My new '06 22ZX

[ChromeGorilla]

Jack, let me finish that little rhyme for ya,
..........I have one that runs, why dont you?

Oh snap........

.

[ChromeGorilla]

Well, I brought the boat home today. All set to go boating this weekend.
My first post-delivery modification will actually be to the JEEP, not the boat.
Absolutely NOTHING WRONG with the JEEP. It pulled that sucker home like it wasn't even there. Amazing. And awesome brakes on the trailer. That backup switch thing is extremely nice, too.
Actually, the modification to the JEEP will be a graphics package to match the boat. I discussed this with a graphics specialist today. He is doing the customized registration numbers to match the boat scheme. And he is doing the DONZI QUIXOTE name graphics.
But we are going to do the Tribal Flames on the JEEP as well. White JEEP makes it sooooo easy. Like an artist's canvas just crying out for color.

.

[Dr. Dan]

Mark I really like that name...very creative....can't wait to see the final package with the Jeep and all... Good luck with it...sounds like you have a re-energized love for your Passion... and that is a Good Thing.


Doc of the Bay

[CrackerJack]

Chrome-G,
Check out the events section for Porkey's...

[boldts]

Mark, Congrats on the new 22ZX. Beautiful color and graphics. Amazing how everyone is ready to spend your money upgrading a perfectly good, brand new engine package. Take care and best of luck with her!

[Last Tango]

Donzi Quixote debutes.
Shake down cruise for boat and crew.
Perfect weather, perfect first day. Less than 4 hours on the engine but we did crest 60mph twice today for a few seconds, just to see if it would top 60 mph before running out of steam, and it did. I didn't push it hard or long, just a quick spurt to see if 60 was possible. Lots of response at the high end above 45 MPH. Engine/drive/prop combo cruised best at about 4000 rpm and about 45 MPH GPS. Next 1000 rpm added 15 mph. Speedo is about 4% optimistic. Engine easily revved to over 5000 rpm. A little prop cavitation out of the hole (Bravo 1 1.65:1 ratio, Bravo One prop 22P, 4 bladed), a bit like burning rubber in a drag racer. Doesn't need a whole lot of up trim at speed. Full down tabs at launch brought the nose down quickly and the boat on plane right away. No tabs needed after launching. Drive trim to the first 1/4 was plenty at all speeds. Stepped hull - the faster the better. No chine walk or loose feeling at 60. Probably needs a LOT more speed to do that, if at all.
Boat definitely feels much larger than a Classic. Felt HUGE behind the wheel. Ran over 2-3 foot seas like they weren't even there. Windy, gusty, rough water today, but the boat made it all disappear.

Only problems were limited to the dealer installed sea strainer. Input hose could not be tightened enough to stop a serious flow of water from around the hose fitting they put in. Hose looks like small diameter dryer vent hose from Home Depot. We tried to tighten the two hose clamps but it wasn't the answer. Bilge pump well ahead of the amount of water coming in. Water would only leak in when the engine was NOT running. Otherwise there was plenty of suction from the output side to keep things dry when the engine was idling or higher. Played a little havoc with the temperature gauge and sensors to have that leak. since it was probably sucking air when the low pressure was the other way. When running at any speed above idle, no leaks and no air/cooling problems. So I just need to have them put the same kind of hose used on the rest of the system.
Since I have a two battery system, I simply put the bilge pump on Battery Two only while we went onto the restaurant for lunch, thus ensured a solid Battery One for starting when it was time to go. When we came back to the boat, everything was working fine, the bilge pump was sending out a squirt now and then, but not working hard. Without switching over to Battery One, I fired up the motor off Battery Two without the slightest hint of drainage for the work it had performed over the last hour. I ran Battery Two only on the way back just to charge it up again.

Launching and recovering was a total beeze. FAR easier and less in the water than the 18C needed. Jeep and electrical connectors never got wet. Recovery was a piece of cake, even though we suffered our second failure of the day when a the small cog on the crank handle shaft on the winch just fell in half. But the boat was already up to the rubber stopper under its own power. We were lucky in that the winch was already tight and the boat secure. The winch drum was locked and the boat tight. The little cog just fell in half. Easy replacement.
Loadmaster trailer worked awesome, and towed and braked extremely well. But I did go around and have to tighten almost every bolt on it, particularly the winch support. I also checked the tire pressures on the trailer before we left the house while they were still cold and they were all a few pounds high so I bled them back down to 50 PSI and we were off.
Jeep still not sure it is actually TOWING something back there. Tow/Haul mode button keeps it from going into overdrive, but still lopes along at only about 2,200 rpm at 70 mph. No jiggle, sway, or reflash over bumps. HEMI and tranny all stayed cool and at the normal daily operation temperature.

