Footage of 65' Donzi in hurricane

Manny · 05-26-2009, 10:59 PM

Hi all,

I'm sure some of you know of that story of the 65' Donzi that survived Hurricane Darby back in 1992 at sea. 30 Straight hours of waves up to 30 ft or more, and the boat miraculously survived in the end, but lost afterward. All 7 aboard survived.

If you haven't heard of it, or want the story in more detail, you can check it out in the link I have below. Knowing Roscioli, I'm sure some of the details are exaggerated

But most is true.

http://www.donziyachts.com/article.php?file=nowhere

Well, I somehow stumbled upon footage of the actual occurance. It just so happens that the weather channel show named Storm Stories made an episode of this, and 4 of the 7 men were interviewed on the matter, with some actual footage used in the beginning and end.(the middle was reenacted with a much smaller viking).

http://www.weather.com/multimedia/vi...www.blinkx.com

I guess I should get a Donzi soon, so I'll know that if I'm ever caught at sea during a hurricane my chances of survival are higher.

Loren Schweizer · 05-27-2009, 01:50 PM

Great vid, thanks for sharing.
Wonder why these guys couldn't take advantage of getting in the lee of the island...
BTW,that 'Viking' in the reenactment was a Pacifica.

Manny · 05-27-2009, 01:55 PM

According to the story published in the Donzi site, there was no lee apparently.

It was? sorry to me it seemed like a viking.....couldn't really tell with all the weather effects.

Hawk · 05-27-2009, 03:53 PM

The owner of the Donzi in this story is now a proud owner of 120' Crescent

Manny · 05-27-2009, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawk

The owner of the Donzi in this story is now a proud owner of 120' Crescent

really? do you know him? did he end up buying another Donzi right after the hurricane as stated in Roscioli's article?

Hawk · 05-28-2009, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manny

really? do you know him? did he end up buying another Donzi right after the hurricane as stated in Roscioli's article?

Yes he did buy another Donzi and hung on to it for many years before buying his "big" boat. He is still an avid fisherman and has put many many miles under his belt looking for the perfect fish.

Bamboo · 06-04-2009, 11:06 AM

That's Donzi weather...

aeronautic1 · 06-04-2009, 12:48 PM

In May 1976, I was an engineering officer on USCGC Mellon, a 378' Coast Guard cutter. We drove thru a 940mb low to get to the sailing vessel SORCERY which was rolled by a 100' rogue at 0100. During our run to rescue SORCERY, we encountered 40-80' seas; had to switch from the Fairbanks Morris mains (which red-line at 750 rpm) to the Pratt and Whitney turbines and pitch the props back for 7 knots. That Big White One would come to a complete stop as it slammed into each huge wave sending a wakashaa-wakashaa down the entire length of the ship. 30-40 degree rolls where common. We cracked the superstructure and 11 main beams thru the deck in the bow, had 3 foot waves in the paint locker and tore off all the NBC washdown gear mounted throughout the exterior of the ship. Both 80# "bullnose" covers for the hawser pipe where blown off from their 10 dog mounts (one was found up on the signal bridge). The helicopter flight deck is 40' from the waterline and we would scurry out from the "balloon shelter" in a trough and look UP at crests 20-30'. We succesfully rescued all 11 owner and crew on SORCERY and towed the vessel into Kodiak. Absolutely one of the proudest, and scariest, times in my career. You can read a SORCERY crew account here:
http://www.cncphotoalbum.com/archive...y/sorcery2.htm

aeronautic1 · 06-04-2009, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loren Schweizer

Great vid, thanks for sharing.
Wonder why these guys couldn't take advantage of getting in the lee of the island...
BTW,that 'Viking' in the reenactment was a Pacifica.

ISB is oblonged and only about 3 miles long and less than a mile wide which runs NNE to SSW. Not much protect there. Great fishing though.

Manny · 06-04-2009, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bamboo

That's Donzi weather...

agreed

VikHatBer · 06-09-2009, 08:28 PM

Definitely worth the 21 minutes. I have seen that footage before...a long time ago.

I bet they were happy to have an enclosed flybridge. I wonder if that would become a liability in such high wind.

Long live the heavy, overbuilt battlewagons! I would not want to get stuck out there in a Riviera or a Sea Ray.

RER · 06-19-2009, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loren Schweizer

Great vid, thanks for sharing.
Wonder why these guys couldn't take advantage of getting in the lee of the island...
BTW,that 'Viking' in the reenactment was a Pacifica.

I'm impressed. I don't think too many FL guys could ID the Pacifica.

Manny · 06-28-2009, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VikHatBer

Definitely worth the 21 minutes. I have seen that footage before...a long time ago.

I bet they were happy to have an enclosed flybridge. I wonder if that would become a liability in such high wind.

Long live the heavy, overbuilt battlewagons! I would not want to get stuck out there in a Riviera or a Sea Ray.

they actually didnt have an enclosed flybridge. It was open with enclosures, but the enclosures were washed away; that's why they needed diving masks on the flybridge in order to see the instruments and what was ahead.

Loren Schweizer · 06-29-2009, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RER

I'm impressed. I don't think too many FL guys could ID the Pacifica.

I was a frequent visitor to SoCal back in the '80s...
Is Wanda Kipper still around?

RER · 06-29-2009, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loren Schweizer

I was a frequent visitor to SoCal back in the '80s...
Is Wanda Kipper still around?

Negative. 1990 was the end of the road for Pacifica. Favored by hardcore fishermen and designed for the long run to Cabo. They remained almost unchanged for twenty years. Remarkable, but probably not the best strategy for the long term.