Donzi 16 Timeline - The Boats Built During 1964

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To draw people away from the AOTH thread I've created my own controversial timeline of the first 16's ever built. Take yourself back 50 years, before I was born, and read the Greg Guimond 16 timeline below.

:popcorn:


Keep in mind how many Donzi race boats were in action in late 1964 that would have required substantial factory focus. Example - In November there was major preparation underway for the big Miami-to-Key West Offshore Race. This race was critical as it was the last race in the 1964 World Powerboat Championship 6 race series (aka "The Sam Griffith Trophy") which Jim Wynne won that year with Dick Bertram taking second.
The M-to-KW race was run on November 6, 1964 and had Wynne in a Donzi 28 (2nd), Jim Breuil (3rd) running his own 36' Breuil diesel, Walt Walters in a second Donzi 28 (4th), Allan Brown (8th) in the first Donzi 19 Hornet ever built named "Donzi Daddy", and Jake Trotter placing 16th in yet a 3rd Donzi 28 .

What Allan Brown did indicate to me with 100% certainty was that the hull he brought to the Jax Boat Show the next week was the first Ski Sporter EVER with a Volvo 200. This was confused by many folks for 15 years.

The timeline for 1964 Ski Sporter production could/would have looked like this ...........

July 1, 1964 - After Don Aronow sells Formula to Dick Genth's Thunderbird Boats on May 5, 1964, he starts Donzi and literally builds the new factory right across the street from Formula. Drawings for the Donzi Ski Sporter 16 (underway) are printed by legendary designer and living marine icon Walt Walters who is now 84. The design effort is fast-tracked by the Walters/Aronow 1963 Formula Jr. hull and the 1962 race winning Wynn Mill II driven by Jim Wynne complete with 2 blade prop.

To be specific, the Donzi 16 is linked only to the WYN-MILL II.

September 1964 - Production starts on the 16 with Hull #1 built. Powerplant and drive was from Eaton Manufacturing, Dearborn Marine Engine Division. It was labeled the "Interceptor" and was a 260ci (Ford) V8 probably making 165hp? Boat was Wonder White with a Grumble Green deck stripe. Walt Walters could verify what power the first one got and if he had an apprentice helping with the design. Call him up. This hull seems to be the one piloted by Allan Brown who is running alongside Jim Wynne in the well known flat water photograph. It has no waterline boot stripe in the photo and notice that the decals show America in front of Great Britain.

September 1964 - "Popular Boating"' magazine writes that Hull #2 (or #3) is demonstrated at longtime establishment Santana Marine in Coconut Grove Florida running on Dinner Key. The iconic "grab rail" is offered as a $48 option on the 1964s. No pictures survive of it at Santana Marine but this hull could be the one a bearded Jim Wynne is piloting alongside Brownie in the same photo referenced above. The hull is Volvo powered and rigged with an AQ drive after Wynne and Volvo President Harald Wiklund introduced the first drive to America in 1959. Which model is on that Santana demo boat, 100 or 200? It does not have a grab rail, and carries the Swedish decal (recognizing Volvo) first followed by America. These three items are identical to the press boat photo. It is white with a red deck stripe and red waterline boot stripe. Very possible that the "press boat" was also the "demo boat" that PB's Dick Borden wrote about in there June 1965 issue.

October 1964 - Hull #3 (or 2) is built. Power was Volvo/AQ100. It is reviewed in the July 21, 1965 issue of the Swedish performance magazine "Teknikens varld." Many decades later Thomas Ronnberg in Sweden bought and fully restored this 16 and ran it for years. Boat is white with a red deck stripe, no waterline boot stripe and has the 3 gauge dash instrument panel. The 3 gauge panel though seems to be slightly different. Thomas believed it was 1964 hull #2 or #3. Lars on this board would/could contact Ronnberg in Sweden.

