Decal Installation Instructions

How to Install your Donzi OEM Decals

Preparation: If you are replacing old hullside decals, you may notice a “shadow” outline of the old decal in the gelcoat. You will want to remove this via rubbing compound or polishing compound or wet-sanding and then polishing, as there is no guarantee your new decal will completely cover the shadow. If you have any questions regarding your gelcoat finish, please consult a qualified local fiberglass repair shop. Once you are ready to apply the new decals, pre-
wash the application area using either soap and water, or a 50/50 mixture of rubbing alcohol and water. After cleaning with soapy water, rinse completely until no soap or residue remains. You’ll want a clean, dust-free surface to apply your decals.

Environmental Conditions: For best results, apply your decals in a shaded area away from direct sunlight. When possible, you should apply decals when the temperature is above 50F and below 90F. Avoid applying decals in strong wind or dusty areas.

Transfer Tape Prep: Most of our decals come to you sandwiched between the backing paper on the bottom, and a layer of transfer tape on top. The transfer tape protects the decal during shipping and application, and greatly helps with the application process. Before applying the decal, make sure the transfer tape and decal are firmly pressed together. Do this by placing the decal on a smooth, flat surface, and gently applying pressure evenly across the transfer tape
with a squeegee or plastic card. This helps to assure that the decal does not stick to the backing paper during installation.

Dry Application: Masking tape can help to ensure that your decal is positioned exactly where you want it. Leaving the white backing paper in place and facing the surface you’re applying it to position the decal where you want it to go. Place a piece of masking tape along the top edge of the decal to fix it in the desired location. Then, lift the decal as if it is on a hinge, and peel off the backing paper. While holding onto the bottom edge, slowly lower the decal, using the thumb of your other hand to press from the center out, gradually working your way from top to bottom, proceeding slowly to avoid air bubbles.

Wet Application: Most of our smaller decals may be applied without using water, but for larger decals, we recommend wet application. After cleaning your application surface, wet the area again using a spray bottle and a solution of approximately 95% water and 5% soap. Apply the decal while the area is still wet. This will prevent it from adhering immediately and give you time to reposition it if required. This also allows you to remove any air bubbles using a
squeegee or plastic card (credit card, etc.) The soapy water will dry in a few minutes, leaving your decal firmly affixed.

Transfer Tape Removal: Once your decal has been applied via the wet application method, leave the transfer tape in place for at least three hours and up to 24 hours before gently removing it, taking care to avoid accidentally lifting corners of the decal along with it.

Bubbles: While you will want to proceed slowly and carefully to avoid getting bubbles beneath the decal and the boat’s gelcoat, if you inadvertently wind up with a few small bubbles beneath, they will usually disappear when left in strong direct sunlight.

All orders placed with DonziDirect are PREPAID IN FULL. As a small specialty shop serving a very niche market, the majority of our items are made to order. However, even for normally stocked items, your card will be charged when you place your order. For some large items which are shipped via freight (upholstery, windshields, engine hatches, swim platforms, etc.) the merchandise amount will be paid but shipping will be charged once the item has been completed and packaged for shipping. Once an item has shipped, tracking information will be provided.

We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express through our website. Or, you may pay via ShopPay, Paypal, Apple Pay, or Amazon Pay.

The Donzi model lineup spans over five decades, with hundreds of different models and thousands of unique configurations. In some cases, the part you need may have only been used on a handful of boats. Accordingly, some parts are exceedingly rare and take some time to produce or acquire! While we do stock the most popular items and keep them on hand for immediate delivery, many items are MADE TO ORDER.

Approximate lead times are given in the item description. Some items can ship within a day or two, while others may take several weeks to be custom made. Some may be sitting on a shelf in a surplus warehouse and still require a few days to obtain and ship. We will make every effort to accommodate your needs and we will communicate lead times as effectively as possible. 

Please check lead times carefully before you order and plan in advance. Demand for many of our items is extremely limited, since we are supporting boats that have been out of production for decades. We work with a range of small specialty suppliers for the sole purpose of supporting the Donzi community. For these reasons most items are made to order, on a custom basis, and cannot be rushed. We make every effort to communicate lead times as effectively as possible. If you think an item might qualify for an exception (marked "typically in stock", etc.) please reach out to us using the contact form.

