Sweet 16 - Potential Purchase

[pezzonovante88]

I am looking to buy a 16c and there is a nice one for sale, white/red 1998 with a 383 Chevy stroker, thru-hull,etc. for $12000.00. It has about 400hp and can hit claimed "mid 70s" top speed. I think about 250 hours on the engine. Anyway, my main concerns are:

-How will the Sixteen handle rougher water (white caps on Lake Muskoka maybe 2+ ft chop)?
-Will water get sucked into the open exhaust tips while reversing?
-What prop would provide the best 'overall' performance?

[silverghost]

Many will shoot me here~

But the Donzi 18 is a much more stable riding boat that planes better, is faster with the same engine power, and rides in 2 foot wave chop much better than the 16.

This is not just my opinion.
The 18 was originally built by Donzi to overcome ride issues of the slightly smaller 16.
Many people don't actually know that the 18 is not really two foot longer than the 16~~~It is only slightly bigger.
The slight extra length, lack of bottom hull hook, and bottom lifting strake configurtion, makes it a much more stable riding & faster hull.

[Rob M]

Answers:
1.) 16 is fine on most water conditions on Lake Muskoka. Handles chop well.
2.) Exhaust tips likely have an internal flapper to block water intake
3.) May have to test a few props. I had good luck with a 23P Mercury Mirage on my 1994 16 - but it was a V6.

I have had 16, 18 and 19 foot Donzi hulls in Muskoka. All are good riding. 19 is the best, 18 next, 16 next - just the way it goes. My only issue with the 16 is that there is nowhere to put anything (fenders, ropes etc.)

Good luck with your decision.

[craigdskilling]

If you want a great 16 look up younger on the site he is selling his 16bh .if you look at the event section you will see his boat.there was 10 of us up there in july.his boat is 84mlp boat.look in the muskokas thread.i have a 18 bh and i run 80 also but can hold the higher speed better in those waters.his boat is pushing 475hp

[Greg Guimond]

Is the 16 your looking at the 2+3 version or the earlier "lounge" seating ?

[pezzonovante88]

[ QUOTE=$originalposter]{$pagetext}[/QUOTE]

It has the wrap-around seat.

[craigdskilling]

Yes its the rap seat.Its a very nice boat and fast.Also its in Kingston Ont.

[Tony]

Mid-seventies (if true) is dang fast in a 16' hull. Does the boat have hydraulic steering? Trim tabs? What prop is on it now, and how does it feel at WOT?

Craig, with all due respect, suggesting a 80mph blackhawk 16' might be a bit irresponsible, since we do not know anything about the experience level of the original poster. It may be a great boat, and very fast, but it also may not be for everybody.

Regarding the 16 vs. 18 debate, there is plenty to read on that topic! Some may just pine for the rocket-ship quickness of a 16', with their ability to power-launch off just about any-sized wake. I can't imagine an 18 planes quicker than a properly set-up 16, I know my old Ski Sporter just about leaped out of the water, and would set you back in your seat pretty impressively.

Lastly, don't worry much about interior storage...neither one has it!

[mattyboy]

Brad ,

your opinion is totally un-informed .

the facts

the 16 planes quicker than an 18 that was the 16's job it's a ski sporter.

the 18 hull was modified from it's original form to make it's handling more stable. the 18 when it first came out was a true deep vee and had quirks that could unerve the driver falling sharply off to one side when it came across a wake, slapping or pounding on re-entry. the hull was modified to be more like the 16.

to say the 18 was designed to fix the 16 faults is way off base.

The 18 does benefit from the 2+3 and makes the front passenger more comfortable.

the 16 is more agile than an 18 .

from my expierence when it gets rough in a 16 it gets rough in an 18.

[silverghost]

Matty~
I never said that an 18 planes faster , or quicker.
I said an 18 planes better & is a much more stable platform than a 16 hull.
The 16 tends to porpose a bit and do a bit of chine walking also.
Not as much as the Four Winns "U" boats however.
The 18 does not tend to do the above as much as the 16 does.
In my opinion the ride in a 18 is much more stable and it's planning is more solid.
The 18 is also faster with the very same horsepower.
Despite only being a bit longer than a 16, the 18 will handle rougher chop much better in my opinion.

