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View Full Version : How many 30 Black widow Donzi were made in 89



ROTYDE
02-23-2010, 11:43 PM
Just curious as to how many 30 Black widows were made thur their years?

Donzi Vol
02-25-2010, 08:00 PM
Sorry, I can't help you with your question about the black widows (even though that's a really cool boat!), but I have to ask something. Does ROTYDE combined with being from Bama mean that you're a Tide fan? If so, my deepest condolences :wink: Just kidding...

-David

ROTYDE
02-25-2010, 08:14 PM
Sorry, I can't help you with your question about the black widows (even though that's a really cool boat!), but I have to ask something. Does ROTYDE combined with being from Bama mean that you're a Tide fan? If so, my deepest condolences :wink: Just kidding...

-David
It does my friend, I attended the University. The ROTYDE is my personalize tag on my truck. The only way available to spell it , the other way was taken....:shades: Geno

Donzi Vol
02-26-2010, 10:32 PM
Gotcha. I went to Tenn, probably could figure that out by the name. The Hedgehog also went to Alabama, but somehow we're still friends. At least we're not yankies :wink: (I'll get in trouble for that one...)

ROTYDE
02-28-2010, 10:07 PM
Gotcha. I went to Tenn, probably could figure that out by the name. The Hedgehog also went to Alabama, but somehow we're still friends. At least we're not yankies :wink: (I'll get in trouble for that one...)
Thats cool I have a lake house on Lake Wilson on the Tennessee river, we should gather together one day and have a raft up....

The Hedgehog
03-01-2010, 07:18 AM
Thats cool I have a lake house on Lake Wilson on the Tennessee river, we should gather together one day and have a raft up....

My father keeps his Jefferson at Turtle Point. He grew up on Wilson. I tend to visit on occasion. I will be bringing a Donzi and the Roamer down this summer.

I graduated from Bama as well.

ROTYDE
03-03-2010, 10:25 AM
My father keeps his Jefferson at Turtle Point. He grew up on Wilson. I tend to visit on occasion. I will be bringing a Donzi and the Roamer down this summer.
I graduated from Bama as well.
Man it is a small world after all....I grew up on Wilson from the time I was 1 mth old and never left....That would be great, I will send you my Cell Number and Email. just Holla when you are in town....

donzi racer
03-03-2010, 08:33 PM
Thats cool I have a lake house on Lake Wilson on the Tennessee river, we should gather together one day and have a raft up....

Grandaddy owned the property just north of the shoals creek bridge, where the 14 foot Donzi sits now. I grew up with him across the river in Donegan Slough with a Donzi Baby Outboard. I crossed that silly river seems like 1000's of times to get gas. We used to go over to fill up at the Shoals Creek Marina in the 14 Baby w/120 hp and the tank would last for WEEKS, then we got the Donzi outboard w/Merc 115 HP & would fill up and it would last a week with ski trips every morning and evening. Then we got silly and put a 175 Black Max on the back of the outboard and honest, it would take a 1/4 of a tank of gas to get from the back of Donegan Slough to the gas station & of course 1/4 tank back. So imagine when you are `17 years old and you notice the gauge is at 1/4 tank so it is then Hey Nannie, can I wash your car for the 4 th time this week or cut the yard for the 2nd time this week to get some gas money? I spent more time going back & forth over there instead of getting any ski time. You know how rough the middle of the river would get with whitecaps and we would be skiing across to get some Ski time in, bouncing off the waves like crazy. What part of the lake are you from? Remember the Darby's that used to always have a couple Donzi's & a Cigarette sitting at the dock when I was young. Will get back about the Black Widows, Tom

donzi racer
03-03-2010, 08:52 PM
Just curious as to how many 30 Black widows were made thur their years?

Not sure how many 30 foot Black Widows were made although I thought they were just made in 1990. I just had a Black one with rare Merc 454's & Bravo Drives, only meaning that during those years you seem to see more omc on the Widows than the Merc stuff. It was told to us & I believed them, that it was the very 1st Widow out of the mold and it did have a 1989 title & a Donzi hull #. I have not seen a tremendous amout of them out there, over the years. I have always liked them & was always keeping an eye out for them. Would be interested in hearing how many were made too. Tom

The Hedgehog
03-04-2010, 12:08 AM
I am loving the Widow with Bravo's. Tons of opportunity there.

My uncle had a place on Wilson. He has moved but is still on the lake. He has a Donzi. He goes by the name of David Hood. One hell of a nice guy and a great musician. His son Pat is Patterson Hood of the Drive By Truckers. Patterson is my first cousin and he got me drunk for my first time. If only he knew!

My father owns a 16 because the Darby's had one. It was the hottest boat on the lake when he was a kid. He had to have one. His dad was the Chris Craft dealer on the marina that is now is Stinson Hollow. I have 2 Donzi's and a Chris. Things making sense now? Funny thing is that dad did not encourage any of my purchases. He did not discourage them either.

FYI, I see lot's of style in dad's thinking. I respect the man and his taste in toys. I can only aspire. I do remember him having a disdain for things that sucked.

My Chris purchase was so coincidental. I started off with Hatt's and it was all over when I saw the Roamer. Ask Donzi Vol. He was there!

oledawg
03-04-2010, 08:20 AM
Just curious if these are the same Darby's that run the hot Jersey Skiff's sponsored by Geico? Top dog racerin family!

Donzi Vol
03-04-2010, 08:35 PM
My Chris purchase was so coincidental. I started off with Hatt's and it was all over when I saw the Roamer. Ask Donzi Vol. He was there!

This is true. I can vouche for it. However, I must say that there just may have been a little influence from Mrs. Hedgehog on this one. Good thing she has good taste!:yes:

The Hedgehog
03-04-2010, 10:11 PM
This is true. I can vouche for it. However, I must say that there just may have been a little influence from Mrs. Hedgehog on this one. Good thing she has good taste!:yes:

Yeah, and some help from a guy in Tn who thinks big boats are a good idea.

Mrs. Hedge just had to infer that I might not be man enough to drive a big boat.

donzi racer
03-05-2010, 06:16 AM
[quote=The Hedgehog;557790]I am loving the Widow with Bravo's. Tons of opportunity there.
(My father owns a 16 because the Darby's had one. It was the hottest boat on the lake when he was a kid. He had to have one. His dad was the Chris Craft dealer on the marina that is now is Stinson Hollow. I have 2 Donzi's and a Chris. Things making sense now? Funny thing is that dad did not encourage any of my purchases. He did not discourage them either. )


Hedgehog, That brings back memories, Stinson Hollow was the only other place to get gas on the river that I can recall. Went there a lot also. They had a Donzi Dealership for a while. I always meant to get that sign at the beginning of River Road that had a Donzi Emblem on it & Stinsin Hollar too. That is where my grandfather ordered the Baby 14 Donzi and then he drove down to North Miami Beach to pick it up at the Factory. 1966 black fastback Mustang with a 1967 Donzi behind it. Now that is a Cool Grandaddy. Kind of like Donzi VOl's Cool Uncle. LOL

My Dad was more of a Cruiser kind of guy. He bought a 1936 Chris Craft Connie 38 foot after I graduated from high school in Kentucky. Graduated on Friday night and was back on Donnegan Slough on Saturday by noon. It about killed me when my Grandparents sold that house on Donegan Slough. Rose & I were just getting married and I could not imagine how we could afford the $400 a month payments. I wish somebody would have kicked me in the rear to go ahead and buy that wonderful home. I believe I would still be there today, 33 years later.

Seems like I either know David Hood or have met him. Next time you talk, check & see if he knows a dear friend of ours that is a Keyboard player there that used to be in a Band called "Jackson Highway" ? His name is Tommy Patterson & he lives on Wilson lake down near Wheeler Dam on the Leighton side of the river. He does a lot of studio work there in Muscle Shoals.

Finally I remember that the Darby's used to have two 18 foot Donzi's sitting at the dock and supposedly bought one of the first 20 foot Cigarettes from the New York Boat Show. I was over there when they put it in the water the 1st time. I used to race with the sons down Shoals Creek quite a bit. They also had a 28 foot early Donzi Sportsman similar to the one that Joe Willy Namath had back then.

Sorry to go on & on but what wonderful memories this has brought back.

Tom

RedDog
03-05-2010, 09:16 AM
My aunt rented a cabin on Wilson Lake in the late 60s - early 70s. I would go for visits lasting a week or 2. I just looked at a map and the last one must have been on McKeman Creek straight across the lake from Shoals Creek. Several times my brother and I would run our 3.5 HP johnboat across the lake - that was big water for a kid and little boat.

Anyway, my aunt's landlord lived next door and he had a red with white stripe 18 Donzi. It had a 289 Ford if I remember correctly. Can't remember his name but he had cool toys. He also had a cruiser and XKE Jag.

My father knew a guy that had a place across the slough. Named Burns. He built Burnscraft houseboats and was in the auto parts business - that's how my dad knew him.

donzi racer
03-05-2010, 11:30 AM
Tim, I pulled up a map of Wilson Lake & although I could not find McKeman Creek, I had heard of it before. The main thing I saw was that I ran the 6 miles to the shoals creek bridge marina to get gas 95% of the time and saw much rougher water than the 4 miles it was by the map I was looking at, if I would have gone to Stinsin Hollar marina. That extra 2 miles each way could have added up to a lot of car washing & yard cutting gas money, & I could have been out on the water more. Look on the map & see if you see Alabama Shores, we lived right around the curve back in the slough from there. It was about 2 miles to the mouth of the slough & you were right about that being big water in such a small vessel. I used to cross that river when you would have been crazy to even try it in anything but a Donzi. Course I am & always have been a bit crazy. I am trying to remember that Donzi that you mentioned. I thought I knew all the Donzi's back then. That one might have slipped by me. Dagnabit, Tom

PS you know, Rose & I looked for 10 years after we were married, for our third Donzi & there just were not any for sale in Alabama back in those Days. Saw 2 for sale in 10 years. Bought the 3rd one I saw though, from the exact same place that Hedgehog went to pick up his Chris Craft in Guntersville Alabama, at the Yacht Club there.

PSS Tim, if you will send me your email address to mishunaire@aol.com, I have something I wanted to share with you. Thanks, Tom

BUIZILLA
03-05-2010, 11:45 AM
topic hijack.. :lobster:

RedDog
03-05-2010, 12:32 PM
map attached
McKeman Creek is the big slough on the south side

donzi racer
03-05-2010, 01:14 PM
Tim, I knew I had heard that name before, that is also known as Donnegan Slough where we grew up during the Summers and where I lived when I went to College. It is a Small World indeed. Rose & I were married on our dock there. Can you point out where ya'll would vacation? I am betting it might have been around the bend toward the river & accross the slough from us. There were numorous cabins there that had screen porches on them for rent when I was there. Right across from Alabama Shores. It was probably after you stayed there, that we had a Ski Jump out in front of our dock if that rings a bell. That would have been around 1972 to 1974. We lived there from 1967 thru 1978. What a small small world. Thanks to you all, for bringing up such wonderful memories.

Now somebody please tell us how many Black WIdow 30's that were made. I thought they were just in 1990 but I see somewhere that they were made from 1989 to 1992. The Levante was supposedly only made in 1990 though. Tom

donzi racer
03-05-2010, 01:35 PM
Sorry, I can't help you with your question about the black widows (even though that's a really cool boat!), but I have to ask something. Does ROTYDE combined with being from Bama mean that you're a Tide fan? If so, my deepest condolences :wink: Just kidding...