Currently, our shipping calculator cannot calculate freight on large orders, including upholstery sets, which are typically shipped in multiple boxes on a pallet. Once completed and packed onto a pallet, we will send over an online payable invoice for freight costs. 

Upholstery orders are custom (made to order), and therefore sold AS IS. There is no implied warranty on these items. Quite often, the colors and/or textures used on these items cannot be used on any other boat. We are not responsible for any wear and tear normal or otherwise, damage from cleansers, mold or mildew due to use/ and or improper storage, or pinking.

We personally inspect each and every upholstery piece upon completion and prior to shipment. Each piece is then photographed, signed off on, packed and then shipping calculated.

Currently, our shipping calculator cannot calculate freight on large items, including windshields, which are typically shipped in a crate. These are quoted once completed and crated. Once completed we will contact you with the shipping cost. All shipping, crating and handling charges are the responsibility of the buyer.

Shipping for upholstery, windshields, hatches and any other large freight items cannot be quoted or estimated at time of order placement. We will not know the cost until they complete and are packed. This is due to the constant freight price changes from start time to completion of the item, the size and weight of the boxes, crates, or pallets, and the use of multiple freight lines. 

The freight costs are the responsibility of the buyer.

Freight items will not be shipped until shipping payment has been received.

We ship via the best method of choice. We do not offer options for freight lines. We and our vendors have established special partnerships with shipping companies to offer the best freight rates and to deliver these freight items in the most timely manner possible. 

Orders are typically shipped via UPS and USPS. Whenever possible, we will ship your order via the service you choose at time of checkout, but we reserve the right to change services as required for various reasons that may arise.

Likewise, depending on your order and the logistics involved, we reserve the right to ship items directly from various suppliers to you; or to acquire items from various sources, holding and consolidating them for one shipment.

Please be advised that when purchasing from DonziDirect, you give us the permission to change the shipping service at our discretion.

All shipping and handling charges are the responsibility of the buyer.

DonziDirect.Com is not responsible for shipping delays or damages. We will work with the buyer to process any claims, but we have no control over shipping once the item has shipped from our warehouses.

GUIDE - SHIPPING PROTECTION

DonziDirect works with Guide Shipping Protection to offer coverage for your orders. 

This includes international shipments & LTL Freight!

This shipping protection is offered in your cart & at checkout, and is automatically added to your order.

You do have the option to deselect the insurance. However, we strongly suggest paying the small addition, especially if you are ordering a high priced item, long lead time item, or if you've had trouble with deliveries in the past.

Guide covers your shipments if they are lost, stolen, or damaged. This will ensure you'll be able receive your product and we'll be able to replace it in a timely manner.

Most Guide Insurance claims are resolved in 24-48 hours unlike other insurers that leave you waiting for a week or more, (ex. UPS, USPS, etc.)

If you have an lost, stolen or damaged package please submit your claim ASAP. You can submit a claim HERE. Any delay in submitting your claim may affect the potential outcome, not to mention, slow down your ability to obtain a replacement if your item requires a lead time.

Once our customer has submitted their claim, Guide will reach out via email within 24-48 hours, Monday-Friday.

Guide will require additional information, pictures of the damaged package, damaged item, etc, so have these on hand so they have all the necessary information to process your claim!

We ship to customers worldwide and will do our best to expedite your international order. We typically ship with UPS for all international shipments. All of our products are able to be shipped internationally.

If an item does not allow you to add to cart, and you're international, it may be that we need to offer a custom quote (ex. carpets). Please contact us for a shipping quote.

For large oversize items, this website is unable to calculate the best rates with the many freight carriers we use. Large oversize items include carpets, upholstery, windshields, etc. We DO ship these internationally. Please reach out to us via email to place the order and obtain a shipping quote if you do not use a USA freight forwarder.

For international orders, please provide email address, telephone number, and shipping address exactly as you want it to appear on the shipping document. 

By law, DonziDirect.Com must disclose the contents of each order on the Customs form on the outside of the package. We are also required to state the full value of the merchandise in your order. Please be aware that some packages may be opened and inspected by Customs authorities.

Tariffs & Duties: Orders that are shipped to countries outside of the United States may be subject to import taxes, customs duties/ tarrifs, or fees levied by the destination country. The purchaser is responsible for any and all taxes, import duties, tariffs or fees levied by the receiving country. Additional charges for customs clearance must be born by the recipient. We have no control over these charges and cannot predict what they could be. Customs policies vary widely from country to country. If you have questions, please contact your local customs office for more information.

Unpaid Fees: If your package is returned due to non payment of duties, taxes or import charges, we will require you to pay for the shipment to be resent. 

Shipping Times: When customs clearance procedures are required, it can cause delays beyond our original delivery estimates. Please note: Shipping times do not include lead times, and are in addition to normal lead times.

Shipping Insurance: International orders have the option of Guide Shipping Insurance. This will automatically be added to your cart, but can be deselected. If you choose not to accept this shipping insurance, we, DonziDirect.Com, will not be responsible for any missing, lost, damaged or stolen packages.

Please note that international shipments will be sent by our shipper of choice. Alternately, customers may elect to have us ship to a domestic U.S. address, and handle their own overseas shipping on their own as they see fit. If a customer asks us to ship to their designated freight forwarder, then the customer becomes the shipper of record and will be responsible for providing all information to their forwarder.

Our shipping insurance, if chosen, will only cover the order to the point of delivery used at checkout.

Currently we are only required to charge sales tax in the state of Florida.

Florida sales tax (7%) applies to Florida residents and orders shipped to Florida addresses.

All sales are final. All parts are sold "AS IS" with no warranty implied unless noted in the item description.

We provide large, detailed photographs of each item we offer, as well as detailed descriptions with measurements and other identifying information. Please use this information to verify – prior to completing your order – that you are purchasing the correct part. If it is not in the photo or description, it is not included with purchase. If you have any questions, please contact us BEFORE ordering and we will be happy to answer any questions.

Unless otherwise stated, all items shipped from DonziDirect.Com are either in new or unused condition. Some items for older models may have been sitting in a warehouse for quite some time, but no item will have been used or installed unless explicitly stated in the item description.

DonziDirect.Com offers many items that are specially produced at time of order. Such items may include upholstery, cockpit carpet, acrylic parts, custom gauges, decals and many other items. Please be advised that all made-to-order items are FINAL SALE. 

Please be advised that changing an order may incur additional charges not limited to additional shipping, order change fees and intercept fees. 

Should you need to cancel an order, please contact our customer service team via our contact form.

There will be a 20% cancellation fee. Once orders are in production or have been fulfilled, are unable to be canceled. The buyer will receive an in-store credit for the remaining value of the purchase if cancellation is possible.

Change fees: In most cases we cannot change items/ colors once submitted to production. Custom Upholstery for example, incurs up to a $300 charge for changes. This is not our choice, or our charge, this is what our manufacturer deems necessary to charge for their time and efforts as often, custom-made items go through many different production sequences.

PLEASE NOTE: We will reject any packages that arrive at our warehouses without an approved Return Authorization (RA) number, or with an expired RA number.

Please review our product descriptions very carefully.

An item qualifies for a return if it was delivered within the last 14 days AND is in the same condition it was received with all original components intact.

If items arrive and are incorrect as they were picked in error please contact us immediately (within 24-48 hours of delivery) at donzidirectcs@gmail.com for further assistance. All emails must be marked with order number, customer name, order date, and delivery date.

If your item is damaged, we will require multiple pictures of the damaged item and box.

If you applied Guide Shipping Insurance to your cart, please start your claim form here.

If no replacement is available DonziDirect will determine whether a refund or in-store credit is appropriate.

The majority of our items are made-to -order and are considered custom. These items are not qualified for returns. If requesting a return on a stocked item, please note that returns are subject to an 20% restocking fee or $10, whichever is greater.

An item DOES NOT qualify for return if:

15 days have passed since delivery
The color does not appeal to the buyer
The buyer has installed and/or operated the product
The package arrives later than expected 
The buyer expected additional parts or equipment not included in the description 
The item is a custom cut product including, but not limited to: upholstery, carpet, decals, ladders, etc.

If you believe your item qualifies for a return, please contact our Returns Department at donzidirectcs@gmail.com.

If your return is approved you will be emailed a Return Material Authorization (RMA) number along with instructions for the shipping of your return and FAQ’s of the returns process.

All return shipping charges are the responsibility of the buyer. Any packages sent postage due, freight collect, COD, or requiring US Customs or Duty payments will either be refused or have the cost deducted from your refund.

Important Note: The RMA is only valid for two weeks from the date it is sent. Returns must be postmarked within those two weeks. If a return is received without an authorized RMA number it may be rejected at the warehouse and returned at your expense.