Respectful New Blood- Take time to read

[wato]

Being new to the forum and reading through the history and catalogs of such a classic boat has given me all the more reason and drive to own one and associate with others who share the same sentiments! I understand that a few members on this site are in a state of nostalgia due to some founding members selling their Donzis and posting less and less. If I may be so bold as to offer parralell to the boat (Classic) it self:

For a boat that has undergone such little change since its creation, this concept can provide us with a great parallel to a life past. A life where every cottage was affordable! A life where every cottage could be left unlocked in case someone was in an emergency. A life where every local marina was thriving, gas prices were low and boat numbers were high. A time when every cottage had a boat house and no one was worried about human encroachment on water lines and habitat. Sounds wonderful to me.

However, at that time this cottaging lifestyle was new, and folks much older than ourselves found themselves in the same state of longing for a former time gone by. At the end of the day, time will always pass, people will always pass on, change, drift away and new people (members in this case) will always drop in. As long as there is a passion for this style of boating and these incredible boats, there will always be a forum of dedicated Donzi boaters willing to share knowledge, stories photos and GPS readings. I believe as long as we maintain the spirit of this forum and this style of boating, we will all be able to respect the past, see glimpses of it reflecting from our polished bows, and what it will become in the future.

I used to be very interested in STV style boats but after a while my interests turned to these classics. What turned me over wasn't the speed ( as they go a lil slower that the Euroskis and river rockets) but they do so with a grace and class that at the finish line puts them second to none. It may be my upbringing with the tradition learning to captain old wooden boats such as my Grandpas 1964 24 ft MASON , and learning well I might add...summer after summer of perfectly piloting her into the boat house and numerous docks with out touching a side and working with the wind and wash all the while to be pushed out again by my Dad and my Grandpa saying ....do that again! It is those memories that a Donzi brings to the fore front of my mind.

[Ed Donnelly]

Let me guess...........You are an English teacher.............

Very nicely written.....Ed

[silverghost]

There is a new trend today for Donzis I see in my areas of Pennsylvania & New Jersey . Folks are seeking-out long forgotten early sleeping Donzi 16s & 18s that have been long since forgotten and long in hiding.

Many of these sadly neglected boats were~~~dare I say it~~~headed for the scrap & burn pile .

I bought one of these heavily used & abused Donzi projects myself.
I could have bought a much newer Donzi 18 for mch less than what I know I will evenually be putting-into the projet boat.
For me it will be a labor of love~~~and a way to re-capture the fun & thrill of my early Donzi teenage years from the early to mid 1970s.
My uncle owned an X-18 Donzi Berkeley/Olds 455 Jet-drive when I was a teenage kid.

These long forgotten & sleeping Donzis are now being restored & re-powered.

Early Donzi boats are also showing-up at some Antique Boat Shows !

The Donzi "Classic" seems to be more alive than ever before !

[wato]

Thats great! I would love to see some pictures! Keep the vintage alive!

[oledawg]

Oldies but Goodies are the best! I am one myself

[wato]

Hahaha great line...sooo true! And nice ride By the way!

[Humanphibian]

I just picked up a 2004 26ZX.....not "vintage" but classic by any definition. Cannot wait for my first Donzi Summer!!

[roadtrip se]

[QUOTE=wato;594101] I understand that a few members on this site are in a state of nostalgia due to some founding members selling their Donzis and posting less and less. If I may be so bold as to offer parralell to the boat (Classic) it self: QUOTE]

Wato, I enjoy the sentiments of your post, as it captures some of the essence of the community.

I do find this portion of your statment a little off from my view. Yes, there are folks that have moved on to other styles of boating as their needs have changed, but this is the exception, not the rule. Most, do not sell their Donzis off, once they acquire one.

What has happened is that thanks to places like this, facebook, other donzi blogs, and the annual rallies is that people have built frendships that go beyond the essence of a chat board. There have been other issues that have given some folks reason to engage less on these sorts of sites, which I am not going to get into here and now, but friendships have evolved and the phone/email gets utilized more and public forums like this one, less.

My suggestion to really get a feel for the community is to take your boat to a rally and meet these folks. Never met a greater bunch of diverse people with a common interest!

[f_inscreenname]

Everything I own is almost as old as I am. Never wanted a new boat for some reason. As a kid I always thought I would own a 1968 Nova with a big block some day.
It's not the "Nova" I thought I would have but it is a 1968 SuperNova and it has 2 big blocks.

[The Hedgehog]

I just picked up a 2004 26ZX.....not "vintage" but classic by any definition. Cannot wait for my first Donzi Summer!!

You will enjoy that first Donzi summer. And all the others too for that matter.

[Greg Guimond]

"I used to be very interested in STV style boats but after a while my interests turned to these classics. What turned me over wasn't the speed but the grace and class that at the finish line puts them second to none. It may be my upbringing with the tradition learning to captain old wooden boats such as my Grandpas 1964 24 ft MASON , and learning well I might add...summer after summer of perfectly piloting her into the boat house and numerous docks with out touching a side and working with the wind and wash all the while to be pushed out again by my Dad and my Grandpa saying ....do that again! It is those memories that a Donzi brings to the fore front of my mind."

Welcome ....and very cool that STV wackers were once in your background. The gents on this board certainly know there I/O's