November 15, 1964 - Living legend Allan Brown (now 81) as Sales Manager for the new Donzi Marine, brings Hull #4 (or 3) to the Jax boat show on 11/13/64 rigged with a Volvo/AQ200, the first 200 imported into the US market, but not the first Ski Sporter hull built as has been assumed by master blasters for decades. Boat is white with a blue deck stripe according to AB. No information on if it had a boot stripe or not. Mr. K's team at Mercury (Bill Steele and Joe Swift) tries to bribe Brownie with money and ho's for a closer look at the brand new sandcast Aquamatic 200 technology at Lake X. Brown tells them to piss off.

December 10, 1964 - Fred Darwick (now 75) buys and takes delivery of hull #6 (or 5) with a 4 cyl Volvo power plant making 110hp and an AQ100 drive. The 110 engine itself had been proven thoroughly, winning 4 ocean races the prior year in a Formula 233. The cost is $3,500 with trailer while printed ads show a price of $3,995 for 16s to the public. Is the lower cost because of the leftover AQ100 drive instead of a newer 200 or is it because Darwick is both a friend and a supplier to Don Aronow? The boat is white with a green stripe and "Hot Volvo" is handwritten on the original Bill of Sale. The boat has just one option, an Aquameter Speedo and carries the American sticker first followed by Sweden below the scripted Donzi Marine. Wearing #11 on the deck and hulls sides, Fred and Judy go out and win the January 2, 1965 "Orange Bowl Regatta 9 Hour" Endurance Race "Class A" in this Ski Sporter. Archive that invoice at Mystic Seaport and then find Bob Cox and Ed Joyce (who ironically raced a Formula 233 in other earlier races) to see if they bought Ski Sporter hull #5. On April 8. 1965 two Donzi 19 Hornets would compete in the Miami-Nassau Ocean Race. One 19 was a converted I/O and ran dual Johnson 90hp motors and was piloted by the team of Bob Cox and Ed Joyce.

January 15, 1965 - Two (not one) Ski Sporters are shown on the floor at the 55th Annual National Motor Boat Show at the old Coliseum on the UWS of NYC. Also in the booth that day are two 19 foot Donzi's. This is the exact same day that LBJ calls MLK to discuss the Voting Rights Act. The boat show runs from January 15th to January 24th and has 290 boats on the floor. These two 16 hulls (possibly hull #7 and #8) were probably built in December 1964 as they would have left Miami a full week earlier to allow for a snow storm cushion. No pictures exist of the booth with those boats but some very rough and unsubstantiated research indicated that the Ski Sporters were red and blue. There is, however, no magazine written account of there colors, power plants, deck stripes or boot stripes. Also unclear who from Donzi manned the booth at this show. There was also some comment that both these Ski Sporters were sold at the NYC show to a dealer in New Orleans.
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Also ........ note that Frank Civitano remembers his Father (who was friends with Don A) buying a Ski Sporter 16 from Don in 1964. Frank was 14 and recalls it being green with a red stripe and the 4th or 5th 16 made. Find him and ask him to confirm the color combo (how could you forget green?) and did the boat have Volvo or Eaton in the back? This green Ski Sporter could possibly be the same green hull that Fred Darwick mentioned Don had put aside for his young son Michael. The hull color green would have been suspect though as there is no records of 1964 hulls being painted a solid color. I would assume that if Darwick and Civitano's recollections are correct the "bright green" was actually Grumble Green which would have been used on later 16s in 1965.

Also, Also ........... at the time I believe that Mr. Darwick was living in Coconut Grove. Given Santana Marine was also in Coconut Grove, Fred might remember going over to see the Ski Sporter demo that was done there on Dinner Key.

Third Also ............ do not forget that a very early 16 was given to Bill Muncey as a promo present by Don Aronow. This boat was last sold back in 2009 after a complete restoration. Edward Muncey, son of famed racer and Unlimited Hydroplane Champion Bill Muncey (who died in 1981) would know what the original history of this claimed 1964 hull was. Find him and ask.

There you have it for the archives lol

For some reason I'm having a huge deja vu experience.

I worked with Will Muncey (also a son of Bill) in Seattle on his race boat teams when he ran limited and unlimited boats ("Miss Kawagucchi") and he could be another source to question.

