Interesting start up co

[mike o]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/New-Axium-Ax5-Performance-Boat-classic-Donzi-style-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem1e5f453071QQitemZ13044 7388785QQptZPowerQ5fMotorboats#v4-31.......:kingme:

[Carl C]

Just add power & Donzi decals. ;)

[justleft]

Wow, $5,000 !!! No heavy stringers ! I'm in.. :bonk:

[scippy]

I don't know if the concept is new or not, but I'm sure it's inspired by these down-turned times. I see where Charley M. of Banana boats is throwing around a simular idea with an offshore deep V..........It certainly slows the inevitable of arriving at the big $$$ all at once.

[mike o]

Built way off shore is my guess......:kingme:

[Axium Marine]

Hi Mike O,

Good guess but no. We are setting up to build in Stuart, FL.

Mark Kettering
www.aeromomentum.com/ax5.html

[mike o]

Well, Sir... good luck :crossfing: with this.:yes:

[oledawg]

Actually is an interesting concept. Haven't done the exercise yet, but on the website they provide pricing for all of the options they offer and links/pricing for outdrives, etc. Looks like you can come up with your own custom boat for a fairly reasonable price. If you are not looking for a Donzi and have the time to deal with it, it could work. :wink:

[gcarter]

Boy, they nailed me in their website! :wink:

"Instead of spending thousands more for an old tired Donzi or other classic and then spending months or years restoring and repowering it, the Ax5 is ready to accept your performance power now. Forget messy fiberglass work! We have done it all for you".

[Sweet Cheekz]

Only problem with this statement is if you actually like doing the work.
Nice boat Good luck

Parnell

[OFFSHORE GINGER]

Hey guys , i really like there disclimer and warnings along with no warranty against workmenship because after all is said and done i would rather have a good ole Donzi that is heavy and has stood the test of time that needs restoration ........ and did i forget to mention RESALE VALUE for a boat that nobody has ever heard anything about ! Hey guys , the bottom line is ..........you get what you pay for & Just curious they stated that they were using Vinyl Ester for there jell coat with no mention of what type of resin they are using in there build...... ?

[OFFSHORE GINGER]

Boy, they nailed me in their website! :wink:

"Instead of spending thousands more for an old tired Donzi or other classic and then spending months or years restoring and repowering it, the Ax5 is ready to accept your performance power now. Forget messy fiberglass work! We have done it all for you". George , why dont you buy one , rigg it with the power and drive of your choice and after a few years let us know how well the boat has stood the test of time and be sure to let us know if ....it really was that good of a deal considering K-Mart has a blue lite special everyday . George , i am not trying to be rude and i hope you understand my thoughts .

[Axium Marine]

I really should say first that I really like a nicely restored classic Donzi! I think many people are on here because they like not just the classic style but also like the pride in having a classic that they restored. The same goes with a classic car or motorcycle. What I am offering is not really a substitute for this but an alternative. Kind of like a kit car is an alternative for restoring a classic. Or like a new custom motorcycle is an alternative for taking an old motorcycle and turning it into a custom.

I also understand about wanting or expecting a warranty. Of course a used classic does not have any warranty. It also looks like some new Donzi's do not have a warranty. Check out "BUYERS NOTICE" on the Donzi web site.

We use vinylester infusion or epoxy infusion. We do not use heavy wet layup polyester, by hand or chopper gun.

[Just Say N20]

What I am offering is not really a substitute for this but an alternative. Kind of like a kit car is an alternative for restoring a classic

First, I appreciate that you have taken a gentleman's approach to describing your position, rather than coming in with verbal fists swinging. Donzi enthusiasts can be an interesting group for sure.

This is an interesting concept, and I wish you the best. To follow your analogy, and I will admit I have not been involved with the kit car scene, when I purchase a kit, it is for something specific, like an AC Cobra, or a GT-500, etc. When I have completed my project, I will have a specific, easily identifiable vehicle. I would be completely happy with a "kit" AC Cobra. It wouldn't be the real thing, but it would be "affordable" compared to the real thing, and would perform like the real thing.

When you purchase your kit, if you have the proper skills, you will no doubt end up with a very nice "generic" boat. Of course there are all kinds of copyright type laws to deal with, so you couldn't do this and advertise it to be a "Donzi Kit."

If your product is well designed, and well manufactured, it could be a very nice way to end up with a small offshore performance boat, without having to come up with a huge pile of money. A new Donzi Classic 18 costs around $45,000. I suspect you could create a complete boat with your system for significantly less.

