Sharply Dressed: Sure, the Donzi 38 ZFX can perform, but it's also as plush as a center-console offering gets.

With the upscale Daytona package, Donzi Marine dresses up its center-console offerings much the same way it dresses up its performance boats. The Daytona package includes special graphics, an upgraded stereo system, bolsters, powder-painted hardware and more.

The bottom line is the Daytona option provides extra bling for additional bucks - and we have no problem with that. In fact, we're all for it. But if the 38 ZFX didn't have the performance goods, all the flash in the world would be lost on us.

Of course, that was far from the case. Riding on the same stepped-bottom as Donzi's go-fast 38-footers, the 38 ZFX delivered exceptional performance, starting with its handling manners. A true carver, the boat darted through abrupt slalom turns and swept through high-speed circles without a misstep. It leaned inward on entry to turns, held that attitude throughout them and leveled off precisely on exit.

Worth noting was the boat's power steering, which comes standard with the Mercury Verado outboards. When it comes to smoothness and ease of operation, the Verado system is top-notch.

The 38 ZFX tracked straight lines with almost religious conviction, and pulverized all of the 1- to 2-footers unfortunate enough to get in its way.

Making good use of triple, whisper-quiet Verado 275 four-stroke supercharged outboard engines, the 38 ZFX topped out at 68.8 mph.

A couple of Donzi representatives told us the boat had reached 70 mph under ideal conditions, and that seemed to be a reasonable claim.

With its Mercury 280S K-Planes down, the 38 ZFX came on plane in an impressive 3.3 seconds - quickest out of the hole among the larger boats in this roundup. From a standing start, it reached 66 mph in 20 seconds and ran from 40 to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds.

For seating arrangements, the builder supplied a four- to five-person rear bench, dropout bolsters for the driver and co-pilot and a L-shape lounge ahead of the center-console. The walk-through bow area was on the starboard side of the boat. On the port side next to the center-console, there was a molded section with a sink and a flip-out door with a waste receptacle mounted to the back of it.

In the center-console was a head locker with a sink. All the way forward, the boat's cabin included facing lounges that converted to a berth and a well-installed headliner. Two steps on each side of the cabin provided access to the foredeck, which was equipped with a power windlass for the anchor.

In addition to the SmartCraft instruments above the tilt steering wheel at the helm station for the Verado outboards, there was a Mercury "shadow box" for the shifters. When the outside shifters were in opposite positions, one in reverse and the other in forward, as they frequently are when it comes time to dock, the center engine was automatically disengaged (put in neutral) by the clever electronics inside the box. Very slick.

Lower tech, but every bit as appreciated, was the acrylic windscreen mounted atop the dash. It proved effective in deflecting the onrushing breeze. That should be "a gimme," but more often than we'd like, it's not.

Hardware included a large T-top, powder-coated rails and retractable cleats. Naturally, there were multiple lockers in the boat's sole.

Donzi covered all the bases with the 38 ZFX, then dressed it up with the Daytona package. And we liked everything about it.

Test Results

Click to enlarge.