Donzi 18 Outboard from the factory?????

[AirRide]

Did Donzi make an 18' 2 + 3 outboard model in 1976?

[Madpoodle]

No....

[AirRide]

No....

Well, actually they did. They only made two of them. Just checking in to see if the Donzi pros knew their Donzi history.

[Fish]

Well, actually they did. They only made two of them. Just checking in to see if the Donzi pros knew their Donzi history.

please enlighten us airride.

[BUIZILLA]

Well, actually they did. They only made two of them. Just checking in to see if the Donzi pros knew their Donzi history.

i'm farrr from a history guru or a know it all, sooooo, we've heard that 1976 rumor for the last 32 years, yet NONE has ever surfaced, nor has pic proof, owner confirmation, sale confirmation, build confirmation, or documentation.... not saying your wrong, but let's just say i'm from Missouri and i'm really not, but, hey, let's pretend...

perhaps your confused and it was earlier in life?

[Fish]

i'm farrr from a history guru or a know it all, sooooo, we've heard that 1976 rumor for the last 32 years, yet NONE has ever surfaced, nor has pic proof, owner confirmation, sale confirmation, build confirmation, or documentation.... not saying your wrong, but let's just say i'm from Missouri and i'm really not, but, hey, let's pretend...

perhaps your confused and it was earlier in life?

Jim,maybe he is actually thinking of the 22. We know of one which met its death at the hands of Harbor master, and there has been a long running rumor of a second one, but I am unaware of any actual proof of any 18 OB's factory produced.

Airride, you out there? I would love to know more if you can enlighten us about even 1 factory produced 18 OB.

[AirRide]

There were many factory custom small Donzi's built in the 60's, 70's and 80's. Mostly 16's & 18's as yacht tenders, test facility boats, military drones and special use platforms, such as camera boats, etc. I'll direct you to positive proof on one, and you'll just have to take my word on the many others. In 1976, Johnson & Evinrude introduced their first V-6 outboard. Powerboat Magazine had an introduction article written up in one of their 1976 issues. They highlighted this new 200 h.p. engine on the front cover running out of their Stuart, Florida Test Facility on a yellow & white 18' Donzi, with a D.A. Heinrich modified OMC 3-blade O.T.H. cleaver propeller. At that time, I inquired to Donzi, as I was in the market for one & was told they built two for OMC, but was not interested in building any more. Afterwhich, I bought two 18' 2+3's & then moved on to boats that were much faster. Also unique about the OMC Donzi 18' boats, they were wrap-around interiors, not 2+3's. I still have the issue of PB stored away.

[BUIZILLA]

Also unique about the OMC Donzi 18' boats, they were wrap-around interiors, not 2+3's. I still have the issue of PB stored away.

welp, that eliminates them being 18's... please find the issue... thanx

[Fish]

... I'll direct you to positive proof on one, and you'll just have to take my word on the many others. In 1976, Johnson & Evinrude introduced their first V-6 outboard. Powerboat Magazine had an introduction article written up in one of their 1976 issues... I was in the market for one & was told they built two for OMC... Also unique about the OMC Donzi 18' boats, they were wrap-around interiors, not 2+3's. I still have the issue of PB stored away.

Sooooooo glad you have the magazine and can provide "positive proof" of at least one of the two donzi ob 18's you know exist... We will definitely take your word on the second one after you provide the proof on the first... Please scan it, take a pic of it, or send it to me or greg (screamandfly) to scan... We will definitely post it for you if you cannot.

[SFRacing]

i heard about the OMC OB's and the magazine cover, but they were 22's. one is the ob 22 that the guy in the other thread butchered (made it on I/O), and the second was just a rumor but it was an omc mag cover. good ting you have the magazine and can post it, that shoulkd put an end to the speculation.

[BUIZILLA]

oh, now we have an OMC 22 also...

hey, this is getting good

[SFRacing]

oh, now we have an OMC 22 also...

hey, this is getting good

sorry, not an omc built 22, it was a 22 ob that I heard rumors about that was made for the omc launch of the 200 and used as the photo boat; like the 16ob was used for the mercury 1400 launch. I have never seen the magazine and only know of the one 22 ob that got turned into an I/O, just have heard rumors of the second one on the magazine. I guess when airride posts pics from the magazine, we will know about the 18ob, or if it was possibly the second factory 22ob.

[Madpoodle]

Had to comeback and apologize, Airide is correct.. Thought about it last night, recalled something, took awhile to find it..

Hey, if you have the article, I would LOVE to see it. Please scan and email or post..

[Madpoodle]

i heard about the OMC OB's and the magazine cover, but they were 22's. one is the ob 22 that the guy in the other thread butchered (made it on I/O), and the second was just a rumor but it was an omc mag cover. good ting you have the magazine and can post it, that shoulkd put an end to the speculation.

The OB 22 that was converted was factory built for a customer. Approx. 18 months later they re-rigged it for twin Yammies for the same owner.. At a later stage the OMC V8 was put on it. A second OB 22 has been rumored, but there is no proof of it's existence as of the moment.. Same goes for the "second" 18 OB...

[Madpoodle]

The above in NO WAY lends any credence to geekmafia's claims btw...