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2005 Donzi Donzi 22 Classic Photos
2005 Donzi Donzi 22 Classic Test Details
| Category | Bowrider |
| Length | 22ft 6in / 6.71 m |
| Dealers | Contact Donzi Boats Dealers |
| Buyers Guides | Search For Donzi Boats Buyers Guides |
| Boats For Sale | Search For Donzi Boats For Sale |
2005 Donzi Donzi 22 Classic Description
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To commemorate Donzi's 40th anniversary, the Floridabased performance boat company celebrated by offering a series of special Classics. Just 40 of their 22-foot models were built.Thirty-nine of them featured bright yellow gelcoat. One was red.
That this one particular red boat happened to land at Donzi's new dealer in Muskoka is a story in itself. Anyone remotely interested in purchasing it better act fast.
Featuring in-gel graphics that include a double white stripe down the deck complimented by a large platinum Donzi propeller logo on the engine hatch, the boat is as eye-catching today as when introduced in 1964.
Donzi's Classics have matured.They are better-built now than ever, using modern materials and old-world craftsmanship. Still considered to be a production boat,each Classic is built by hand, and only when ordered.
Our test boat had a tinted windshield, which in fact is a mild wind deflector considering the height at which the operator sits. Like the rest of the boat, the cockpit was designed to be simple and elegant. Stretched out across the dash were two banks of platinum coloured Livorsi (Gaffrig) monster gauges, including an analog tach and speedo. To keep the dash clean, only a stereo/CD player and a row of white accessory switches were installed.
Bright red-and-white pleated 22- ounce UV-protected marine vinyl forms perfectly around the boat's classic bucket seats and aft bench. The cockpit is tight - exactly what it should be for a classic gentleman's racer.What hardware there is happens to be of excellent quality, and for practical purposes, a ski-eye has been through-bolted to the stern.
Powered by MerCruiser's 320-hp 6.2 L MPI, coupled with a Bravo I drive and Bravo 25"pitch propeller,the 22' Donzi is anything but tame. Be it a Sweet 16, the mid-sized 18, or this distinctive 22-footer,every deep-V hull in the Classic series has a 24-degree deadrise at the transom. While they cut through rough water extremely well, straight V's like this can be a handful at speed. Donzi's are for drivers, and a bit of experience in fast boats is required before anyone feels perfectly at home in a Classic.
As I climbed behind the wheel of the 22, I recalled the last Classic I tested. It was an 18C that bucked a bit through the turns but accelerated like the wind. I was anxious to first find some calm water to see how the boat would balance at speed.
Cutting through a channel and around some protected islands, the 22 surprised me. Most deep-V's try to chine-walk at high speed, but this one steered straight, with very little correction on my part. Because the vents were missing from our Bravo high performance prop, cavitation would occur at takeoff, but once the prop took bite and the boat got rolling, acceleration was deliberate, and shot from 20 to 40 mph in 6.6 seconds, 30 to 50 mph in 6.4 and 40 to 60 mph in 10.7 seconds.
While the boat has tabs, we didn't need them, even in a stiff crosswind. Our speedometer read 69 mph turning 4,850 rpm, while my GPS reading indicated a tad slower ' 67 mph at max speed.While the boat behaved well at top end, there was no question it felt light when trimmed high. When it came to turn, I again was impressed. Backing off the throttle, the bow set gently and the stern came around, carving gracefully at speed.
This boat/motor combination is very well-balanced. If red isn't your colour, don't worry, there are plenty of choices available on this model for 2005.What won't change is the excitement level.
2005 Donzi Donzi 22 Classic Test Specifications
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Test boat engine: MerCruiser MX 6.2 MPI, 6.2L, (377 cid), 320 hp V-8 sterndrive, pushing a 25" pitch Bravo stainless-steel propeller through a Bravo I drive.
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