Poor Donzi
 

What’s up with the current issue of Powerboat Magazine. They have a full-spread in which a Donzi F2 boat is shown frame-by-frame rolling over in what appears to be very calm conditions. If I were Donzi Management, I would be less than thrilled. It’s like having a full-spread ad saying “Here’s what happens with Donzi’s big stepped-hull boats”.

:( :(

Is that the same edition with the article by Lee Kimmel?

It's the October/November issue. I don't know if it's the issue with the article you referred to since I don't read the articles. When I want to read magazine artilces, I buy Playboy.

:p :p

I can see you don.t pay attention to racing much!
That was the first race of the Season and a new owner that didn't know the boat well,
Also if the water may look calm but is was real bad we lost a racer from NJ driving his Formula.

Donzi is leading in points with there Team Donzi boat this year.

As far as the way the 38ZR drives, she is one of the most stable boats made.

I knew someone was going to say that. My point is this:

There are a lot of prospective buyers out there who don't pay attention to racing. They just see those pictures and say "WOW - I don't want one of those Donzi boats!!" Am I wrong or does Dozni only care about selling boat to people who follow Offshore Racing?

Would you put it in the water???;) :)

I agree with you 29 Outlaw. True I would love to own a boat like that. But even a few friends of mine who own boats similar to that said the same thing. Yes I know all boats have accidents but to have a full spread of your boat flipping like that. The average Joe boater who knows nothing about racing and is just into boating is going to look at that picture and think different. It would be like if you had a report on suv's flipping over but only used pictures of a chevy in the whole report.

I had a guy in work who owns a 30 ft fishing boat take one look at that picture and he said " Damn see that's why I would never buy a boat like that. Thats why I keep telling you to get into fishing ! "

I told him more fishermen have been killed then speedboaters. sad but probably true.

Now try to convince Him that that boat is safe would be damn near impossible.

The magazines always have pictures of boats flipping, rolling, etc and that’s fine. I just think that spread was a bit too much. A person turns the page and sees a full-spread, close-up of huge Donzi completely inverted about 4 feet above the water. If I built that boat, I would be less than thrilled. That was my original point.

Now those are some very true words. It should be printed on page 1, chapter 1, on how to operate a boat!

But if you look further on, There they have a Donzi winning with big red.
Now if you don't remember the early years when Cigarette was the only boat known to race and crash, Everyone wanted them. The same person looking at that magazine will see 2 Donzis, One crashing the other one winning and then a big spread on Lee Kimmel the man behind the wheel of Donzi. I don't think the flipping Donzi would hurt there reputation. Powerboat actually was more on Donzi last month then anyone.
I drove the 38ZR it is one incredible boat.

Please, please buy me one too!! I'll be your best freind!:p

Too Old & MrOffshore,
I agree with both of you. I'd take a 38 Donzi any day. They are great boats and proving it on the race course weekly. I'm very impressed there wasn't more damage to the boat after the roll. Luck was with the crew and they made it out OK and as stated they are still racing that boat. If the boat was unsafe you wouldn't see the driver and throttle man jumping back behind the wheel. Unfortunately accidents happen to us all.

If I was the editor of Powerboat I'd have thrown it on the cover of the Magazine. Those are an incredible series of shots. The best being the driver and throttle man with there hands up in the air.

Dan

On second thought maybe it's the stepped hulls fault. Everyone knows they can't turn!!!!!;) :p :p :D

There would be no danger of Fred rolling a Zr...............................unless it rolled off the trailer!:D

Fred, what is there left to say?????

29 OUTLAW,

I also have to agree with you.

Obviously Donzi makes its money by selling its product. And if those photos cost them even one sale I think they should be more than "not thrilled"

I agree here. My first boat was a Donzi and I bought it simply based on reputation and the legend.

Hey, leave it alone. He walked the proper steps into offshore racing and is doing it. I support him fully and no one plans these things, you think Reggie and "little R" planned to spin out in turn 1 at SBI in 2001? Gimme a break, the beak scratched our swim platform when towing him in upside down. Great photo opp for a Donzi race boat but don't condemn the driver or throttleman. - I'm done now, thanks for putting up with me

Well thanks Mark.

Everyone knows that clear heads reside here in Southern MD.

The Donzi's lines look as good upside down as they do right side up:p

I agree That Ettore stuffing is one of my all time favorites!

hold on I saw a ford taurus flip after hitting the wall in turn 3 on some nascar race , I better sell mine:rolleyes:
the kids are gonna have to walk to school now:p
wonder how Ford can still sell em when they flip when making a turn????:p :p


Matty
now the pinto was a whole different story!!!

