22 Classic Has A Design Flaw lol

[Carl C]

How little people understand the Donzi Classics and the skill and enjoyment of driving them once we've mastered it! Some people see it as a design flaw that you can't just put anyone behind the wheel. But we have all gone through a learning curve and know the satisfaction of being able to drive one properly!

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/general-boating-discussion/274416-worst-high-performance-boats-ever-built-18.html

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/general-boating-discussion/274416-worst-high-performance-boats-ever-built-19.html

[duckhunter]

The 22 Classic is an old design and certainly a slower hull when compared to newer technology. It also has somewhat quirky handling. That said, I would hardly call it a design flaw. That would be like saying the Shelby Cobra or L88 Corvette have a "design flaw" because they require a competent driver and even then aren't as fast around the track as a new supercar. Similarly, you can't compare the performance of a P51 to an F4 to an F22. The newer designs are built upon the lessons learned from previous generations.

It is what it is. Design and performance evolve over the course of years and decades, but the great ones withstand the test of time based on superior performance vs. their peers. Good looks and classic design don't hurt, either.

The world would be a pretty boring place if we all liked the same thing! Glad to see some guys sticking up for the Classic on OSO.

[Carl C]

The 22 Classic is an old design and certainly a slower hull when compared to newer technology. It also has somewhat quirky handling. That said, I would hardly call it a design flaw. That would be like saying the Shelby Cobra or L88 Corvette have a "design flaw" because they require a competent driver and even then aren't as fast around the track as a new supercar. Similarly, you can't compare the performance of a P51 to an F4 to an F22. The newer designs are built upon the lessons learned from previous generations.

It is what it is. Design and performance evolve over the course of years and decades, but the great ones withstand the test of time based on superior performance vs. their peers. Good looks and classic design don't hurt, either.

The world would be a pretty boring place if we all liked the same thing! Glad to see some guys sticking up for the Classic on OSO.

That's mostly me defending them. I'm "Thirdchildhood" there.

[Morgan's Cloud]

I've always been a bit curious about this term where the boat puts the rub rail in the water .

I can't count how many V bottomed boats I've driven in the last 48 years but they've always banked inwards in a turn.
Maybe they were all 'good designs' .

Are we talking about a situation here where the boat banks outward in a turn like the infamous 4 Winns U17 and U 19 used to do when they were first introduced to the market ?
I clearly remember reading the Powerboat report on them and how it scared the chit out of them , like it was the first time they had ever experienced it.
And the C22 had been in production for a long time before they came along if I'm not mistaken .

And I look forward to eventually reading that oso thread one day . I know it'll be very entertaining .

[mattyboy]

I've always been a bit curious about this term where the boat puts the rub rail in the water .

I can't count how many V bottomed boats I've driven in the last 48 years but they've always banked inwards in a turn.
Maybe they were all 'good designs' .

Are we talking about a situation here where the boat banks outward in a turn like the infamous 4 Winns U17 and U 19 used to do when they were first introduced to the market ?
I clearly remember reading the Powerboat report on them and how it scared the chit out of them , like it was the first time they had ever experienced it.
And the C22 had been in production for a long time before they came along if I'm not mistaken .

And I look forward to eventually reading that oso thread one day . I know it'll be very entertaining .



MC

I have never had the boat roll to the opposite side in a turn, i could at will roll the boat onto the side of the turn and put the grab rail into the water. what it did do on me was roll onto one side and go straight seem to be due to tab settings. the new boat being a lot wider and flatter seems to be a little less ill tempered

reads like a parent sticking up for his poorly behaved child.

[Morgan's Cloud]

MC

I have never had the boat roll to the opposite side in a turn, i could at will roll the boat onto the side of the turn and put the grab rail into the water.

reads like a parent sticking up for his poorly behaved child.

Me too , plenty of times/always . That's why I'm a bit curious about this.
At the right speeds I can almost put the aft section of the rub rail of the St T in the water , but it's not scary . It's what it's supposed to do .
As long as it's banking inwards , that is .

Back in the mid/late 60's Dick Bertram put out a booklet outlining the development/history of the Bertrams and their outstanding performance characteristics .
They were ,after all ,pretty much the boats that started it all on this side of the globe.

I remember him saying that ,amongst other tricks , they'd often place a highball on the transom and go into a hard turn and after exiting said turn drink would still be there .

[Carl C]

Not the opposite side. The boats can carve a very sharp low speed turn and you can indeed dip the rubrail sometimes but with too much negative trim it can suddenly fall onto it's low side. With too much positive trim it will porpoise through the turn so it takes experience to find the sweet spot and to feel where the boat is about to lean too far into the turn. Once mastered though it is a blast. I like a boat that takes some driver input and skill to drive. Put an inexperienced driver behind the wheel and they can quickly get in trouble with the trim or tabs. It's a little like mastering a motorcycle or manual transmission car. I told my story on OSO. I put the boat on it's side twice the first time out and was like WTF just happened? It has been said here over and over that Donzi newbies need lots of seat time before running hard. I love Donzi Classics and I love driving mine. Can't wait for spring!

[Fishermanjm]

i think i know what you are talking about Carl, when i test drove my boat the owner told me to drive the boat
straight to a point where he told me to roll the wheel over to starboard we were traveling pretty fast,,, so i did,,,
she layed down hard in the beginning i swaer my hand on the throttle got splashed. It scared the hell out of me.
One time tho,,,not agin sence then. i listened to you an put my ass in the seat and continued driving it. Always wanted a Classic and bought one, been having fun with her for three years, excelerate out of the turns is the
absolute best.

[CHACHI]

MC

reads like a parent sticking up for his poorly behaved child.

'Cause that's what we do.

Ken

[mattyboy]

'Cause that's what we do.

Ken

circle the wagons and protect that 50 yr old kid


;)