-David

I meant to comment on this one before, excuse me for slipping it in now, BUT if Winning the National Championship, with their 1st 14 win season, & having their 1st Heisman Trophy Winner in Football History, needs condolences, could you send them each and every year for 2 more years, that way Bama will be the 1st College football team in History, to Win 3 National Championships in a row although they have really done it two other times. Silly sportswriters. I could not resist, young wippersnapper nephew of mine. You know when people ask me about my Nephew, I always say, he is Damn near perfect except he pulls for the wrong football team. Now of course I am Kidding. The Vols came so close to beating the Tide this year and really should have. Doesn't matter how good the 2 teams are Tenn & Bama seem to put on a good game, almost all of the time. Go Vols, & ROLL TIDE ROLL! I always have to look around down here in Florida when I yell that. A boy could get KILLED doing that down here. From 3 different directions. Tom

RedDog
03-05-2010, 02:07 PM
Tim, I knew I had heard that name before...

I edited the map above by adding an "X" to mark the spot - but it has been over 30 years so....

Seems I do remember a ski jump being there sometimes.

The cabin my aunt was in was 1 of a series of 4 or 5 together that shared a common dock. About 100 feet north of the dock was a metal boat house. Directly across was mostly undeveloped.

Now back to the number of Black Widow 30s - Is David Hick's Donzi a 30 Black Widow on Lake Cumberland?

donzi racer
03-05-2010, 03:24 PM
Now if we are talking about Black Widows we know about, then lets see now,

1. 1989 Black & white 454 Mags w/Bravo Outdrives just sold going to Victoria Canada area. Will post the hull # later, since it is the 1st one made where we can tell where they start at.

2. I know of one in Florence Alabama area that was for sale a few months back. I cannot remember the color but seems it was teal & white with 460 w/King Cobra drives.

3. There was a match to my Black one that was in Virginia for a long while that sold around 8 months ago. It was identical to mine with Black & White hull w/454 & Bravo drives.

4. A RED & White hull one in California with 460 KC drives.

5. Yellow one that was for sale not too long ago with checkered flag down the side that was fixed up. Cannot remember where it was located. 460/KC's

More to come. Tom

The Hedgehog
03-05-2010, 03:40 PM
My uncle David has a Z-22 (not sure if it is a BW) on Wilson. It is yellow.

That is the best I can do. I am sitting in the LAX airport and I just downed my 3rd shot and beer so things are going downhill. Off to ponder a proper pm response.

donzi racer
03-05-2010, 08:50 PM
They made the Black Widow in two sizes, a 24 foot w/single Big Block and the 30 foot w/twin Big Blocks. The colors I remember seeing is Black which as I recall was an option, then there was red, teal, & yellow. I do not ever recall a Blue one or any other colors. Anyone else seen any other colors. Tom

ROTYDE
03-09-2010, 12:42 AM
My uncle David has a Z-22 (not sure if it is a BW) on Wilson. It is yellow.
That is the best I can do. I am sitting in the LAX airport and I just downed my 3rd shot and beer so things are going downhill. Off to ponder a proper pm response.
There is a David Hood who has a Donzi I think it is a 25 not a widow he still has it . He live just outside my slue Steenson Hollow . I have live there for 45 years..Oh his boat is Yellow..He plays with the Decoy who play in my bar...

fogducker III
03-09-2010, 09:38 AM
Now if we are talking about Black Widows we know about, then lets see now,

1. 1989 Black & white 454 Mags w/Bravo Outdrives just sold going to Victoria Canada area. Will post the hull # later, since it is the 1st one made where we can tell where they start at.

2. I know of one in Florence Alabama area that was for sale a few months back. I cannot remember the color but seems it was teal & white with 460 w/King Cobra drives.