The facts are the facts and powerboat does not endorse any boat only reports and all brands are fair game this is news not a deflamation. If you follow the sport do you think this should be un reported? Those are awesome pictures thank god no injuries and I do not think any less of the brand because racing is racing!

Mr OS,
The only way for the sport to gain popularity is for people to bring boats and money to it. I still have never seen a prime time Sunday race! Granted because you have cash you should not necessarily be racing but you cannot discriminate based on cash. The more people involved means more publicity and eventual prime time.

Fred would purposely roll his Donzi so he could thoughly polish the bottom!!!:D ;)

How's the Sutphen Fred?

Well for those that want the whole story , ask "Just Browsing" here on the board he is the owner/driver,
the boat did not simply roll over in flat water while on a sunday cruise, this is RACING, accidents happen. The boat was completely redone, and everything worked perfect during first test back in the water. if you go to a APBA race go to the Donzi Pit you will see first hand that this is a well built boat. And the first race back Team Fisher took 3rd place in Savannah.

I agree that the pictures are something that is certainly going to happen in racing. I also think that the Donzi is a boat that I would love to own and certainly can't afford. I also believe that the person that buys one of these is certainly not the average jackass off the street that is going to get scared by an upside down race boat. All that said and done, there is certainly a negative stigma that may be psychologically associated with this upside down boat. Look at every major airline. The go-team that is set for any major accident always carries tape/spray-paint to cover all airline marking the minute they arrive on site. No insensitivity, etc. - they just know that human nature automatically associates what their eyes see with what their eyes see. No matter what the actual cause. So in my conclusion - Donzi headquarters is probably not happy.

Poor and Donzi 2 words that don't go well together anyway :D :p :crazy:

Amen to that!

this is what makes powerboat a great mag. the photos rule. no other mag even comes close.

I didn't see it as a negative at all...be it boat failure/flaw driver/throttleman error equipt failure,wrong set-up , that kinda stuff is bound to and will happen to anyone who is always pushing things to the edge. It is kinda good to see that Powerboat didn't choose not to print those pics for fear of negative feedback from a company that I am sure carries adds in thier mag.

by the way that was calm water...

I'm with Candyman and Too Old
 

That is some of the best offshore photography I have seen in years. The boat upside down with the driver just entering the water......below the boat......actually off to the side.... but none the less, an excellent shot.

I, like others, am very impressed with this boat. I got an excellent / indepth look at one at the Chicago boat show last year and that thing is built.

I also am not sure this is as bad publicity for Donzi as some of you are making it out to be. Their boats win and in the pursuit of winning crashes occur. I do not see people backing away from Fountain because Pier 57 de-laminated last year, or Formula for the very unfortunate accident that occurred this year. People don't stop buying boats because of racing related incidents.

Overall seems to me like a "non event" from a sales standpoint.

I would be less worried about the boat flipping and more interested in the delamation on the side of the boat!! To me that is a very weird place for a chunk of fiberglass to pop off, I would think the hull had to flex for a peice to come off like that......

I talked to David Woods about that in Destin. He said Preistley didn't even say he was sorry. He's a dip****.

funhome,
the area of delamination, is from the side of the hull flexing there, the boat was sliding in the turn, went up on the wake of another boat and when it came down it dug in causing the boat to flip. it was only the gelcoat that came off in that area. that boat is as solid as they come. the picture sequence is actually about 20 pics, they only used what they could fit to best capture the story.

Solid as a rock !!
 

I agree with most of everyones replies. This boat is awesome ! I have had the great privilege of driving our 38 ZR with 750 hp Cobra's, staggered XR sportmasters. This boat handles excellent at high speeds- 108mph, and at low speeds. It absolutely loves any kind of water you throw at it. It's very solid doesn't make any noises and tracks like its on rails.

There are always reasons why boats do what they do. Most of them are caused by water conditions and driver error. (NOT SAYING THAT THIS PHOTO IS DRIVER ERROR AT ALL!) We all have seen and heard this before, just not in a full spread.

Pwrbt33

come on racing is racing!...this has nothing to do with the company or stepped hulls...plain and simple racing...are you not going to buy a ford taurus on monday because you saw one crash in sundays nascar race???

i think most think of donzi like this and not upside down anyway.

I would like to see some other MFG's boats flip and even stand a chance of being rebuilt for another race. I have a 2001 ZX that takes a beating at the Ozarks every weekend W/O any problems.

Everyone may have their brand preference but I don't think anyone can honestly think that Donzi is not a solid and stable boat. You will never understand how stable they are until you compare the ride yourself.