Donzi Owner's Gathering, St. Pete, FL Oct 5-7,

[Tidbart]

Date corrected listing.

Got a message the other day from Mike Miller. There will be no formal Hometown Rally this year due to the economy, etc, etc...

However Mike found a place in St. Pete on Tampa Bay that we can have our own Donzi weekend. This would be informal, no registration, not T-shirts, no set plans for meal, etc. October 5-7th.

Just book a room and show up with or without a boat. There are no rooms blocked for the weekend so call and see what you can get.

Here.... http://www.marinacoveresort.com/ Looks like a cool place, right on the bay with docks. There are several Donzi owners that live in the area and know the water well. So, I am sure we can come up with a nice cruise or two for lunch and a day at a beach.

Hope to see some of you there.

Bob

[Tidbart]

Not much interest so far. The economy must be bad or something.

B

[VetteLT193]

I want to go but the timing isn't there for me personally. I'm going to be in Tampa the following weekend for a wedding followed by a trip to Disney for the kids. Plus we have a family cruise booked this year so I can't take off more time.

On top of that, we are just busy as heck this year. I have used the boat only 3 times since last year's hometown rally

[hdsadey]

I would like to attend, live only an hour south. Just test run the 16 after 3 long years of assembly, YAHOO! Got some more stuff to sort out but first time out it did pretty well.

[Sidney073]

I'm going to try to attend, missed last one due to work, I'm off 4-6 going to try an swap 4th for 7th. Hope to see everyone there!
L8R,
Sid

[PaulO]

Hope this works out and we get some attendance. Will be my first Donzi get together in many years.
PaulO

[GeneD]

I'm in.
New engine in and running smoothly.
Though boat has been run ragged over the years and is showing pretty rough.
Tampa Bay is quite boring btw...but to the west is some nice water.
Egmont Key is really nice and maybe we can buzz over there for a picnic or something.
Launching at DeSoto Park.
Sure wish we could go hang at Gator's though...
http://www.gatorsonthepass.com/

[Tidbart]

Since we are winging it.... we can come up with our own itinerary. I was thinking Gator's for Saturday lunch run. We did that run from Sarasota many years ago. Anyways, appears a meeting on Friday night over a couple of cocktails is in order.

Bob

[GeneD]

South St. Pete to Gator's is quite a run. Though I'm up for it. My gas hog will have to be full up to do a 'run'!
I'm up for anything that has a bunch of Donzis running.

[GeneD]

I spoke to the manager of Gator's and he'd be happy to host our Donzi lunch out by the new Corona Tiki Bar that they are building.
When I get a head count, I'll be able to find out what they will offer us as a lunch deal. Burgers are #1 there, but they have other things of course.
Not too far away...all those interested should post and let us know.
Kinda exciting!

[Tidbart]

Gene,

Since you are in the area....

We will need to know where we can launch our boats. Public ramp preferred or not, if a public ramp is too far away.

Also, do you know of a marina that can put in a boat off a trailer and then take it out later? One of the prospective attendees has a steel trailer he does not want to dip in salt, 18C.

Bob

[GeneD]

Hmmm, okay...the largest public launching ramp in that area can be found at Ft. DeSoto Park. There is a minimal fee, like $6 or something like that. It puts you right in the thick of things for fun in the sun. It's got like 10 or more ramps and mega parking.
Ft. DeSoto Park
3500 Pinellas Bayway South, Tierra Verde
Open 24 Hours - saltwater - restroom facilities available
There aren't a lot of public ramps in the county. And most are small and are hidden away in neighborhoods that you'll need local knowledge to find.
The other big ramp is in St. Petersburg close to the St. Pete Pier.
Demens Landing Park
200 1st Avenue SE
St. Petersburg Florida 33701
stpete.org
727-893-7111
There is a marina just west of the hotel, and this is the closest place to launch. They have a ramp and some other limited facilities.
O'Neill's Marina
6701 Sunshine Skyway Lane South
St. Petersburg, FL 33711
(727) 867-2585
I don't hang too often in that neck of my woods, so finding a place that will lift a boat off the trailer and launch down there is going to be difficult.
This place is a high and dry, and may be able to do that. Though it would be a bit far from the hotel.
Harborage Marina
1110 3rd Street South
Saint Petersbrug, FL 33701
727 821 6347
I know of 2 places in Madeira Beach that will do that. Far from the hotel though.
Bay Pines Marina:‎
5000 92nd Street North
St. Petersburg, FL 33708
(727) 392-4922
www.baypinesmarina.com‎‎
And...
Lighthouse Point Marina
8610 Bay Pines Blvd.
St.Petersburg, FL 33709
Phone: (727) 384-3625
http://lighthousepointmarina.net/

[Tidbart]

Found a Public Ramp and it is 1 minute from the hotel. Maximo Park. That was too easy.

http://www.stpeteparksrec.org/maximo-park.html

B

[GeneD]

Hmm, yeah forgot about that place.
We had stopped using it cause it had fallen into disrepair.
The docks were so bad, they had police tape on them. And last time I was there, we hit something in one of the launch slots.
I assume they've fixed all that.
And that reminds me that Maximo Marina, about 1 minute north of the ramp, behind West Marine, has a high and dry and can take a boat off a trailer and dump boat into water!
We be making progress!

[Donzigo]

We willbe there with the Z-33, David will be there with his Fountain 31.

Sounds like fun!