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JimG
05-03-2010, 06:20 AM
Thanks Don... and Brownie and Jim and Walt and anyone else who was involved in designing and building my 1970 Donzi 18 2+3.



My boat, once described to me as, “A good start for a restoration…”, took Silver honors in Classis Glass at the 15th Annual Keels & Wheels Concours d'Elegance this weekend. I’m very humbled and proud. And not bragging at all. I had very little to do with it. It has everything to do with the boat. At 40 years old, it still looks and performs beautifully.



I almost felt guilty. All those gorgeous wooden boats, with thousands of hours of hand polishing and varnish work. And all I did to the Donzi was apply a little wax…and parked it.



The boat is totally unrestored. The chrome has a slight patina, there are stress cracks in the usual places. But the original gelcoat still shines, and the classic lines still draw the eye. I’m very proud of my little yellow Donzi. It will be with us always…



Jim & Janet

gcarter
05-03-2010, 06:26 AM
I heard about this!:yes:

Congrtulations Jim!

Team Jefe
05-03-2010, 06:40 AM
A true "Classic" just as it rolled out of the factory on Thunderboat Row in 1970.....still has the orighinal fuel tank too:nilly:

Congrats Jimmy, you and Janet well deserve the honor:yes:

LeadSledMerc
05-03-2010, 06:49 AM
Congrats...what an honor.
You're boat looks awesome in the middle of the wood boats!

jl1962
05-03-2010, 07:09 AM
Nice!

And the waterski is a nice touch too.

mattyboy
05-03-2010, 07:50 AM
nice very nice.

I took the 16 to a wood show and got the same thing, Jay did too on lake george.
amazing the recognition and respect that our classics have amongst the wood guys I was surprised the way the boat and I were welcomed.

again very nice good work Jim

Jraysray
05-03-2010, 09:00 AM
Jim,
CONGRATS that is AWESOME! (I try not to use that word much) I know wood rules the show but I did not know glass was represented. Good show young man.

Bobby D
05-03-2010, 01:26 PM
Back in 2005 I entered the ski sporter in a Philadelphia antique & classic boat show and was very surprised by the positive response they gave me when I arrived. All day long the boat received attention, complements and requests to take them for a ride. A guy who was the owner of a beautiful Gar Wood walked up and talked to me about the boat and said that although he did not like plastic boats if he was ever going to own one a Donzi would be it.
Very nice boat Jim and thanks for the HM advise over the years.

JimG
05-04-2010, 06:13 AM
Thanks guys!

Interestingly enough, my boat was older than a bunch of the wood boats there...

The show made me realize (again) just how special these boats are. My boat was at the end of the pier, yet folks would beeline all the way down just to look. Sometimes I had a crowd, all telling their own Donzi stories.

The other thing I heard from the collector car guys , over and over, was "Don't restore it, don't restore it, don't restore it...." Apparently, the well-maintained classic vehicle with a slight patina of loving use is more desireable these days than a full frame-off restoration. I know I've always felt that way, I was glad to get some positive vindication of that.

There was a good example of that, parked just up from my pier: Two cars, a late 50's Aston Martin drophead and a 1962 Ferrari Coupe. The Aston was a full 100 point frame-off, just flawless. Almost boringly so. The Ferrari was originally purchased by the president of Mexico, was used regularly, and still had the original paint/interior/drivetrain. Had 40k miles on it. The blue leather seats were slightly worn with age but, because of quality hides, had held up well. A ding here and there told a story of spirited use. Folks would walk right past that Aston with nary a glance, and hovered around the Ferrari, (me included...) It was very interesting to watch...

Keels & Wheels was a great show this year. We had a wonderful time, the folks who put this on did an exemplary job as usual.

Jim