3. There was a match to my Black one that was in Virginia for a long while that sold around 8 months ago. It was identical to mine with Black & White hull w/454 & Bravo drives.

4. A RED & White hull one in California with 460 KC drives.

5. Yellow one that was for sale not too long ago with checkered flag down the side that was fixed up. Cannot remember where it was located. 460/KC's

More to come. Tom

Tom, do you know who bought the one coming to Victoria?

The Hedgehog
03-09-2010, 11:14 AM
There is a David Hood who has a Donzi I think it is a 25 not a widow he still has it . He live just outside my slue Steenson Hollow . I have live there for 45 years..Oh his boat is Yellow..He plays with the Decoy who play in my bar...

Yep, that is David. I could not remember exactly what size it was.

ROTYDE
03-09-2010, 11:40 AM
I edited the map above by adding an "X" to mark the spot - but it has been over 30 years so....
Seems I do remember a ski jump being there sometimes.
The cabin my aunt was in was 1 of a series of 4 or 5 together that shared a common dock. About 100 feet north of the dock was a metal boat house. Directly across was mostly undeveloped.
Now back to the number of Black Widow 30s - Is David Hick's Donzi a 30 Black Widow on Lake Cumberland?
That ski jump I think was the one that belonged to the Bevis kids, they also had a salmon course.

mrfixxall
03-09-2010, 12:30 PM
They made the Black Widow in two sizes, a 24 foot w/single Big Block and the 30 foot w/twin Big Blocks. The colors I remember seeing is Black which as I recall was an option, then there was red, teal, & yellow. I do not ever recall a Blue one or any other colors. Anyone else seen any other colors. Tom


I remember seeing a dark green and white one about 15 years ago @ huntly outlet mall..

FISHIN SUCKS
03-09-2010, 12:45 PM
topic hijack.. :lobster:
HAHAHAHA:nilly::yes::rlol::rlol:

BUIZILLA
03-09-2010, 01:55 PM
a salmon course. :shark:

ricardo tubbs
04-04-2010, 11:09 AM
do you have more pics of the black widow on your home page?

donzi racer
04-05-2010, 10:52 PM
That ski jump I think was the one that belonged to the Bevis kids, they also had a salmon course.

If the jump was across the river near or on Shoals Creek, that was the one that my Grandfather built for me when I was about 17 years old, 54 years old now. He built it by himself on our dock on Donnegan slough near the back of it. We had a slalomn course but it was just milk jugs, nothing fancy. It was right across the slough from our dock. I busted my butt quite a few times on that dang jump. Once we got the water flowing down it, that was much better than when we had someone with a bucket of sudsy water throwing it up there right before we went off. hahahahahhaah. I was eating dinner one time and some idiot decited that you could go off the dry jump with a slalomn ski with a huge fin. Ski stopped at the beginning of the jump and I could not quite count how many times he bounced off that jump on his way up it. I damn near choked to death, laughing.

Granddad building that Ski Jump for me, was quite the story in itself. We had planned on doing it together, while I was there for the summer. I went away for a couple weeks and when I got back, it was sitting in the water. I was speechless. He had a bad stoke not too long before I left for the 2 weeks. We had planned to help him down the steep steps to the dock and me being his hands while he gave instructions from the dock. He did the whole thing by his lonesome including getting it from the dock to the water. I still cannot see how he accomplished it. He was something else. When my grandparents sold the house, about 5 years later,someone from a ski club from over near or on Shoals Creek came and towed it all the way across the river for their ski club. Would that have been the Bevis Kids? So cool to be able to remember when. Thanks, Tom

donzi racer
04-07-2010, 08:01 PM
I looked and found a few pics of the dock & jump at the back of Donnegan Slough. Did not find a great pic of the whole Jump but did find a pic of my skinny butt going off it. It is from over 35 years ago, evident by the ski belt instead of a vest. Remember I did say I busted my rear quite a few times on that thing. Also a pic of the dock and the front of the jump to the right as Rose and I were married on the dock early morning 5/20/1977. Bell Bottom Hippies getting married on the dock. Once again thanks guys for all the wonderful memories. Sorry to keep kidnapping this thread but great great memories. Tom

