Hi All...I've been prowling this site for years, but have never posted. I'm a speed junkie like most everyone here, and love anything with a motor. Especially boats. Been running center consoles and small lake boats mostly, and want to take a step into the powerboat world. I currently own a 22' 120mph outboard boat...but need something I can take out to the blue water again. Just sold my Cape Horn. Hopefully I'll have a Donzi soon and, can contribute to this giant brain trust one day!

Ok...story...I have a line on a 2001 Donzi 33ZX. It's been sitting indoors for years (probably 10+). Has 120 original hours on the 500efi's, and from pictures it's cosmetically in very good shape. It's a fire sale so I only have one chance to go see it, inspect it, and make a decision. I'll be bringing my compression tester, and mallet to tap the hull. Not sure a moisture meter would do any good being that it's been inside out of the weather/water for a decade. I have read extensively about the model, and it seems like the perfect fit for me.

Questions...is there anything specific that you guys would make sure to pay attention to? Is there any wood in these boats from 2001? Any insight on the motors would be helpful too. I have a 525SC in my old jetboat so I'm a little familiar with Mercruisers. Just want to make sure I give it an inspection that would actually be useful. I'm not concerned with wiring, plumbing, or electronics...I assume most of that will need attention/replacement just due to age. Would the super low hours concern you? What do I look for on the drives? Any an all advice is welcome!!!

I am extremely grateful to this community...and thank you in advance for any help!

Of course wood rot check it all over.

On those motors they may not have the low pressure feed fuel pump so they can lose the prime and take some to get started sitting that long.

Also injectors should be pulled tested and cleaned sitting that long, good luck finding any if they are bad. From what I understand no one has found a direct replacement. They are good motors, mine have 780 hours, top ends were done at 320, valve seats, guides, springs etc.

good luck those are nice boats, tons of cabin room if you plan to weekend.

My advice: keep in mind nothing will be as it seems.

A fire sale, to me, says that boat maintenance likely wasn't performed with an open checkbook, and even if it was, there are always hidden issues with these boats. I don't say that to scare you, I just highlight it so that you price it accordingly and don't get caught up in the shiny object in front of you.

If you buy a dirt bike with an unforeseen issue you're out 500 bucks to fix it. If you have two tired engines with rotten heads, exhaust manifolds beyond their useful life, and drives and transom assemblies that need rebuilding you're out 50k!!!

Again, not scaring you off just make sure you price it right if he doesn't have receipts and a clear trail on what you're buying. Cool Boat! Good luck from a fellow Donzi owner.....!!

Good luck with the inspection/purchase ... we have a '99 33zx and love it fwiw. The stringers and transom are supposed to be the Donzi *divyncell* ie no wood. I do think I saw a pic somewhere claiming to be a Donzi of this era that had a rotting wood transom ... the story was the factory was using whatever they had ... I dunno, your mileage may vary.

When doing the compression test, I think you will see that for as big as the boat is ... the engine compartment is pretty cramped. There were a couple of styles of rear hatch - back seat combos -- ours is the worst and I hate doing any work on the front of the engines.

Thank you guys! I knew I would get great info here. I would definitely say it has not been maintained correctly...at least not since 2012 or so. Prior to that...not sure. From what I understand...it was used lightly, maintained well, lived on a boat lift, and then put on a trailer and stored away indoors for the last 10+ years. No one has touched it since it was parked in the warehouse.

Good info about the injectors too! I definitely would have just assumed that parts would be easy to get. Anything else tough or impossible to find?

Thanks again for the help so far. Any more info or tips will be appreciated! You guys are awesome.

Everything else on those motors are no problem. Of course sitting that long all the gas will need pumped out etc. If the injectors are bad and you have to go another route that means you will need to have the ECM's re flashed. Unless someone has done that with the same injectors and totally stock motor the best way will be to pull and have on the dyno to do it. I am going to talk with a Buddy today and see if they have ever changed them and reflashed.

Don’t trust the ‘no wood’ advertising by Donzi. It may be correct but from experience, my old 2007 27ZR was supposedly a composite transom according to the Donzi owners manual but it was timber. That was an annoying lesson learned. I know it’s a different model so I can’t be too sure, just trust your mallet and a keen ear.

Nice looking boats the 33ZX, hope everything goes smoothly.

RR

Thank you! Also...thoughts on compression testing. I plan to spray some wd40 in first since it sat so long. From what I understand on the 500efi's, good results would be 150+ per cylinder...all within 10% of eachother. Sound right?

I will definitely be looking hard for wood rot.

Anything on the drives that is easily observable tha would raise red flags?

Id put a scanner on those mefi's to verify the hours, 150 psi is good on those blue motors, take a look at the lube in the drive reservoir bottles for cleanness or pull the top plug on the drive to see.

EDIT: make sure the props spin free with no binding or noise, ID presume there spinning out so port side spin CCW and starboard side turn CW

Some good comments. Need to inspect the gimbal rings, that's a costly and common repair for a boat.