IIRC, Fred Darwick told me that after taking delivery of the white/green "hot Volvo" he helped a friend purchase another one of the "hot Volvo's" in white/blue that was available (only 6 total, of this type were available). After winning the December 1964 race he sold the white/green boat. At a later date Fred bought the white/blue boat back from his friend... and finally sold it years later to someone in south Florida. Apparently, Fred still knows the whereabouts (and owner) of this boat albeit, it is no longer rigged with it's stock motor/drive.


...winter's coming.

Enjoy your ride! Overcast and a potential for rain here this weekend.

Next weekend looks great for a beautiful fall colours run in the Kawarthas! And we will be going boating until after (Canadian) Thanksgiving in mid October. I might have pushed it further down the calendar but, I'm looking to do some maintenance on the woody.
Attachment 83008

Quote:

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Originally Posted by woobs

IIRC, Fred Darwick told me that after taking delivery of the white/green "hot Volvo" he helped a friend purchase another one of the "hot Volvo's" in white/blue that was available (only 6 total, of this type were available). After winning the December 1964 race he sold the white/green boat. At a later date Fred bought the white/blue boat back from his friend... and finally sold it years later to someone in south Florida.

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Pretty close woobs. Fred and Judy ran there 1964 Ski Sporter in the 9 hour segment of the Orange Bowl Regatta. The race actually occurred on January 2, 1965 and they won there class. The boat was #11.
A year later, he then ran the exact same boat (with a different race number 17) in the January 1966 Orange Bowl. I do not know where he placed in the '66 race with the Ski Sporter.

An excerpt on the 1966 race is below .........

This race was held as part of the "Orange Bowl Regatta" which was associated with the "Orange Bowl" football game. It was always run during the holidays usually between Christmas and New Years. This particular year it was cold for south Florida with a brisk Northwest wind. This made for pretty rough conditions on the Marine Stadium's long marathon course. About half or a little more of the course was outside the stadium in Biscayne Bay. After the injuries began to pile up and then the fatal accident the race was red flagged and stopped. The race was re-run the following day minus the Mercury Factory boats and a number of others too damaged to continue. .

Interesting.
Greg, How do we know Fred's white/green boat was hull #6 (5)?

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And here are the vintage photos of the Darwick Ski Sporter 16 that was bought from directly from Don Aronow in late 1964. The same hull was raced first by Fred and his wife Judy in the January 2, 1965 race, and then again in the January 1966 race. Unfortunately, the 1966 race was black flagged after a death on the course attributed to unusually rough conditions.
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If Donzi built a [plant literally across the street from Formula then the first Donzi plant wouldnt be on 188 street, correct? Formula was on Biscayne and 144 st.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Greg Guimond

.
To draw people away from the AOTH thread I've created my own controversial timeline of the first 16's ever built. Take yourself back 50 years, before I was born, and read the Greg Guimond 16 timeline below.

:popcorn:


Keep in mind how many Donzi race boats were in action in late 1964 that would have required substantial factory focus. Example - In November there was major preparation underway for the big Miami-to-Key West Offshore Race. This race was critical as it was the last race in the 1964 World Powerboat Championship 6 race series (aka "The Sam Griffith Trophy") which Jim Wynne won that year with Dick Bertram taking second.
The M-to-KW race was run on November 6, 1964 and had Wynne in a Donzi 28 (2nd), Jim Breuil (3rd) running his own 36' Breuil diesel, Walt Walters in a second Donzi 28 (4th), Allan Brown (8th) in the first Donzi 19 Hornet ever built named "Donzi Daddy", and Jake Trotter placing 16th in yet a 3rd Donzi 28 .

What Allan Brown did indicate to me with 100% certainty was that the hull he brought to the Jax Boat Show the next week was the first Ski Sporter EVER with a Volvo 200. This was confused by many folks for 15 years.

The timeline for 1964 Ski Sporter production could/would have looked like this ...........

July 1, 1964 - After Don Aronow sells Formula to Dick Genth's Thunderbird Boats on May 5, 1964, he starts Donzi and literally builds the new factory right across the street from Formula. Drawings for the Donzi Ski Sporter 16 (underway) are printed by legendary designer and living marine icon Walt Walters who is now 84. The design effort is fast-tracked by the Walters/Aronow 1963 Formula Jr. hull and the 1962 race winning Wynn Mill II driven by Jim Wynne complete with 2 blade prop.

To be specific, the Donzi 16 is linked only to the WYN-MILL II.

September 1964 - Production starts on the 16 with Hull #1 built. Powerplant and drive was from Eaton Manufacturing, Dearborn Marine Engine Division. It was labeled the "Interceptor" and was a 260ci (Ford) V8 probably making 165hp? Boat was Wonder White with a Grumble Green deck stripe. Walt Walters could verify what power the first one got and if he had an apprentice helping with the design. Call him up. This hull seems to be the one piloted by Allan Brown who is running alongside Jim Wynne in the well known flat water photograph. It has no waterline boot stripe in the photo and notice that the decals show America in front of Great Britain.

September 1964 - "Popular Boating"' magazine writes that Hull #2 (or #3) is demonstrated at longtime establishment Santana Marine in Coconut Grove Florida running on Dinner Key. The iconic "grab rail" is offered as a $48 option on the 1964s. No pictures survive of it at Santana Marine but this hull could be the one a bearded Jim Wynne is piloting alongside Brownie in the same photo referenced above. The hull is Volvo powered and rigged with an AQ drive after Wynne and Volvo President Harald Wiklund introduced the first drive to America in 1959. Which model is on that Santana demo boat, 100 or 200? It does not have a grab rail, and carries the Swedish decal (recognizing Volvo) first followed by America. These three items are identical to the press boat photo. It is white with a red deck stripe and red waterline boot stripe. Very possible that the "press boat" was also the "demo boat" that PB's Dick Borden wrote about in there June 1965 issue.

October 1964 - Hull #3 (or 2) is built. Power was Volvo/AQ100. It is reviewed in the July 21, 1965 issue of the Swedish performance magazine "Teknikens varld." Many decades later Thomas Ronnberg in Sweden bought and fully restored this 16 and ran it for years. Boat is white with a red deck stripe, no waterline boot stripe and has the 3 gauge dash instrument panel. The 3 gauge panel though seems to be slightly different. Thomas believed it was 1964 hull #2 or #3. Lars on this board would/could contact Ronnberg in Sweden.

November 15, 1964 - Living legend Allan Brown (now 81) as Sales Manager for the new Donzi Marine, brings Hull #4 (or 3) to the Jax boat show on 11/13/64 rigged with a Volvo/AQ200, the first 200 imported into the US market, but not the first Ski Sporter hull built as has been assumed by master blasters for decades. Boat is white with a blue deck stripe according to AB. No information on if it had a boot stripe or not. Mr. K's team at Mercury (Bill Steele and Joe Swift) tries to bribe Brownie with money and ho's for a closer look at the brand new sandcast Aquamatic 200 technology at Lake X. Brown tells them to piss off.

December 10, 1964 - Fred Darwick (now 75) buys and takes delivery of hull #6 (or 5) with a 4 cyl Volvo power plant making 110hp and an AQ100 drive. The 110 engine itself had been proven thoroughly, winning 4 ocean races the prior year in a Formula 233. The cost is $3,500 with trailer while printed ads show a price of $3,995 for 16s to the public. Is the lower cost because of the leftover AQ100 drive instead of a newer 200 or is it because Darwick is both a friend and a supplier to Don Aronow? The boat is white with a green stripe and "Hot Volvo" is handwritten on the original Bill of Sale. The boat has just one option, an Aquameter Speedo and carries the American sticker first followed by Sweden below the scripted Donzi Marine. Wearing #11 on the deck and hulls sides, Fred and Judy go out and win the January 2, 1965 "Orange Bowl Regatta 9 Hour" Endurance Race "Class A" in this Ski Sporter. Archive that invoice at Mystic Seaport and then find Bob Cox and Ed Joyce (who ironically raced a Formula 233 in other earlier races) to see if they bought Ski Sporter hull #5. On April 8. 1965 two Donzi 19 Hornets would compete in the Miami-Nassau Ocean Race. One 19 was a converted I/O and ran dual Johnson 90hp motors and was piloted by the team of Bob Cox and Ed Joyce.

