HOSSMAN

Hey y'all....

Posted in a few other brand forums and just looking for honest feedback on the 35ZR with HO's. Looking to upgrade in the spring/summer and just doing homework. Looking for 35/38' etc...think a 38ZR is outta my range but there is a nice 35 in Austin at Ski Dock with low hours. Sold Baja for many years and did mannnny poker runs back in the day so I'm familiar with go-fasts just never had any experience with the Donzi's.

http://www.skidock.com/Page.aspx/dii...Series-35.aspx


Thanks,
D

Donzi Andy

Boat looks real nice. Hours are real low. Just be aware of the paint on the boat. If any of the paint is chipping or scratched, it can be very expensive to fix. Otherwise, I love my Donzi.

prostock3

good price with trailer
the way i look at donzi
ZR fast and not much room under in cabin but great lines great boat if you have to use the bathroom even good luck (love to have one next though)
ZX gofast boat but more of a cruiser, much more room under in cabin for over night stay, get out of the sun or even use the bathroom (Iv owned 2 ZX's)

HOSSMAN

Thanks for the replies y'all....

I have been in a few ZX's and yes, those are like floating mini hotels, really nice but for our little lake here (Conroe) and possibly a few offshore excursions cabins for us are either used for storing fenders and jackets etc...or The only overnighting we would do would be on Canyon Lake tied off behind my inlaws 40' Cruisers cruiser...which we would sleep in anyway.

I just see so many people say (reading through the Donzi Forum) to go to the 38 over the 35 etc....of course size matters but just makes me curious if the 35 isn't as nice (riding, forgiving etc) as maybe other 35's out there and the prices on the 35's out there are pretty tall compared to other 35-38's. This boat looks really nice but would you buy this boat at say $100K or would you buy an older Top Gun (2000/02 or Fountain for $100-110K? My wife's only question is the low freeboard compared to other brands.... I love the lines of the Donzi's but the 38's are a $tep out there for me so I was wondering the compromise? Just wondering from y'all 35 owners if you are really happy with them, how they ride in the real rough etc....

There is a guy on Canyon with a 38ZR with twin 900 Teagues turned up to 1,000's. Nice boat!

Tom A.

Having been in both the 35zr and 38zr many times here is what I have found.

For your type of boating, you will absolutely LOVE the 35zr. They run and handle great with that power package!
A 35 will run/handle as well as a 38 up to about 85mph. After that the 38 really comes into its own. The 35 w/ 525s runs 90mph and it can be a hand full at that speed. The 38 w/ 525s runs just about 90 as well but solid as a rock and runs solid and true well past 110mph with bigger power.

The cabin on both is the same, the extra 3 feet comes in the engine bay for the stagger.

As for a 35zr vs. older 38 Top Gun, you need to look at few things. Speed, cost of maintenance Vs. larger boat and brand recognition value. The 496 Donzi will be as fast as a 525 38 Top Gun. The Top Gun will have more hours and years on it but it is a "Cigarette" (Porsche Vs. Ferrari if you will). Cigarettes are extremely well built and will probably hold the value better over your ownership. That said, the 496's usually need very little maintenance to run for many years.

I honestly don't know what I would do in your position. All would be good choices, it all depends on how you use your boat, store it, tow it, etc.

Donziben

The wife and I love our 33zx it is very nice, rides great, and has plenty of speed. If the wife is concerned of freeboard in the zr and the 38 is to big check out a 33zx! Ours has 502mags 415hp. stock with 550hrs. and the best speed we have seen is 75 with 4 people and half tank of fuel. Usually 69-72mph. Depending on the load and water, but rides and feels much larger. I have rode in one 38zr with 525s, very nice boat. Where I am at on the ozarks I get to watch the orange 38zr w/700s fly by my dock every weekend, love that boat!! I'm sure the 35 is just as nice a boat. We would love to own a 38 top gun someday also I don't know what I would do!! Good luck!

HOSSMAN

Thank y'all for the great feedback, much appreciated!!! Great rundown of the 35 vs 38 and I understand all you are saying. I posted something similar in the fountain section bout why so many 35's/42's but not as many 38's and the 38's cost the same as a 42? I'm very familiar with the guns and beaks, down here they are like Baja on every street corner and dock it seems but not a ton of Donzi's....few 38's but that's bout it. Our lake for as little as it is can be snotty like LOTO from time to time, all bulkheads and big boats on a little shallow body of water. Keep our boats dry stored in a stall on the trailer, don't tow much anymore but when I do I have more then enough truck for anything I mentioned above so that's no worry (and I work for a dealership). The 496's are great motors if you leave them alone and low 80s is plenty fast, not looking for exotic power, ins is killer here on the gulf coast for blues...heck my 29 with HO's has seen 80 GPS and that's an inefficient hull so the ZR etc would be a nice step up. The ride/wetness/hardness of the ride is what has me curious. Is it a "bam" and you hear the door rattle/boat stress or is it solid in say avg 2-3' Or ? slop and still have the wife feel comfy in it. She's been over 100 before so it isn't speed it's "holy crap am I gonna get tossed out spray in the face" feeling and from me being in the biz for so long in the past and friends with cool stuff I'm numb to it.

Thanks a ton y'all and the feedback is again much appreciated!

D

Expensive Date

Nice boat for what they are asking.

T-RAV

iTrader: (1)

There is a Conroe topps guy that has a 35zr w/525's, his name is Scott Leodroff... Not sure of the spelling on his last name... I know he is friends on the Lcpbc Facebook page, I met him on the toy run last year really nice guy, I'm sure you could track him down and he would let you check it out or at least give you feed back on how it handles Conroe.

Travis

Then drop the price of your boat to my price range!!!

Donziben

We had a 302 Baja before our Donzi, the Baja was nice but there really is no comparison in the ride. Hands down Donzi, the Zx is 9'3" wide and weighs 9200lb. dry. It flys level and lands very nice! Handles the wind and cruiser waves here at the lake very nice.The only rattle I get is from my glovebox door in front of the passenger. We had our Baja for several years and loved it we put over 300hrs on her but things rattled from day one. The zx is heavier and wider which means not as fast, but it is a lot roomier and has more freeboard but mine sacrifices 5mph vs. zr.