32' Donzi F33 floor replacment

peacekeeper6

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 25, 2005
Messages
765
Ok heres the story its gonna be long but bear with it. i dont need as much help on this projet as advice. Ive done 2 boats with stringers but they were smaller onlyt 21 ft. Both instances i pulled the cap. When i bought this boat it appeared solid but after taking it offshore twice i started to notice a very minor sway in the t-top. Ever so noticable. So when i got back home i started digging around and found that one of my hatches was a little softer then i remember when buying the boat. so i took it up and what do you know its fully rotted. So i started digging more into the ttop sway and noticed all around the ttop where the wires go into the floor its rotted. lucky me. I removed the ttop, console and disconnected as many things as i can find to cap. But when i knock on the transom it sounds solid. and when i knock on the stringers they sound solid. Now i am not opposed to pulling the cap as i have before but the rear of the boat has me baffeled, and i dont know if the floor is actually glassed to the stringers which would prevent me from pulling the cap and keeping the floor intact. When i look at the rear of the boat the motors are actually mounted further back then the back wall. there is a spash well in between these two sections which i dont think comes out with the cap. should i pulll the motors anyway? i showed a picture of the 3-4 foot section that hangs out passt the "transom" that has the motors hanging on it. My other option is to cut the floor out around the edges and try to replace everything i can get to from there but i fear that this wont allow me access to everything and i may have to pull the cap anyway. has anyone had any experience with these boats i am following the reconstruction of the 30 foot scarab closely but my boat is alot more "complete" then his.

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Bob_VT

Moderator & Unofficial iBoats Historian
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Re: 32' Donzi F33 floor replacment

WOW what a nice set up!

Please in the future and if you can resize the pictures to 640 X 480 for the forum.

Probably the most sound suggestion I can make is to contact Donzi. They are a great company and they will give you the exact answer..... I have seen some of the better boat manufacturers provide PDF diagrams of the construction too. I would be on the phone with the company (not the sales people but the tech people) where they are made.
 

zach103

Commander
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Mar 11, 2008
Messages
2,233
Re: 32' Donzi F33 floor replacment

are you towing that with a F-150??
 

waterwezl

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Apr 5, 2008
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104
Re: 32' Donzi F33 floor replacment

Beautiful boat! I love Donzi lines. Those Yamahoppers get it scootin' I'll bet! As for the damage, I'd think the best way would be to pull the cap. Those engines will have to be removed too I imagine, but when it's finished you'll know what's there and several miles offshore that's a reassuring thought. Good luck and keep us posted!

Jason
 

peacekeeper6

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 25, 2005
Messages
765
Re: 32' Donzi F33 floor replacment

i will certainly get on the phone with donzi then, yes tows great behind the f150. the yamas are great motors. i will go ahead and pull the cap i just was wondering how the floor would be secured so i as to not rip the cap apart. thanks i love the boat too right now. (waiting till something big breaks)
 

zach103

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Mar 11, 2008
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Re: 32' Donzi F33 floor replacment

man i give you props must be the 5.4 i got the 4.2 would never have thought to tow something that big... good luck on the restore.. keep us posted
 

peacekeeper6

Senior Chief Petty Officer
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Apr 25, 2005
Messages
765
Re: 32' Donzi F33 floor replacment

o no the 4.2 would die. the 5.4 is a stout truck but i wouldnt tow something this big with anything less then an ext cab like mine. i think if you had it loaded right the 4.2 might pull it.
 

zach103

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Mar 11, 2008
Messages
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Re: 32' Donzi F33 floor replacment

on no way.. would borrow the bosses dually if i ever needed to move something that size lol.. but i learned i can tow almost 6k max
 

peacekeeper6

Senior Chief Petty Officer
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Apr 25, 2005
Messages
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Re: 32' Donzi F33 floor replacment

is that because of engine strain? or because of axle/chassis beefyness?
 

zach103

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Re: 32' Donzi F33 floor replacment

i don't know my owners manual says 5,800k max with my size engine and axle..
 

jonesg

Admiral
Joined
Feb 22, 2008
Messages
7,174
Re: 32' Donzi F33 floor replacment

If the transom and stringers are ok I'd just redo the deck , cut around the perimeter and leave the cap on. Leave 2 inches of deck in place around the edges for integrity, if its done neatly it'll look like it was designed that way when the deck is glassed back on top of the new wood or composite you installed.

Once the glass liner is out you may find the damage just limited to poor installation of the t top.
 

peacekeeper6

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 25, 2005
Messages
765
Re: 32' Donzi F33 floor replacment

i woudl take that route but i dont know how god/bad the stringers are. the transoms seems solid but time will tell. when i get moving on this project i will start to post pictures and steps.i am hoping to spend no more than 2-3k on this.
 

jpmurphy

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Jan 14, 2009
Messages
358
Re: 32' Donzi F33 floor replacment

Great looking rig. Good luck on your project. :)
 

a70eliminator

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Sep 9, 2007
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Re: 32' Donzi F33 floor replacment

69Snake there's a guy asking in the trailering section what he needs to tow a 33' boat. Go ford!
 

peacekeeper6

Senior Chief Petty Officer
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Apr 25, 2005
Messages
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Re: 32' Donzi F33 floor replacment

i told him my towing. we'll see what he does. yup go ford
 

peacekeeper6

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 25, 2005
Messages
765
Re: 32' Donzi F33 floor replacment

trying to get this cap off but it seems to be sticking on the right rear side. here are pics anything i am missing?

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zach103

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Mar 11, 2008
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Re: 32' Donzi F33 floor replacment

were they rivets that held it together?
 

Bob_VT

Moderator & Unofficial iBoats Historian
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Re: 32' Donzi F33 floor replacment

Sometimes the builders slap some wet resin on before they cap..... it just may be hung up.
 

peacekeeper6

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 25, 2005
Messages
765
Re: 32' Donzi F33 floor replacment

Sometimes the builders slap some wet resin on before they cap..... it just may be hung up.

i think you are right i got it up a little more and the left side seems to be coming free but god help me with the right side. Any ideas on getting this freed up?
 

Bob_VT

Moderator & Unofficial iBoats Historian
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Re: 32' Donzi F33 floor replacment

SOme people have used a rubber mallet, some have used a 2 x 4 and thumped it. I hate to say this but all the thumping needs to be from the underside ......... there have been a few that have resorted to cutting.

You can also try a WIDE blade under the lip as a chisel (caution a narrow blade can slice through quick). The key is a small spot at a time (gee that rolls out of me so easy and I know it's a 32' boat ;) )
 
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