ROTYDE
04-08-2010, 01:32 AM
I looked and found a few pics of the dock & jump at the back of Donnegan Slough. Did not find a great pic of the whole Jump but did find a pic of my skinny butt going off it. It is from over 35 years ago, evident by the ski belt instead of a vest. Remember I did say I busted my rear quite a few times on that thing. Also a pic of the dock and the front of the jump to the right as Rose and I were married on the dock early morning 5/20/1977. Bell Bottom Hippies getting married on the dock. Once again thanks guys for all the wonderful memories. Sorry to keep kidnapping this thread but great great memories. Tom
That is so cool I grew up on this lake from the time I was 1 month old, and I still live there now in Steenson Hollow...LOL love the cloths:yes:

ROTYDE
04-08-2010, 09:16 AM
Tim, I pulled up a map of Wilson Lake & although I could not find McKeman Creek, I had heard of it before. The main thing I saw was that I ran the 6 miles to the shoals creek bridge marina to get gas 95% of the time and saw much rougher water than the 4 miles it was by the map I was looking at, if I would have gone to Stinsin Hollar marina. That extra 2 miles each way could have added up to a lot of car washing & yard cutting gas money, & I could have been out on the water more. Look on the map & see if you see Alabama Shores, we lived right around the curve back in the slough from there. It was about 2 miles to the mouth of the slough & you were right about that being big water in such a small vessel. I used to cross that river when you would have been crazy to even try it in anything but a Donzi. Course I am & always have been a bit crazy. I am trying to remember that Donzi that you mentioned. I thought I knew all the Donzi's back then. That one might have slipped by me. Dagnabit, Tom

PS you know, Rose & I looked for 10 years after we were married, for our third Donzi & there just were not any for sale in Alabama back in those Days. Saw 2 for sale in 10 years. Bought the 3rd one I saw though, from the exact same place that Hedgehog went to pick up his Chris Craft in Guntersville Alabama, at the Yacht Club there.

PSS Tim, if you will send me your email address to mishunaire@aol.com, I have something I wanted to share with you. Thanks, Tom

It is Mckernan's creek that is now Donnagan Slough...

Cuda
04-08-2010, 12:07 PM
I think the design of the Black Widows were years ahead of their time. I think that about the Z 33 Crossbows also.

donzi racer
04-09-2010, 06:05 PM
I think the design of the Black Widows were years ahead. I think that about the Z 33 Crossbows also.

I agree Cuda, about the Black Widows. I remember when they 1st came out, I would dream about owning one. I have found that most people either love the Black Widow or can't stand them. More people seem to fall on the don'[t side. They are a lot more fans of the 33 footers, maybe it is the difference in the side windows. I really like both but crazy about the 30 Widow.

I remember seeing one of the 1st Crossbow 33's back in Cinncinati Ohio at a dealership and will never forget the answer to my question "How is the fuel consumption?" The owner said, well all I can say is when we 1st got her in, we put 100 gallons of gas in and went for a test drive, we were running her pretty hard and within an hour we were looking extremelyl hard for a gas station! WOW, I got over the twin big block engine boats real quick. That was when gas was less than 1 dollar a gallon as I recall.

Hope you and yours are doing well, Tom

donzi racer
04-09-2010, 06:17 PM
That is so cool I grew up on this lake from the time I was 1 month old, and I still live there now in Steenson Hollow...LOL love the cloths:yes:

You mentioned David, seems like I either know or know of him. Do you know a Tommy Patterson that plays keyboard? I know he did a lot of clubs in the area and also quite a bit of studio work there in the Shoals. Dear friend, have not seen him in a long while. I got to come see your Widow when I come home for a visit. Tom 256-777-0844