reused the pictures??