Donzi home after 25 years

[bertsboat]

It's home again after 25 years.

[mattyboy]

this is the 14 that is stamped to be a 78 cigarette, I think this might be a plug off of Pearson's 14, interesting boat good luck with it, any history on it would be great, your son's face pretty much says it all "yeah!!!!!!"

good luck and welcome ;)

[bertsboat]

It's not a plug from anything. It is an original hull and deck that was never rigged. I will post the history later today.

[mattyboy]

would really like to hear about it, seems like more than one of them exist and followed don around 188th st. . supposedly the molds were destroyed when the Chisholm's gained full ownership. either way as a donzi 14 or a cig 14 it is a neat rare little boat :)

[Donzi Vol]

cool stuff!

[mattyboy]

here's a relivant thread

http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=27051

[olredalert]

-----Is a DONZI with a Cig HIN a DONZI or a Cig??? Im getting a headache.:bonk::bonk::bonk:.........Bill S

[handfulz28]

:D I guess since Donzi came first, you could certainly make that point!

"the story" ....

Don made 4 14s during his Cig years, supposedly for the kids.
How this one ended up totally unfinished, and sitting in my old neighborhood for decades, I don't know.
I never realized what it was until late last year when I got nosy and checked it out.
It was sitting in the driveway of an abandoned house and I could never get hold of the owner. I joked that I'd have to buy the house to get the boat.
Well another neighbor happened to come across the owner, bought the house, and made sure to have the boat thrown in for $1000.
The "new owner" thought it was set up for a jet or something and was going to hack it up and/or make a plug of some sort.
I printed out the Donzi Baby literature from Allard's website and emplored him not to mess it up. He offered to make a plug and/or share a mold or something.
It disappeared and now it shows up here.

That's all I know and hopefully it's in good hands to be restored and not ruined. Follow my link for more pics including one of the molded in HIN.

[bertsboat]

Ok i see the claws coming out.

[smbarcelow]

Great save!

[mrfixxall]

Glad to hear you got your baby back:) a 4cyl with a whipple and a ss drive:biggrin.:


I have a oe alpha mr with the gimbal housing i will donate if you pick up the shipping..i wanna see this baby on the water:)

[fogducker III]

:popcorn::pizza::drinkbeer:

[catch 22]

Would it be the same hull and different deck configuration as this one.

[bertsboat]

Really cool !!

[mattyboy]

so there were two of these things dragged around with Don, the numbers thru me they must have been etched into the glass at Cig factory. so we think this is hull 14 if i read that right??? very nice save I don't care if it is a donzi or a cig it did need to be save from being an egg beater bracket.

cool boat cool project good luck with it bertsboat

now i am off to track down a rumor that they stopped production on these with such few numbers cause of a liability lawsuit? might explain why they destroyed the molds in 68??? doesn't sound right as that 14 footer rides very well??? I don't think it is true but i'll see what i find out

[VetteLT193]

Where are you in North Florida? I'm in Tallahassee.

[harbormaster]

Guys, Guys. Guys...

This gentleman posted a photo of his new toy. I watched as this thread ripped his @ss apart about fake boats, lies, and deceit. He was even forbid to come to the dust off. Come on guys, get a life and chill out. Give these folks a break.

[boxy]

Guys, Guys. Guys...

This gentleman posted a photo of his new toy. I watched as this thread ripped his @ss apart about fake boats, lies, and deceit. He was even forbid to come to the dust off. Come on guys, get a life and chill out. Give these folks a break.
Scot, to be fair, I believe it was this boat, and Pearson's CRT 14 that were mentioned ......
I'm sure the new owner would be welcome everywhere but the Algonquin's docks during judging. Let's face it, they still let Pearson on the lake ..... :D

Locking the thread would seem more prudent, than deleting 4 pages of historical discussion.

[mattyboy]

the dustoff doesn't except cigarettes it is a classic only event ;) that was meant as a joke.

[smbarcelow]

Scribble my initials into the "I don't care who calls it what, I want to see resto progress photos" column. Don's career was such that there are bound to be asterisks on a handful of hulls. Whether it's a Donzi or a Cig, it's a great find and it'll make a very cool boat once it's rigged. Personally, if I restored a Bayliner with my son, I'd never let go of it. (That's how much I value my relationship with my son...not Bayliners.) :wink:

[mattyboy]

so it is a real cig :) welcome to the bad habit

[Scott Pearson]

Guys,
I talked with Bert in length a few times and this is such a great find and a hole that has been filled in the history of these great boats. I look foward and so should the rest of us in helping him with his restoration. I'm really glad that Bert ended up with his boat back and I'm sure he will do all the right things with it.
Also....for what its worth...He is a wealth of information and knows alot of raceboat history and the people who made it happen.

[Donzi Racer]

Bert, I hae the original engine and outdrive out of an original F-14 which is the same hull as your boat. There were two motor options for that boat at Donzi and one was the base engine at 80 hp renault 4 cyl with a pre alpha merc drive with a cable to pull the drive up. This is the motor that came out of Poodles F-14 I believe. Could supercharge it for a hoot. But seriously if you would like an original engine & drive for your toy, will make you a real deal on it. Tom mishunaire@aol.com

[glashole]

obviously a new thread should be started for this boat during restoring

but seriously though

if this hull has never been rigged or anything why would you not go with modern equipment

if Don had of had the newer drives and motors I am sure he would have installed them instead of using out of date equipment