[Cuda]

Sounds great Mark, I'm glad you are very happy with it. It sure is a fine looking boat.


I'll be working up your way the next couple weeks, maybe I'll have time to take a look at it.

[Last Tango]

Cuda,
(904) 534-9928 cell

PS Bring Debbie in case we find something else to fix. LOL!

[Cuda]

While I'm headed to Orange Park tomorrow, she's heading south to Cocoa Beach.

[Budmann]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mark, the boat looks AWESOME!!!! What a hot graphic design.
You da man...

[Last Tango]

This past Sunday was Donzi Quixote's official post-shakedown christening and Maiden Voyage. There to share the ceremonies was the lovely and creative Aye Candy who really rolled out the carpet for this event. We also invited another couple who share the boating/Porsche thing. They were impressed and amazed at the boat, it's enjoyable characteristics, performance, and party spaces, as well as Aye Candy's amazing preparation and presentation of gifts and delicacy's to make this day special. She caught us all totally off guard and really made it an event.
Aye Candy got her first look at the boat on Sunday morning, but had already lurked the pages of this thread to see the pictures, and had created a very nice collage of photos and Donzi words for a screen saver. She presented the screen save to me via the internet. She was proud and excited to be a part of this even before she had a chance to ride.
While prepping the boat for launch at the ramp, Aye Candy jumped aboard to handle all the "inside" stuff while I handled the "outside" stuff like trailer tie-downs and such. She han't been in the boat until this moment so I let her explore our new toy. I could hear the ooh's and ahh's as she discovered first one thing and then another. She took aboard all the coolers and packs and made everything ready for the launch. She checked out the cuddy area and rearranged the "furniture" there immediately to suit her.
Once the boat was ready, Bob got in the Jeep, Aye Candy got out of the boat and smiled, and then I climbed aboard for the launch. Aye Candy was a little disappointed that Bob took command of the Jeep before she did, but she manned the winch handle and gave directions to Bob and thus took part in the launching.
It was when I first climbed aboard the boat that I got my first surprise. Resting on the shift control was a brand new Doo-Rag, in colors perfectly matching the boat paint scheme. I whooped with excitement and immediately put it on. Aye Candy beamed pride as I made a very big deal about the new head gear for the boat.
The boat launched quickly and easily, Bob got a lucky close-in parking slot for the Jeep and trailer, and off we went.
After a little warm up and demonstartion time with the boat we slowed down and stopped for a few minutes at Aye Candy's request. I turned off the motor and we drifted quietly. She reached down into her cooler pack and brought out a bottle of Champagne to toast our christening. Not a drop was waisted breaking it over the bow. Instead she pulled out clear blue glasses that matched the boat colors and we toasted and laughed and had a good time. However, the surprises were not over. Next she brought out of her cooler pack, four very large apples on sticks (large tongue depressers). The apples were coated with a layer of peanut butter and then chocolate, both dark and white. She had decorated the chocolate coatings with more little designs in blue and white with blue and silver sprinkles. Each apple was then wrapped in clear cellophane and tied with a multicolored blue ribbon and gold stars. WOW!!!!! Later in the day the four of us shared one and it was enough for all of us!
Finally, after lunch, Aye Candy demonstrated he final "gift" by removing her shirt and shorts to reveal an absolutely stunning new blue Bikini that also matched the boat. The design was as exciting as they get, with an open weave pattern that screamed SEXY and at the same time had a flesh color inner liner that provided legal protection under the sun.
We drove about an hour down to Palatka and tied up at Gator Landing for lunch, where Aye Candy treated ME on HER tab.
Bob and his wife Connie were as amazed and happy as I. We actually were able to maintain a normal conversation all the time the boat was running. The Quick & Quiet II sounded fantastic at warp speed without deafening the party.
We have another boating weekend coming up as Aye Candy and I host Dad's Thunder and his new boating partner, both all the way from Lake Erie.
It's gonna be a great year.

[ChromeGorilla]

Mark, glad to hear all is well with the new boat. And I must say the graphics are fantastic! Congrats again!

[fastcat]

Mark- Beautiful boat. I was watching for you on the river on Sunday. We were on the dock all day seeing everyone else have fun while we slaved away. Hope to go out this weekend and bring her around to try out the new lift.
Can't wait to see your new boat in person.

[BUIZILLA]

Sooooooooooooooooo..................

where's the pic's of Aye Candy in the bikini....

this thread is worthless without PIC'S !!!!!

[boxy]

Ya..... What he said ......


Looks great Mark, have fun.