Would you be willing to provide some non-proprietary information? Transom deadrise, unrigged hull weight, fuel tank capacity (I suspect it doesn't come with a tank, but there must be a size you designed the boat to accept)?

[OFFSHORE GINGER]

Bill i agree , and mark , how about a Laminate schedule and seeing that you mentioned doing an infusion Epoxy boat what type epoxy do you have in mind and could you throw us a Laminate schedule for a build using Epoxy and will there be a difference in cost and if so could you shoot us a ballpark figure ?

[Carl C]

Pad bottom or round keel?

[joseph m. hahnl]

http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/files/imagecache/news/files/20061114_sheep.jpg

:boggled: Paint a stripe on the top and they think it's a Donzi
I prefer the deep V :yes: That's why I own a Classic:kingme:

[Axium Marine]

The dead rise is progressive from 24 deg at mid length to 18 at the transom. The unrigged (finished boat with interior, etc but no engine or drive) is 650 lbs. We use stitched bidirectional glass, epoxy infusion, infusion core and other methods to get a very strong boat but keep it light. The layup schedule varies greatly depending on where on the boat it is. There are actually 14 different thicknesses plus local reinforcements. The thickest is over 12 plies of glass and the thinnest is 4 plies. In very local areas there can be more than 12 plies like where the lifting rings mount. In addition we use various infused cores in most locations and some print blockers. We also use different weights of cloth from very thin vail to DBM1708.

At least for now we are building in epoxy since a major epoxy manufacturer gave us a great deal. The prices are for epoxy construction. Since we are building on a small margin we may have to switch to vinylester in the future or charge a bit more for epoxy if we can not continue to get epoxy for the same price.

The fuel tank is not included. You can use a standard plastic tank like a Moeller FT2498 (23 gal). We will also be offering a stainless steel tank (~35 gal) in the future.

The keel is fairly sharp, not round. There is no pad but if you want one we can add it. Since our mold is set up for an insert for a jet pump we can also make a simple insert for a pad.

[OFFSHORE GINGER]

Hey guy let me get this right , you are saying that you are mostly using #1708 in your build of an epoxy boat ? I hate to say this but you folks need to do your home work considering #1708 was designed to be used with Poly or Vinyl and if you are using print blockers such as Core Mat or Surfacing Veil they are also designed to be only used with Poly or Vinyl !!! Hey guy just curious who is the major Epoxy manufacture ?

[Axium Marine]

You are correct that most veil, most mat and most print blockers were originally designed for use with poly or vinyl ester resins. But many tests have been done by epoxy mixing companies (like West Systems http://www.westsystem.com/ss/chopped-strand-mat-epoxy and others) and they found that they actually work great and test well with epoxy. I have also tested and used these with epoxy and found they work well. I know the binder in most veil and mat was designed to work with poly and vinyl ester resins but in testing it turns out that epoxy still bonds better to veil and mat than the poly or vinyl ester resins it was designed for!

That being said, we use epoxy compatible veil, mats and other materials where we use epoxy. Actually veil is used in some prepreg epoxy glue sheet and you can buy veil designed for epoxy. There is also stitched mat (without binder) designed for use with epoxy. Many more products are now available for use with epoxy that were once only designed for poly or vinyl ester.

I actually just said DBM1708 since I thought people would have heard of that cloth and it is the thickest we use, but that is not the most common we are using. In general we use more EKB400 and EKB600. These are metric sized cloth of 400 g/m^2 and 600 g/m^2 without mat. EKB400 is about 12 oz/yd^2 and EKB600 is about 17 oz/yd^2. Still, the DBM1708 that we do use has the mat stitched on and the mat does not have a binder so it is designed for compatibility with epoxy.

I am sorry but I agreed to not give out the name of the epoxy manufacturer.

[bertsboat]

Looks like this fellow knows what he's talking about. I suspect he will lose of your interest. Matt, cloth and resin are simple words.
I like a company that knows about new products. I actually thought the post took a turn when he said there was no wood in the hull to rot. You guys like rot, which keeps it interesting. If there is no wood then what would there be to talk about? The stringers are good? The deck core is bad? The transom is soft? What then?
Just my take. I don't use wood when I restore or repair any of my boats.
How about you !!??!!??

[oledawg]

Hey, I say more power to folks that are willing to get into the boat business in today's world! I wish them well and for my 2 cents it still looks like a nice boat for the price :kingme: