Donzi 38 ZR Competition
#1
01-17-2008, 01:18 PM
Donzi 38 ZR Competition Show Stealer: Amid a stellar poker-run fleet, the first Donzi 38 ZR Competition built in two years grabbed big-time attention.
Stu Jones is one shrewd character. Years ago, the poker-run organizer and founder of the Florida Powerboat Club wisely realized the Miami International Boat Show could serve as an excellent teaser—call it foreplay if you will—for a poker run the weekend following the show.
Tabbed the Miami Boat Show Poker Run, which heads from Florida's Biscayne Bay to Islamorada, the run has become one of the FPC's strongest events. The collection of custom hardware from the likes of Cigarette, Nor-Tech and Outerlimits is simply outrageous. In that kind of field, semi-custom and production performance boats have a tougher time being noticed, much less standing out.
Unless they happen to be in the league of Donzi's 38 ZR Competition.
I know. I was there this year. I watched owner after owner of exquisite custom offshore creations walk across the decks of rafted V-bottoms to stand on the deck of the 38 ZR Competition and compliment Bob Christie, the owner of Typhoon Performance Marine, the leading Donzi dealer in the country, on the sit-down 38-footer.
The 38 ZR Competition even earned the run's Best Boat Award, heady stuff given the mind-blowing field of boats.
"This is the first 38 ZR Competition that's been built in almost two years," said Christie, whose marina and dealership is located in Toms River, N.J. "It's a truly amazing boat."
Christie was preaching to the choir. I had logged significant time in the model with three or four different engine packages long before he invited me to join him for this year's Miami Boat Show Poker Run. From handling and efficiency to ride comfort and stability, the 38-footer had never failed to impress me or my far more knowledgeable colleague, Bob Teague.
The twin Mercury Racing HP700SCi engines that powered the 38 ZR Competition on our way to and from Islamorada didn't even exist when the boat was introduced years ago. The brainchild of the late Steve Simon, the 38-footer earned instant raves and forced Donzi's competitors, even those of the high-end custom variety, to introduce their own sit-down offshore V-bottoms.
Without question, there was and is a limited audience for a purpose-built, V-bottom hot rod without a cabin. Demand fell off after the initial buzz, as most Donzi buyers, especially those with families, opted for the 38 ZR over the cabinless 38 ZR Competition. Production of the model stopped in 2005, but resumed—with a new four-step hull—for 2007.
But that did nothing to detract from the 38 ZR Competition's performance, which was outstanding from day one. I was reminded of that as the boat with five passengers and a full load of fuel, cruised easily at 95 mph on the way to Islamorada and topped out at 105 mph. Wind protection was superb thanks to the quarter-canopies except for the spot in the aft middle bucket seat.
With two people and a light of load of fuel, the boat reportedly reached 115 mph the day before. I was reminded again of the 38 ZR Competition's excellence on our return leg, when I drove the boat—with Chuck Burke throttling—through quartering 2- to 4-footers. The sloppy conditions felt like ripples at 60 mph. And I was reminded once more as the boat responded perfectly at the helm in snaking turns through the mangroves.
"You drive it like a ski boat," said Christie as I whipped the 38 ZR Competition into another hard turn.
He was right, of course, but the stepped V-bottom was so responsive and stable that it felt, well, a lot like a ski boat. During an afternoon run the day prior, Christie had pitched the boat into wide-arcing turns at more than 90 mph, and it felt completely hooked up—sort of like, well, a ski boat.
The aft three buckets, each of which had hefty contoured stainless-steel grab handles, were every bit as comfortable as the forward pair. For those who haven't ridden in a sit-down boat and are expecting a beating in that position, the 38 ZR Competition will come as something of a revelation. The forgiving boat lands softly, and by the time force is transferred to the bucket seats it becomes a gentle push. After a few launches and landings, passengers tended to stop bracing and started relaxing.