January 15, 1965 - Two (not one) Ski Sporters are shown on the floor at the 55th Annual National Motor Boat Show at the old Coliseum on the UWS of NYC. Also in the booth that day are two 19 foot Donzi's. This is the exact same day that LBJ calls MLK to discuss the Voting Rights Act. The boat show runs from January 15th to January 24th and has 290 boats on the floor. These two 16 hulls (possibly hull #7 and #8) were probably built in December 1964 as they would have left Miami a full week earlier to allow for a snow storm cushion. No pictures exist of the booth with those boats but some very rough and unsubstantiated research indicated that the Ski Sporters were red and blue. There is, however, no magazine written account of there colors, power plants, deck stripes or boot stripes. Also unclear who from Donzi manned the booth at this show. There was also some comment that both these Ski Sporters were sold at the NYC show to a dealer in New Orleans.
.

Also ........ note that Frank Civitano remembers his Father (who was friends with Don A) buying a Ski Sporter 16 from Don in 1964. Frank was 14 and recalls it being green with a red stripe and the 4th or 5th 16 made. Find him and ask him to confirm the color combo (how could you forget green?) and did the boat have Volvo or Eaton in the back? This green Ski Sporter could possibly be the same green hull that Fred Darwick mentioned Don had put aside for his young son Michael. The hull color green would have been suspect though as there is no records of 1964 hulls being painted a solid color. I would assume that if Darwick and Civitano's recollections are correct the "bright green" was actually Grumble Green which would have been used on later 16s in 1965.

Also, Also ........... at the time I believe that Mr. Darwick was living in Coconut Grove. Given Santana Marine was also in Coconut Grove, Fred might remember going over to see the Ski Sporter demo that was done there on Dinner Key.

Third Also ............ do not forget that a very early 16 was given to Bill Muncey as a promo present by Don Aronow. This boat was last sold back in 2009 after a complete restoration. Edward Muncey, son of famed racer and Unlimited Hydroplane Champion Bill Muncey (who died in 1981) would know what the original history of this claimed 1964 hull was. Find him and ask.

There you have it for the archives lol

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interesting read just some thoughts

I have seen posts here from Brownie that the jax show boat was the first production donzi ever

from first donzi ever built thread post 6 and 18

I showed the first Donzi in the Jacksonville, Fl. show in Nov. '64. White, blue stripe, 4 cyl. Volvo, sandcast 200 drive (first one everin this country). Average redneck comment: "What the hayellll is that?

BROWNIE

The Jax showboat was a 16'. It was THE FIRST production Donzi. Buizilla, I'm 69. Kiekhaefer's troops tried to bribe me to stop at the lake (X) on the way home for a gander at the new Volvo 200 drive. No dice. We built a s**tload of of 16's in '65.

BROWNIE

some other thoughts the plan from Jim Wynn was to outfit the 16 with his volvo i/o all the early pics and brochures only show and mention volvo power. I think the longshoremen's strike of 65 move more 16s to eaton ford power

the one pic you posted of the ad is from the original press photo brochure layout by Gross Greenman advertising it was the BW shots of the 16 top bottom and the one on the trailer being pulled by a 64 el camino . the one on the yacht is one i have never seen ,neat

the published dates I have found for the jax show in 64 were in April is that show like the AC show were they have a land show early in the year and then an in water show later in the year or was it a show not part of the Nat'l boat show schedule?

i think this is close and Brownie was sure right they built a ****load of 16s in 65

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mattyboy

interesting read just some thoughts

I have seen posts here from Brownie that the jax show boat was the first production donzi ever

from first donzi ever built thread post 6 and 18

I showed the first Donzi in the Jacksonville, Fl. show in Nov. '64. White, blue stripe, 4 cyl. Volvo, sandcast 200 drive (first one everin this country). Average redneck comment: "What the hayellll is that?