There are real reasons why the 18 has out-sold the 16 in production numbers over the years.

Again~
This is my opinion.

[mattyboy]

Brad please explain planes better?? either the hull is on plane or off plane and the only parameter I have heard in reference to planing is how quick it goes from off plane to on plane. Also explain the term more solid planning??

Please expound on how the 18 was designed to cure the ill handling 16??? why the change in the 18 hull after 3 years in production??

The next thing you mention is porpoising??? this truely leads me to believe you have little to no seat time in a 16 or an 18 . ALL of the classic hulls will porpoise this can be handled with the correct prop. The 22 even does it.

Your opinion is your opinion , you feel the 18 rides better that's fine but don't just make up stuff to try and validate your opinion.

Production numbers are skewed the 16 had a decade off from production, and no one really knows what the OMC numbers were. I bet they made a ton of 4.3 "sweet 16's" on the re-introduction.


I had my 16 in some pretty rough stuff and the 18s and the 22s I was running with were not passing the grey poupon and the finger sandwiches.

Brad perhaps you could enlighten us on were the extra length was added to the 18 and why it helps the ride on the 18 over the ride of the 16.

I have seat time in a 16 and an 18 and very limited time in a 22. The 16 is more responsive than an 18 or 22( not to say the 18 and 22 were slugs but the 16 responds to throttle and steering inputs much quicker ).
The 18 is most definetly more comfortable for passengers than a lounge seating 16. The 16 is better for water sports and lounging than an 18.

[biggiefl]

I started looking for a 16' outboard a few months ago to put my 115 Suzuki 4 stroke on. I sat in one and said "hell no". Probably the same reason I passed on a new 1990? leftover 16' back in 1992 over a slightly used Scarab 1 21'....they are tiny. They should be tiny they are 16' boats. Compared to any 16' boat I bet it rides better than 95% of them. So then I started looking at 18's and honestly I could not justify it over the 16 except for the seating and a windshield(on many). I then went for the gusto and bought what I always wanted which was a 22'. When you look at $12k for a 16' and $15k for what I paid for my 22' I would not settle for anything less. I had my 22 out in 3-5's a couple weeks ago. Tabs down, drive in, directly into it doing about 20 and she just went from crest to crest on top. The 16/18 would have been stuffing the bow or severely beat the snot out of us. Would I want to be in that again...no but glad I was in a 22. I also think after owning a 16' Checkmate Predictor, my wife would divorce me if I came home with another "tiny" boat. Gotta keep Momma happy! Then again if I lived on a lake or river, it might not matter much.

As far as props go...I would hope the owner has the right prop on it already. In order to give advice on a prop we need to know rpm, gear ratio and what prop it is running now....especially when something is modified. Lastly mid 70's out of 400hp in a 16 seems a tad pushing the envelope and you BETTER know how to drive.

[pezzonovante88]

[ QUOTE=$originalposter]{$pagetext}[/QUOTE]

Thanks. Yeah, I'm not overly concerned with the top speed, as I imagine a 16 with 400hp will be far more than plenty any way one looks at it. I'm 23 y/o and have grown up driving runabouts/launches, but I haven't much experience in something like this. I would be very cautious and take my time learning the 'feel' of the boat before I would start to push it.

[pezzonovante88]

[ QUOTE=$originalposter]{$pagetext}[/QUOTE]

I've not driven the boat. IF I buy it, it will be be 'site unseen', as its in Florida and I'm in Toronto! But, as I mentioned to 'Biggiefl', I am a somewhat experienced boater, but not with this sort of power in such a small package. I would be very cautious with the boat and take my time to get the 'feel' for it before pushing it at all.

[mattyboy]

the biggest thing to get used to will be how the boat turns compared to launch or run about.
the classic hull rolls hard onto it's side you can put the grab rail in the water in a turn.
if the boat has tabs you'll run across the leaning on it's side like in a turn but going straight thingy.
seat time and learn the boat cause just when you think you figured it out it will throw you a curve.

good luck on the search