Lightning Strikes: Stunning graphics complement Donzi's 43 ZR offshore beauty

By Gregg Mansfield

When it comes to the yearly roundups in the spring, helicopter pilot Mark Watters usually sees the boats from two perspectives: From the air or holding them at the docks for photography. He rarely gets a chance to ride in the boats, and has never gotten the opportunity to go 100 mph on the water in a V-bottom.

His chance came during our speed roundup in Sarasota, Fla., where he became an "honorary co-pilot" with test driver John Tomlinson in a 43 ZR from Donzi Marine. Watters has logged thousands of hours above the century mark in the air but not one minute on the water.

So how was it? Watters didn't even think he was riding in a boat traveling at 106 mph on radar.

Credit the 43-footer's stable twin-step bottom and the ideal combination of the staggered Mercury Racing HP850SCi engines with the No. 6 dry-sump drives spinning Hering 35"-pitch five-blade propellers.

"The boat has a good, solid feel and a solid ride," Tomlinson said. "The bottom doesn't feel like it's going to do anything funny."

The 43 ZR put up good performance numbers for a well-stocked offshore boat. It jumped on plane in 6.8 seconds with the tabs down, and in 20 seconds it was running 76 mph. Tap the throttles forward a bit and the boat was running 86 mph with the engines turning a comfortable 4,500 rpm. At that speed, the boat was getting a little less than 1 mpg.

Our Test Team found the boat liked a little chop on Florida's Sarasota Bay, and the fastest speeds came with the wind to our backs. Offshore, the water was pretty snotty but the 43-footer held its own.

Keeping the driver and co-pilot secure were bolsters with electric dropout bottoms on red billet stands. The cockpit upholstery, along with the red carbon-fiber dash panels, tied into the boat's paint job, which featured lightning bolts. In-Visions by Hunter in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was responsible for the boat's striking graphics.

Donzi provided privately labeled gauges and controls at the starboard-side helm. (Other gauges were angled toward the driver above the sliding cabin door.) Also included at the helm was a Lowrance GPS, a stereo remote from CPS Products and a compass. A small deflector did an effective job keeping wind out of the faces of our testers.

The 43-footer's cabin had everything that you would expect in an offshore boat. To port there was a small galley with a stainless-steel sink and an Isotherm icemaker. Opposite the galley was an enclosed head locker with a sink and a toilet.

The V-berth and facing benches were comfortable, but Donzi saved its best work for the suspended headliner. Our workmanship inspector couldn't find a single imperfection in the installation. The sliding door closed off the cabin from the elements.

For the opportunity to run 100 mph in a V-bottom, the 43 ZR was a good choice. The stepped-bottom boat was stable at the highest speeds, which made for a thrilling experience for everyone onboard.

Contact Information
Donzi Marine, 7110 21st St. E.,
Sarasota, FL 32243, 941-727-0622, www.donzimarine.com

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