With the supplied power, the 38 ZR Competition lists for $425,000. That's not a big-buck price for an offshore V-bottom of its caliber, especially one that can steal the show after the show.
Source Powerboatmag
Stu Jones is one shrewd character. Years ago, the poker-run organizer and founder of the Florida Powerboat Club wisely realized the Miami International Boat Show could serve as an excellent teaser—call it foreplay if you will—for a poker run the weekend following the show.
Tabbed the Miami Boat Show Poker Run, which heads from Florida's Biscayne Bay to Islamorada, the run has become one of the FPC's strongest events. The collection of custom hardware from the likes of Cigarette, Nor-Tech and Outerlimits is simply outrageous. In that kind of field, semi-custom and production performance boats have a tougher time being noticed, much less standing out.
Unless they happen to be in the league of Donzi's 38 ZR Competition.
I know. I was there this year. I watched owner after owner of exquisite custom offshore creations walk across the decks of rafted V-bottoms to stand on the deck of the 38 ZR Competition and compliment Bob Christie, the owner of Typhoon Performance Marine, the leading Donzi dealer in the country, on the sit-down 38-footer.
The 38 ZR Competition even earned the run's Best Boat Award, heady stuff given the mind-blowing field of boats.
"This is the first 38 ZR Competition that's been built in almost two years," said Christie, whose marina and dealership is located in Toms River, N.J. "It's a truly amazing boat."
Christie was preaching to the choir. I had logged significant time in the model with three or four different engine packages long before he invited me to join him for this year's Miami Boat Show Poker Run. From handling and efficiency to ride comfort and stability, the 38-footer had never failed to impress me or my far more knowledgeable colleague, Bob Teague.
The twin Mercury Racing HP700SCi engines that powered the 38 ZR Competition on our way to and from Islamorada didn't even exist when the boat was introduced years ago. The brainchild of the late Steve Simon, the 38-footer earned instant raves and forced Donzi's competitors, even those of the high-end custom variety, to introduce their own sit-down offshore V-bottoms.
Without question, there was and is a limited audience for a purpose-built, V-bottom hot rod without a cabin. Demand fell off after the initial buzz, as most Donzi buyers, especially those with families, opted for the 38 ZR over the cabinless 38 ZR Competition. Production of the model stopped in 2005, but resumed—with a new four-step hull—for 2007.
But that did nothing to detract from the 38 ZR Competition's performance, which was outstanding from day one. I was reminded of that as the boat with five passengers and a full load of fuel, cruised easily at 95 mph on the way to Islamorada and topped out at 105 mph. Wind protection was superb thanks to the quarter-canopies except for the spot in the aft middle bucket seat.
With two people and a light of load of fuel, the boat reportedly reached 115 mph the day before. I was reminded again of the 38 ZR Competition's excellence on our return leg, when I drove the boat—with Chuck Burke throttling—through quartering 2- to 4-footers. The sloppy conditions felt like ripples at 60 mph. And I was reminded once more as the boat responded perfectly at the helm in snaking turns through the mangroves.
"You drive it like a ski boat," said Christie as I whipped the 38 ZR Competition into another hard turn.
He was right, of course, but the stepped V-bottom was so responsive and stable that it felt, well, a lot like a ski boat. During an afternoon run the day prior, Christie had pitched the boat into wide-arcing turns at more than 90 mph, and it felt completely hooked up—sort of like, well, a ski boat.
The aft three buckets, each of which had hefty contoured stainless-steel grab handles, were every bit as comfortable as the forward pair. For those who haven't ridden in a sit-down boat and are expecting a beating in that position, the 38 ZR Competition will come as something of a revelation. The forgiving boat lands softly, and by the time force is transferred to the bucket seats it becomes a gentle push. After a few launches and landings, passengers tended to stop bracing and started relaxing.
With the supplied power, the 38 ZR Competition lists for $425,000. That's not a big-buck price for an offshore V-bottom of its caliber, especially one that can steal the show after the show.
Source Powerboatmag
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