Teach me about the 28ZX
 

This is the summer for me to buy (well might wait till winter).

I have been all over the place with boats I would like but one keeps coming up at the top of my list. The Donzi 33ZX......HOWEVER. It is a BIG boat that would require a new truck as well and possible storage as well away from my home. SO with all that extra cost I have looked at the 28ZX.

What can you tell me about them? Speed, Hull, COuld I tow with a 1500 series, Cabin and deck layout. Is it like the 33 in the sense that yes the 33 is labeled that but rides, feels, and tows like a MUCH biggger boat?

Also what am I getting for the price difference with a ZX or a Scorpion ZX? Price wise I could go buy a ZX with 350mags today....but the Scorpion seems to be about $10k-$15k more.....WHY?


Not set on these boats but I have interest but also questions.....can you guys help me?

Thanks,

Buddy of mine has a nice twin 350 one. Not to bad on gas, and runs close to 70. BUT there is NO storage on the boat.

While I don't need much I do need some. That could be a big issue..

Litterally, the only place is the rear bench, and its just a center cusion that pull up abotut he size of a cooler. thats it, nothing on the sides.

and none of the seats in the cabin come up, so everything is just on the bed.

I pull my 33 with a ram 1500 4x4 with the hemi but only pull it to put in and out and not all over the states. the 33 is much nicer if u can make it work. I love mine

We like and want the 33 a lot.

My current truck is an Escalade EXT. I have been back and forth with myself and really just don't want to sell it as a new truck is added cost on top of the boat too and I really love and enjoy my truck.

So at the time I think I need to find something that fits the budget best. I have found a hand full of 2000+ 28zx's for well under $30k . The 33 as much as I love it the best I have found is high 30's to low $40k and I would need more truck.

So with that I am quite a bit over my comfort spending level.

i only wanted to spend 25 or 30k but couldn't find what we needed we over night on it every weekend and ended up spending 60 on the boat and im glad we did. came back from the bay last year in 4 to 5 footers and cruised at 65 the hole way with out getting beat. it was well worth the money

Def can't do that. $40k is my cap. I refuse to get a loan on a boat (personal reasons) and I have $40k cash. So going higher is not an option. I know people enjoy the bigger ride but we are talking a lot of cash here not a $5k-$10k swing.

Add in about $10k for a diesel 2500 to pull as well as a monthly note to store it dues to it's size.


Reality is just that and I need to stay within mine. It's hard too but it's best too for me.

Also I have a guy looking to dump off his 28ZX for under $25k with 200hrs.

As an owner of the 28ZX for just over 5 years now, I can tell you we still love ours! I do not have any experience with the 33ZX but know that I like the additions they have over the 28ZX (ie. seperate head, larger cabin, wider beam). The wider beam can be good and can be a setback (from someone I know who owns one). great for stability and the room, but for trailering by buddy in Illinois that has one has to display a 'wide load' banner when transporting (9' 3" beam). he said he got pulled over for being too wide and now has to display. He also used a 2500 Powerstroke Excursion to pull it with.

As for the 28ZX, I pull it with our 2011 Avalanche and sometimes my wifes Escalade, no problems whatsoever. even pulling out of Lake Cumberland, KY, where the launch ramps are steep and loooooong, still no problem. I do have Electric brakes though and are a big help, something you may not be able to pull off in salt water. The best we have recorded is 73.4 GPS with a 6 mph current in the Ohio River, the boat with twin 350 mags is a solid 70-72 mph boat, low 80's with the Scorpion package, and a solid 74-76 with the twin 6.2 setup. The 28ZX has a big boat feel without the big fuel pump bill. In a 92 mile roundtrip run we make with some stop and go's, WOT and idle up to the dock, I'll burn 33 gallons. Our old single big block 454 (+.060) in our 24' Donzi Blackwidow would burn 42 gallons in that same trip and the 28ZX averaged 10mph faster than the Widow. As for storage in the 28, Mittens is pretty close to being right. big cooler storage area under the rear seat (nice), cabin seats screwed down (sucks), small storage area under the v-berth cushion (I put a 12" subwoofer in there), but there is also storage on the sides in the cabin as well as in the cockpit that I really like. Room in the bilge to work on the twins is VERY NICE compared to a lot of boats in its class.

