28ZX Stability - Rough Water & Calm Water - Need Your Opinion - Buying Soon!

[kswest]

Did a sea trial on a 28ZX yesterday with the 6.2 mercs. My surveyor (an ex pro throttle man) and I were disappointed with the boat's handling. It took a lot of work (constant little adjustments) to get it to go where you wanted it to and seems unstable (like it could dart anywhere at anytime).

Before this run I was set on a 28' donzi with twin, but now I am second guessing.

Does this sound typical for this boat, or was this particular boat just a P.O.S.? Everything checked out pretty well on the survey and all the other comments I have dug up on OSO say the 28ZX is great in the rough. This was in calm.

Something to note ...

Boat had 1/2 cable, 1/2 hydraullic steering.

TIA for your comments.

[undertaker]

I owned a 2000 28ZX with twin 350 MAGS had NO handling issues at all, I loved the boat sold it to move up to a 33ZX. You might want to talk to Shanghied Again on this board he is a Donzi dealer who knows his stuff when it comes to ZX's IMO. A 28ZX with the 6.2 would be sweet . My boat ran 72 MPH all day long. Good luck.

Undertaker

PS The 1/2 cable 1/2 hydraulic steering sounds NOT right to me mine had full hydraulic steering from the factory...

[kswest]

I owned a 2000 28ZX with twin 350 MAGS had NO handling issues at all, I loved the boat sold it to move up to a 33ZX. You might want to talk to Shanghied Again on this board he is a Donzi dealer who knows his stuff when it comes to ZX's IMO. A 28ZX with the 6.2 would be sweet . My boat ran 72 MPH all day long. Good luck.
Undertaker
PS The 1/2 cable 1/2 hydraulic steering sounds NOT right to me mine had full hydraulic steering from the factory...

OK. Thanks, this is encouraging. I was really dead set on a 28ZX until I drove this one yesterday and thought I may have been misguided all along.

I think the original buyer may have skimped out on the steering and went with the 1/2 cable to save a couple bucks. I am looking at a slightly older boat (2000) with the 350s on Saturday that I think has hydro all the way back. Hopefully will be a totally different story and I'll be boating soon. better color combo too

:checkered

[undertaker]

Also MR X on this board owns a 2000 28ZX scorpion and he loves it. I would not give up on Donzi just take your time and find the RIGHT one. Again good luck keep us posted...

Undertaker

[kswest]

Thanks. hopefully he will see this and chime in.

-Kyle

[Mr X]

Chiming in,

I was the test driver at the Donzi factory for a few years.
I have driven more 28ZX's than I can count.
Not bragging.....just letting you know my background.

IMHO the 28ZX was the finest and best handling of the ZX fleet

I have NEVER experianced or even heard anyone describe the handling
you were encountering.

Your P.S. answered the mystery for sure.

The ONLY thing that it could be is a defective steering system.

There was a problem with the 1/2 cable 1/2 hydraulic steering.

A few boats had the wrong saginaw steering actuator installed on them.

That is definatly what is wrong with the boat.


Good luck!

P.S. the ZXO is slower......keep that in mind.
Its a fairly easy fix, I had to change out a few of them.

[kswest]

Chiming in,
I was the test driver at the Donzi factory for a few years.
I have driven more 28ZX's than I can count.
Not bragging.....just letting you know my background.
IMHO the 28ZX was the finest and best handling of the ZX fleet
I have NEVER experianced or even heard anyone describe the handling
you were encountering.
Your P.S. answered the mystery for sure.
The ONLY thing that it could be is a defective steering system.
There was a problem with the 1/2 cable 1/2 hydraulic steering.
A few boats had the wrong saginaw steering actuator installed on them.
That is definatly what is wrong with the boat.
Good luck!
P.S. the ZXO is slower......keep that in mind.
Its a fairly easy fix, I had to change out a few of them.

GREAT. Thanks for the chime ... I can continue the search.

In your opinion is THIS 28zx worth continuing to look at then upgrading / fixing the steering or should I steer (no pun intended) away from it all together? It checked out very well on the survey, just terribly on the sea trial.