BROWNIE

The Jax showboat was a 16'. It was THE FIRST production Donzi. Buizilla, I'm 69. Kiekhaefer's troops tried to bribe me to stop at the lake (X) on the way home for a gander at the new Volvo 200 drive. No dice. We built a s**tload of of 16's in '65.

BROWNIE

some other thoughts the plan from Jim Wynn was to outfit the 16 with his volvo i/o all the early pics and brochures only show and mention volvo power. I think the longshoremen's strike of 65 move more 16s to eaton ford power

the one pic you posted of the ad is from the original press photo brochure layout by Gross Greenman advertising it was the BW shots of the 16 top bottom and the one on the trailer being pulled by a 64 el camino . the one on the yacht is one i have never seen ,neat

the published dates I have found for the jax show in 64 were in April is that show like the AC show were they have a land show early in the year and then an in water show later in the year or was it a show not part of the Nat'l boat show schedule?

i think this is close and Brownie was sure right they built a ****load of 16s in 65

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Matty, you are wrong, the Jacksonville boat show took place on November 13, 14, and 15 of 1964. The 158 mile "Miami to Key West" race was the weekend prior and Brown recalled still being a little banged up from it at the Jax show.

I asked 81 year old Alan Brown directly about the 16 Ski Sporter that he was in the booth with those three days, and he told me it was probably the 3rd or 4th production 16 boat built. He also relayed to me that it was the FIRST 16 equipped with the Volvo 200. That is where I believe the confusion lie all these decades with folks "in the know". In essence, no one ever asked Brownie the question the correct way. I'm still trying to dig up some additional information on one particular owner of the first three production 16's built, but getting information on the gent is proving to be difficult because I'm spending too much time running The Mule in the warm weather.

This particular guy was evidently good friends with Doc Magoon for many, many years if you have any way of connecting the dots. The guy is a major piece of the 1964 timeline puzzle for me..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mattyboy

the one pic you posted of the ad is from the original press photo brochure layout by Gross Greenman advertising it was the BW shots of the 16 top bottom and the one on the trailer being pulled by a 64 el camino . the one on the yacht is one i have never seen ,neat

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Can you post the 1964 El Camino ad photo?

Edit: Photo below courtesy of LGDCC

here is the brochure and some of the press photos the boat in all of these pics has an AQ 200 and the only 16 I have seen with the deck stripe that goes down thru the dash also no dash plate gauges are cut into the dash TOMRON believes this to be number 1 I think it is the boat Mike Aronow tells the story of the first ride with his Father no grab rail these pics the black and white ones are used in the semi colored brochure you can see these pics are taken at the first photo shoot and for the upcoming public release sometime in the early fall very late summer of 64 also note I don't see any mention of the interceptor in any literature until the oct 1965 price list. note this boat has the Swedish flag very few boats were ever seen with the Swedish flag Wynn wanted the 16 to be fitted with his drive and that flag makes that link. Notice you see Formulas still at the Donzi factory being finsihed. trying to find color pics of this shoot. I also think the dock strike force some fords into boats instead of the volvos

http://www.lgdonziclassic.com/pdfs/skisportlit.pdf

i have looked at all the stuff I have and that 16 brochure was re-worked at least once and those BW pics are used in several versions and smaller ads including the St T brochure and flyer

Greg do you have the BW pic of the 16s handy the one with Jim and Brownie running side by sideand the handwriting on it, can you post it up

I am going thru all the early test articles including the popular boating , rudder , boating news and a few other write ups

I found a few things that may help with the timeline

http://www.powerboatnation.com/brown...underboat-row/

Here (I think) is the side by side shot with Jim Wynne and Alan Brown ...............

Also, Matty do you by chance have the June, 1965 issue of Popular Boating magazine archived? I've been trying to find one for over a year now and no luck. There are several puzzle pieces in there for the 1964 builds.