Hope this helps,

tom

This helps a lot actually thank you.

Especially with what you pull it with. The storage sound small but bot bad. We will never over night in it. Just day trips to the idlands and out in the gulf. Need storage for cooler, loose items, 2 anchors, and. Want a stereo/subs.

70mph was my hope with any boat and might do small upgrades but nothjng serious. Mid 70's is the goal and a nice exhaust note to match.

Thanks for the reply.

Tom, you have stock exhaust? LOL, yeah I know, I've seen the boat a half dozen times, never noticed though.. To busy checking out the lights n tunes I guess :)

Nate5.0 I have a 28 ZXO, I love this boat, it is a great family boat. I have 350 mags/B1 (spinning in) . I can run 66 all day, 68/69 with 1/4 fuel and my wife on board.Speeds per livorsi GPS. As others have stated, there is very little storage,other than the back bench I do have some under the front seats that are accessible form under the mid cabin or the seats are removable in the open bow portion.In my opinion it handles very well at LOTO, last summer i did a poker run with the Midwest boat party, I was in the 8th flight of boats to be released. I was def not the fastest boat but I was able to hold my own at 55-60 mph with our group from H toad to Paradise (16 ish miles).By the way I tow with a 08 Ford F150. I hope that helps Matt

I have a 01 T350's, I have had it for 5 seasons now, love the boat!... I pulled it with a 05 F150 5.4 until this year I bought a F250, starting to get the bug to go bigger but I am just not ready to give up the ZX yet. For me 5 years is a record and I plan to keep it for another 3 years... that should tell you something... for a twin engine 28' boat it gets pretty good fuel mileage, for some that may not matter but for me, on a budget, it matters. I had my props labbed last winter and am getting 68 on GPS full tank of gas 2 people and all our gear. I can't say enough good about the boat.

Ok, storage and cabin space... well as others have said not a lot of storage, my wife and I can spend the weekend on it but it's not an express cruiser :whistle:

Why is a scorpion more money... its faster...

haha, yes, stock exhaust, and I like the sound!! anyone that knows performance boats can tell she's not big blocks, but still sounds great, IMO!

Nate, if you buy a 28ZX and do a stereo upgrade, I can tell you where I stuffed my 3 12" subs, all concealed, sounds great. I can also tell you about lights too if you want to be a junior pimp!!! Barbi and I have done some overnights on it (I'm 6'4", she's 5'4 1/2") out in Lake Erie around the islands and it is comfortable, until your wife/woman wakes up in the middle of the night and wants pee (head is under the v-berth), and does not want to go off the swim platform. this is where the 33ZX's separate head comes in real handy. but because you are not spending nights out on it, you should be fine. Happy to be of help,

tom

LOL,it does sound great Tom!
Per the factory test drivers, the ZXO was about 1 MPH slower

We shipped Stainless Marne exhaust systems for one of the Scorp boats, really woke it up. Has anyone done them on the 350's?

If we go the way of a 28ZX a set of stainless exhaust is a MUST.

Hear that Tom? :) :)

I'm curious as to where you put the three 12 inch subs. Do you have any pics of the install?

We missed our old 28 we traded for the 35 when we found it for sale we bought it back.
It will be sitting right next to the 35zr and will most likely be used more.

Yeah yeah, I may need to, cuz the white vinegar isn't cuttin through whatever is on my tips now.

@ zx6, I don't have any pics, but I can describe. 1st sub is in mounted in between the port side hull and the interior wall by the passengers feet (need to remove the counter top in the cabin and the wall that the counter sets on), 2nd sub is underneath the angled part of the floor below the captains feet (remove the cabin wall ahead of the helm inside the cabin), 3rd sub is underneath the v-berth cushion in that storage compartement (pretty simple to get at).

@ Donzi Dude, I think I remember your old 28 (yellow white with checkerboard '98 or '99?) Sharp boat! Of course, your 35ZR is sharp too! Cool story buying your old boat again!

tom

That's the one all I need is a 22c to complete the set