“Pickles” – One Sweet, Barn Find-ish Donzi Sweet 16.

Original fun!

The Woody Boater crew has found another very sweet boat for this years fun! A 1964 Donzi Sweet 16. The best part is that she has been a two owner fresh boat. The second owner has owned her sine 1980.  And she is tight and screams. The owner knew how to take care of her and baby her. She has only estimated 20 hours on her new 350 engine, installed by the Donzi Dealer back in the day. And yes, all the paper work is there.

Turn the key!

Start her up!

Go for it!

Oh yah

Very cool original white interior.

She runs, and still has her all original everything, including gel coat we think. That needs attention, or replacement. Or just enjoy the originality and patina of it all. More photos to come, no plans yet as to what to do with her. She may wind up as this years adventure, One thing is for sure. A boat ride sure is in the works. Woohooo Donzi Time!

There she is, right in Jimmys Barn!

Gel coat needs some help, or not?

And now in the barn in Reedville ready for her test!

While WECATCHEM and Stinky are up north, we may have a little secret plastic love affair! Shhhh.

The open door awaits, now if the water would just calm down.

28 replies
  1. Greg Lewandowski
    Greg Lewandowski says:

    Donzi guarantees their hulls for life, so don’t worry about the gel coat. Turn the key and enjoy the ride. Congrats!

  2. Miami Vice Troy
    Miami Vice Troy says:

    OH YA!

    Gotta LOVE some Classic Glass!

    A good buffing would probably do wonders.

    • Dave Nau
      Dave Nau says:

      Painted or gel coat? To me, paint, unless from the factory, is like fingernails on a chalkboard on a fiberglass boat. It would be like painting mahogany that was originally varnished at the factory.

    • m-fine
      m-fine says:

      Wind shields add a very disproportionate amount of drag at higher speeds and make the boat FEEL less sporty and fast. Skimming the water with June bugs hitting your face at 50 mph feels a lot faster and more thrilling than going 70 in enclosed comfort. The 16 was not an extreme performer compared to the bigger hulls, but it could deliver the exhilaration in spades.

  3. Rabbit
    Rabbit says:

    It’s not clear if it’s Matt’s or Jimmy’s… or if you’re sharing it, which would work, too. But what a great little boat. Ever since I was a kid I’ve played “dream garage” in my head (you know, pick two or three cars you’d love to have.) I think you’ve now got a dream boathouse. Except you have no pontoon!

    • Matt
      Matt says:

      I am very focused on Wecathem and Stinky, but a fun plastic distraction is always fun. Jimmy already has too many boats. The water test, which we all know she will pass, since she was just out on Smith Mountain Lake last week. But we want to have fun. And sold to a fellow Woody Boater so it stays in the “family” But subject to change with one boat ride! HA We have room, and nature deplores a vacuum!

  4. Old Salt
    Old Salt says:

    Congrats Matt,

    Can’t wait to see the WoodyBoater folklift your going to buy to stack up all of your boats!

        • Jason
          Jason says:

          I am not trying to be a dick by asking this question. But is the price too high on Pumpkin? I thought that the sale money of that boat was planned to go back to a family or some type of charity function. Maybe it had and I just missed that story in the past. Just wandering.

  5. Mark in Ohio (sometimes da U.P.)
    Mark in Ohio (sometimes da U.P.) says:

    Some years back, I had a good friend Named Harold Reed. Harold Was in the Navy during the mid 60s. He was lucky enough to spend four years assigned to the Presidential yacht. He had a lot of good stories. Some of his favorite stories were of the 2 Donzi tenders that they had. I cant remember the model #. I do know that they were powered by 2 427 Hulman Moody engines. They were painted Navy gray. He said it was a lot of fun burning the governments fuel taking famous people skiing. Harold has gone on to the big lake in the sky, but seeing this boat and other Donzis, make me think of him and his stories.

  6. Royce A. Humphreys
    Royce A. Humphreys says:

    Nothing like an original Donzi classic from the 60’s! Donzi offered a windshield for both the 16′ and 18′ models as an option. My 1968 has one, but it is removed as I prefer the looks without. I have a great 8MM video from when my dear friends grandparents picked up their 1965 Ski Sporter from the Donzi factory when new. His Grandma had them add the windshield to protect her hair!

  7. Matt
    Matt says:

    I like the boat sans windshield, it gives it a performance feel. And on Pumpkin its kinda useless, more of a wind diflector

  8. Royce A. Humphreys
    Royce A. Humphreys says:

    I can remember talking with Bob Cox on the 1995 St. Johns River cruise and if I remember correctly, Bob was an early dealer for Donzi. He mentioned that it was like taking Geritol running those Sweet 16’s!

    • Matt
      Matt says:

      This is a fantastic info. I will look around more this weekend. There is a dash plaque on the dash board . Made For Peter Boas. That was the first owner. The current owner has had it since the early 1980’s.

  9. Sean
    Sean says:

    Yes, probably not a ’64 as there were only about 10 boats made (give or take 1 or 2) in their introduction year. Four clamshell vents would not be original to an early boat either as the ’65 had no clamshell vents. IIRC, there were 2 only on ’66 boats. Also, windshields were available as an option later on… although they looked awful.

  10. John Rothert
    John Rothert says:

    yeah, the windshields were thought to be sexy like the rest of the classic…..very low profile and Italian like styling…cool but not functional and not for some taste.
    I had the embarrassing misfortune to crank one of those $$$ little windshield while climbing over the bow to handle a minor grounding…..that boat had the inboard and it was truly Bad Ass. and sounded just as good/bad!

  11. mattyboy
    mattyboy says:

    is there a foil tag on the back seat ?

    they made 2 with those colors in 68 usually grumble hulls had a white deck with a green stripe

    the dash plaques were a Chisholm touch

  12. mattyboy
    mattyboy says:

    I like the all green with the white stripe but this is was the more popular color with grumble green

    what ever you do don’t sell it you will regret it and don’t ask how I know that

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