I am not looking at the ZXO at all. Need the cabin.

Thanks,

Kyle

[Mr X]

I would definatly keep on this one.....
Where are you in Florida, I anm guessing Key West...from your name?

Is there a way you could make the deal pending fixing the steering?
What year is the boat? Any chance it has the Z-care 5 year warrenty?

[kswest]

I would definatly keep on this one.....
Where are you in Florida, I anm guessing Key West...from your name?
Is there a way you could make the deal pending fixing the steering?
What year is the boat? Any chance it has the Z-care 5 year warrenty?

I am in Cocoa Beach, boat is in Ft. Lauderdale. The screen name is my name Kyle S West.

I haven't formally presented my offer yet, I should have the marine survey by the end of the week. The boat is an '01 so if it did have the warranty it would be over or soon be over. Nothing has been said about it so I am assuming warranty is over.

Here's a link...

http://www.boattraderonline.com/cadd...5/82940145.htm

My big hesitation is getting the boat, fixing the steering and then still having this problem. I have other 28ZXs to look at this weekend so I am sure after that I'll have a better idea what to do.

Thanks,

Kyle

[The Hedgehog]

GREAT. Thanks for the chime ... I can continue the search.
In your opinion is THIS 28zx worth continuing to look at then upgrading / fixing the steering or should I steer (no pun intended) away from it all together? It checked out very well on the survey, just terribly on the sea trial.
I am not looking at the ZXO at all. Need the cabin.
Thanks,
Kyle

You should be able to convert the cable assist to full hydro no problem.

[bob haver]

GREAT. Thanks for the chime ... I can continue the search.
In your opinion is THIS 28zx worth continuing to look at then upgrading / fixing the steering or should I steer (no pun intended) away from it all together? It checked out very well on the survey, just terribly on the sea trial.
I am not looking at the ZXO at all. Need the cabin.
Thanks,
Kyle

i told ya that you would get your answer on the net these are the smartest guy's you will ever find& experinced.they eat sleep & love boat's THEY WON'T STEER YOU wrong ha ha good luck

[Mr X]

I am in Cocoa Beach, boat is in Ft. Lauderdale. The screen name is my name Kyle S West.
I haven't formally presented my offer yet, I should have the marine survey by the end of the week. The boat is an '01 so if it did have the warranty it would be over or soon be over. Nothing has been said about it so I am assuming warranty is over.
Here's a link...
http://www.boattraderonline.com/cadd...5/82940145.htm
My big hesitation is getting the boat, fixing the steering and then still having this problem. I have other 28ZXs to look at this weekend so I am sure after that I'll have a better idea what to do.
Thanks,
Kyle

The only other possibility is that the bottom is screwed up...and that is not likely. You could take a 5 ft straight edge and check the bottom, just to be sure.
Keep us posted on your adventure.
Feel free to contact me directly with any questions.

tedwork@tampabay.rr.com

[kswest]

i told ya that you would get your answer on the net these are the smartest guy's you will ever find& experinced.they eat sleep & love boat's THEY WON'T STEER YOU wrong ha ha good luck

You were certainly right. Funny thing is I found this site before OSO, but posted on OSO first.

Anyway ... I'll keep everyone posted. I want to make a move by next week so keep your fingers crossed for me.

Kyle

[LKSD]

Looks like they all have you going in the right direction... I am in agreement here too with everyone.. Good luck to you on the quest for your zx.. Jamie

[kswest]

As most of you have probably guessed I am the surveyor that was with Kyle on the sea trial part of the survey.
We were both disappointed with the feedback we were getting from this boat. It has Latham steering rams with Teleflex cable at the helm. We were in flat water and the boat was bow steering! We were never over-trimmed, but it felt like this boat had way too much stern lift. I suspect that there is some play in the steering actuator that is causing the wheel to be very sensitive, or at least, contributing to the poor handling.
This was the first 28 ZX I have sea trialed, so I have no other one to compare.

My surveyor just posted the above on another board. He is obviously more experienced than I and I am sure explained what was happening better than I did.

Thanks again, I am feeling encouraged and ready to go see some more Donzis this weekend.

-Kyle