Last year I bought a used  Donzi Sweet 16  boat for sale on eBay.  I had been watching that particular auction all week and was amazed at how cheap the antique boat was.  The boat was a 1970 Donzi Sweet Sixteen, and supposedly was being sold by the second owner.  I checked out the photos and the seller had uploaded over a dozen of the boat, from every angle.  The engine had been recently overhauled and appeared to be in pristine shape.

I kept watching the listing for the used 1970 Donzi Sweet 16 for sale on eBay and when the auction was about to end,  I jumped in and placed a bid, with one minute to go. At that time the highest bid was $2800.  I won the boat for $2,850, which I thought was a steal, considering it included the trailer. Only problem was, the used 1970 Donzi ski boat was in Las Vegas Nevada and I was in Texas.  “Road Trip!”, I told my wife. We drove out to Las Vegas and 36 hours later picked up the vintage ski boat from the eBay seller.

Cautions To Anyone Buying An Antique Boat On eBay

The classic 1970 Donzi Sweet Sixteen on eBay was just as described and in pristine condition. It appeared to have been used only a handful of times since it was purchased  in California. A happy purchaser, I started to tow the boat back home but had a bearing go out in Arizona. That ended up requiring a road service call that cost over $500 to fix the trailer.

Back in Texas finally, I filled out the paperwork to register the used Donzi,  only to find out I had more problems to deal with. For one thing, the name on the title was not the same as the name on the bill of sale. This had been explained to me in Nevada as being due to getting the boat as a gift from the person whose name was actually on title. (A word to the wise: If you are buying a used Donzi Sweet Sixteen for sale on eBay, check to see that the title is clear.)   The seller was apologetic and was able to send me a bill of sale with the original owner’s name.  Due to other issues with the boat’s registration history and lack of serial numbers, Texas would not issue a clear title. I had to pay an extra fee  for a “bonded title”.  You can get a title for an abandoned boat in Texas, or one that has an unclear ownership history, by posting a bond.   Between all of the state fees, Fedex fees, etc, getting a clear title on the boat cost me about $600 plus another $400 for the gas I spent going to Las Vegas and back and $500 for road service for the trailer.  All in all, I was out an additional $1500, plus my time.

Antique Donzi Boats On eBay Not Always Worth The Trouble

The moral of the story is that even though you might get a good deal on an a used Donzi boat for sale on eBay, it may cost you much more than you think if there are issues with the title to the boat, has a trailer in bad shape, etc.  Don’t get me wrong, Donzi makes a great boat and the classic ones from before 1975 are really sharp.  You can find some real bargains out there on used Donzi Sweet Sixteens for sale on eBay, just make sure you know all of the facts about that particular boat before buying.

Below is a Donzi Sweet 16. Click on the photo for current Donzi Sweet 16′s for sale on eBay.

A Used Donzi. Click on photo for current ones for sale on eBay.