Look Out Powerboat.....
 

This months Boating mag has lots of performance stuff. Even a Donzi on the cover! Yay!
http://i763.photobucket.com/albums/x...s395Medium.jpg

Sorry but IMO that is one ugly boat. What a horrible thing to do to a Donzi.

X2, but glad to see a performance boat featured.

Have you seen it in person? IMO that thing is absolutely a beauty. And the red/wht combo is very striking in the sun.

I could do w/o the 8.2s but that's just me.

I think it looks damn Sexy! ;)

HORBA worked with Boating to help them create an issue, that covered many high performance boat companies histories.

They seem like they are really interested in this HPB area, as they can see the other magazines that covered this are slowing down a bit.

We expect to do much more with them in the future.

They did it to an Apache.

I saw the donzi at the lauderdale show this year, it looks sweet in person

What Donzi??? I C some nice Hooters!!!!!!:coolcowboy::evilb:

i like it! :drink:

Looks awesome in person, I saw it at the show and didn't even notice the open bow till my girlfriend pointed it out.

With all due respect, Charlie, and not having been in on any of your conversations with whoever "they" are at Boating, I don't think they have a long-term interest in high-performance boating beyond pulling in high-performance boat advertisers. They are, like everyone else in marine publishing, looking for another revenue stream. And who can blame them?

It's worth keeping in mind that Speedboat was launched by the same outfit that publishes Boating (they might have changed publishes since then ... Hachette to Bonnier... not sure) and that magazine got shelved when it didn't immediately deliver profitability. So at least based on history, long-term commitment to the market seems lacking. (Of course, if they are under a different publisher since the Speeboat days that could be a different matter.)

Just a point of clarification" Go-fast boat magazines are "slowing down" because the market is slowing down, to put it mildly. It's that simple.

This is not a defense of Powerboat. Not at all, the more the merrier, especially for all of you (and even me, because I am a freelancer). It's just a reality check.

That said ... power to Boating for recognizing the most compelling segment of the powerboating market.

I like the mid cuddy open bow. While it should probably not be used "at speed" in rough water, it is a great addition. I bet that the open bow will be used more than most full cuddys get used. In fact, the mid cuddy probably does everything that most people need anyway.

Great job, Donzi! I like it when manufacturers take a chance on a new design. Who would have ever thought of an open bow Donzi 10 years ago?

I like it on the 35 Donzi because the cabin headroom, or lack therof, almost deemed the entire cabin unuseable. I don't care for it much on the other models.

Say it ain't so:eek:

I agree. While mid-cabins don't do a whole lot for a boat's looks and performance, they do add a lot in terms of functionality and versatility.

Think I'll wait on the rest of the South FL builders to catch up, to make the comparison. :D

This boat was actually tested by powerboat and is in the currect (June 2011) issue.

Having had the opportunity to ride on the boat during the test, I gotta say, It's a sweet ride! I also think that with all the intercoastal water ways in Florida and lakes on the east coast, it is time for the west coast rage that is the mid-cabin/open bow to find it's way east. It's actually the perfect boat for South Florida. Nice facing lounge, built in coolers, storage, lights and fans in the cabin with a door that leads to a very comfortable bow seating area. It's a cool boat, ran great in the slop that Ft. Myers kicked up and looked sexy at the dock. I know it's not for everyone, but I can appreciate it for what it is.

This style is not for me but I'd take it over a center console any day. Also I don't think that a near $300,000 boat should have production power. This boat should have 525s. The article said it ran 78 mph with the new 502s though. This whole issue is great with articles on Sunsation, Cigarette, the new chevy small block v-8 based outboard and thunderboat row and Don Aronow. Plus the Donzi test.

It is still ugly but I quess it would make a good lake boat where you wouldn't have to worry about it filling the bow with water.

Wasn't it Boating Mag that let Eric Colby go for some BS reason? If so, the hell with them.

Yeah, I guess you wouldn't want to stuff it but I've always wondered what would happen if you stuffed a west coast style deck boat:eek:.

I agree, Nordic did this to a 35 Flame, gave me nightmares for months.

The only part of the boat I don't like is the "styling" of the open bow. It look like they didn't put any thought into it. Just basic seats, looks like a weird shape old style hot tub plopped in the bow. I think Sunsation has the sharpest looking open bow in the market, this Donzi would have been the bomb if they put 1/2 the effort in the styling in the bow as they did int he cockpit.

Probably the most tasteless application of a brand name on the side of a boat I've ever seen. The open bow section looks like someone wanted to install a do it yourself hatch, slipped on the deck, and the sawzall wouldn't stop cutting. :lolhit:

Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder, and my eyes say this boat is absolutely heinous. I'll bet that red paint reminds you of something else if it were in the hot Florida sun. :eek:

I wonder what they mean calling us "Freaks" on the front cover of their magazine? :evilb::angry-smiley-038::evilb:

Glad to see Powerboat giving the speed boats some love. Also recently picked up an issue of Sportboat, by the publishers of Hot Rod Magazine, that wasn't bad.

Freak: c. An enthusiast.

I don't care for an open bow. If I could afford this boat I would want the long sleek deck to look over and a larger cabin (Yes, I would use the cabin). Actually I would pop for a 38ZR. However, I disagree with the harsh remarks and think that it looks well thought out and designed. If there is a market for this style than I would rather see that than west coast deck boats that resemble troop landers or center consoles that were designed for fishing. Anyway, my intent in starting this thread wasn't really to discuss this particular Donzi but more to point out that this months issue looks a lot more like a performance boating magazine than a typical copy of "Boating" and I hope that trend continues.:kiss: