Fort Lauderdale’s 50th and Cigarette’s 40th

by Bob Wonders on 28 Oct 2009
The world renowned Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show begins in the Florida waterfront city tomorrow and not surprisingly the legendary Cigarette Racing Team will be playing a major role and celebrating its own anniversary.

It’s almost hard to believe that it’s now 40-years since industry icon the late Don Aronow established the marque on North East 188th Street, North Miami Beach, a rather non-descript street which would itself become part of powerboat mythology as ‘Thunderboat Row.’

Fortunately, for powerboat fans worldwide and Cigarette fans in particular, the breed today is in the hands of Skip Braver, current president and CEO and man dedicated to taking the Cigarette Racing Team to even greater heights.

Visitors to the Fort Lauderdale show will be able to inspect virtually the entire Cigarette range, from the iconic 38’ Top Gun to the awesome 50’ Marauder.

Every model in the Cigarette range displays an identical level of commitment to quality, be it in construction, power, rigging, upholstery and paint work, meticulous attention to detail is the order of the day within the new Cigarette plant, now situated further north in the uniquely-named Miami suburb Opa-Locka.

Although Cigarette designers have maintained a spectacular entry into the 21st century, some designs remain remarkably ‘old world’, particularly the famous Top Gun.

Easy to drive, low maintenance, classic deep vee styling, the Top Gun is renowned for its superb handling characteristics.

Mercury Racing’s reliable 525hp engines are a popular choice for many Top Gun buyers, but in typical Cigarette style ‘big grunt’ horsepower is available for those who prefer their boating at eye-watering pace.

The Top Gun is also offered in a customised version for those who want to look just a little different.

If ever Cigarette faced a challenge it was in designing its newest rig, the 329’ Top Gun Unlimited, a boat which came to fruition via customer feedback.

Rather than stretching the engine compartment to accommodate a staggered installation, Cigarette designed and built a totally new hull and deck with added space in the engine bay for the staggered engines.

This was achieved without detracting from the cockpit space, while the added length also provided an adjusted centre of gravity and improved handling.

Upgraded upholstery, detailed instrumentation, a swim platform, Stelling headers, billet stereo covers, engine hatch arms, fender holders and stylised Cigarette dash emblems have resulted in the 39 Top Gun being presented as a true ‘show boat.’

With Mercury Racing’s 700 engines installed in that staggered layout, this Cigarette will easily top 105mph (168km/hr).

What’s more, the owner of this Cigarette can count on being noticed, thanks to its fiery red cockpit and console with silver accents.

If you have never sat in a Cigarette cockpit, there’s an experience to look forward to; when it comes to spectacular cockpits, Cigarette leads the field.

Other Cigarette models scheduled to ‘wow’ Fort Lauderdale show visitors will include the Cigarette 42 X and the Cigarette 50 Marauder.

That ‘X’ you see indicates a ‘tweaked’ version of the standard Cigarette 42.

The production team made subtle changes to the hull bottom to enhance the ride and has employed Mercury Racing 700s with NXT drives.

According to those who have tried the new boat, the modifications have delivered precision handling ‘just like an offshore racer.’

I guess the Cigarette 50’ Marauder deserves to be called ‘the flagship’ of the range.

A top seller in Europe, where the wealthy wanted the biggest and best Cigarette in the harbour, prompted the design and construction of this impressive and powerful craft.

Triple, that’s right, triple Mercury Racing engines, from the 850SCi to the thundering 1200’s, this is one powerhouse Cigarette capable of very serious speed.

For example, with triple Mercury Racing 1075SCXi engines, this ‘muscular monster’ can achieve 120mph (193km/hr) with the greatest of ease.

As Cigarette boss Skip Braver points out, the company aims at providing a particular lifestyle to performance boat enthusiasts.

'Regardless of one’s boating style, we have a Cigarette to suit,' Skip declares.

'The aim of the company is not simply to build the best powerboats on the water, but to create performance, quality, safety and style in a genuine lifestyle package,' he added.

For further information contact Cigarette Racing Team, Inc., 4355 North West 128th Street, Opa-Locka, Florida 33054 or visit the website, www.cigaretteracing.com