Factory Tour...

[Tony]

We're spending spring break in Pass-a-Grille again...this time I followed up on my vow to tour the Donzi factory. Called the main number, and easily arranged a personal tour for this morning thanks to Lisa Smith, sales director. Since I'm a nimrod my camera's battery went dead about half way through, but here are a few pics.

The silver non-Donzi is a custom build, basically a VERY expensive boat tender, Lisa explained. Only two classics on site, a red 18 ready to ship and the black 22 being rigged. She says they cannot build the 38' fish boats fast enough...they are currently the hot item.

Of course I mentioned Donzi.net, and Lisa is familiar with us. Her husband is the current boat tester, and a good friend of Mr. (Ted) X. Lisa did a great job with explanations, made us feel at ease in the environment, and expertly fielded all my questions. Thanks for the tour, Lisa!

[Tony]

One more pic...my wife and I in front of a great Pass-a-Grille sunset.
I'm proudly sporting my Detroit Tigers ball cap, despite their 0-6 start!
Oh well, the season is young, and there is always the Wings and Pistons.

:beer:

[Marlin275]

http://www.donzi.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=35231&d=1207702294


This is a beauty!
Whats it gonna be?
not a fish boat?

Nice shots . . .

[Mr X]

22 Classic.

[scippy]

Hey Tony, I too was given a tour by Lisa while in Sarasota last summer. It was spur of the moment
with no pics though but, all the time was given to
us at every faze of production, from layup to rigging
to upholstery and electrical wiring shop. loved the
smells and the sights of beginnings to end of the
Donzi boats. It's funny, I even fanatasized about
working there just to be close to the building of
Donzi boats. it's a different culture that works the
line in production and I'm sure the pay sucks.
Wish there was a Donzi peace corp. lol...

[Mr X]

it's a different culture that works the
line in production and I'm sure the pay sucks.
:confused: Nice comment. :garfield:

[mjw930]

Great pictures.

I spent a lot of time hanging around various shops, mostly the Velocity shop in the late '90's and it's a unique environment to say the least. It's quite eye opening to watch a boat take shape, especially at a custom or semi-custom builder. I watched the Velocity 390 take shape from drawings to building the plugs to popping the first one out of the mold.

Sometimes, watching what goes into making one isn't always the best thing! Kind of like not wanting to know what's in your hot dog, just enjoying it because you love the taste :wink:

BTW, that gray boat is a 28' Fearless. Porsche designed on a Donzi hull with a pretty radical pricetag :eek: http://www.fearlessyachts.com/index_flash.php

[SilverBack]

Tony,

You didn't see any 22 Classics with Ilmors popping out of the engine bay did you??

[The Hedgehog]

:confused: Nice comment. :garfield:

No Joke!:lame2:

I was kind of thinking that myself

[smbarcelow]

...and there is always the Wings and Pistons.

:beer:
Go Wings!

Cool pics, by the way.

[ky-donzi]

BTW, that gray boat is a 28' Fearless. Porsche designed on a Donzi hull with a pretty radical pricetag :eek: http://www.fearlessyachts.com/index_flash.php 04-08-2008 07:30 PM

Wanta get a laugh.... click on their on-line-store options on their website. Heard that some where before

[ITTLFLI]

Nice pics!

Thanks for sharing!

[f_inscreenname]

Very nice! I have to do that one day. It may be even better then touring the Anheuser-Busch factory. I guess it will all depend on the "complementary samples" at the end of the tour.
:biggrin.:

[Tony]

The black 22 being rigged with the 496 had no fuel tank yet, and when I pointed that out to Lisa she was puzzled. So she asked a guy in the hull/glassing building and it was explained that it did not pass the pressure test and was removed for replacement. All the classics are built with plastic tanks now, then foamed into place.

[Donzigo]

Fearless is an interesting boat. It's probably an idea who wants to come to life.

I agree with the Hedgehog & Mr. X comment ............

[Carl C]

I'll have to add the factory tour to my things to do if I ever get back to Florida. Dead camera batteries at a time like that....:bawling:. Also that's a nice portrait of you and your pretty wife.

[Tony]

Thanks for the compliment, Carl, I'm sure that many people have wondered how I got so lucky! Funny thing about that pic...my right is behind my back because in it is a big-assed insulated cup with about 6 oz. of Jack Daniels, about 2 oz. of Coke, and a ton of ice. I felt a little self-conscious, I guess, about being such a lush in such a idyllic setting!

Below are a couple pics from tonight...I'm apparently pounding the JD again...it's darn tough being on vacation!

:beer: