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THE CIGARETTE RACING TEAMÔ LEGEND

Cigarette’s reputation as the market’s premier powerboat has roots deep in offshore racing’s history where performance truly began.

Back in the late1960’s when speed became an obsession for the high-income and high-energy boating customer, Don Aronow stepped into the business--and the boats--and became the man who helped write a new chapter in marine industry history. Powerboat endurance racing was born and raised on rough ocean waters. In California, on the Pacific, and Caribbean waters between Miami and Nassau, Aronow, his partners and competitors took to the water to test their hulls and their chutzpah against the elements—and each other, Cigarette was repeatedly the victor.

The first of many victories was earned on the 176-mile stretch from Long Beach California to Ensenada, Mexico, by Don Aronow and his riding mechanic “Knocky” House in “The Cigarette,” a 32’ vee-bottom with twin MerCruisers. The duo went on to capture 192 victories in the prototype boat, from The Bahamas and U.S. to Italy, France and England, including the Hennessy Key West race which marked their official debut on the national racing scene.

Aronow and his 32’ Cigarette, reportedly named for a boat owned by a notorious Prohibition-era rum-running hijacker, earned eight international victories and speed records in three countries. The Bahamas 500, a grueling, rough-water duel became one of the most famous offshore contests of all times, and Cigarettes won in 1969, and from 1971-76. Cigarettes also earned World Championship records from 1969 through 1974 and again in 1976. After retiring from racing in 1970, Aronow’s reputation as a racer was exceeded only by his reputation as a powerboat builder. He then formed Cigarette Racing Team™ to manufacture his winning designs and to raise the bar in performance boating.

The name Cigarette quickly became the icon for powerboats—and a host of famous and infamous racers like Dr. Bob Magoon, Tom Gentry and Vincenzo Balestrieri earned title after title in the U.S. and abroad. Even the father of Mercury Racing, Karl Kiekhaeffer, created several new engine designs for the Cigarette boats he owned. Aronow’s and Keikhaeffer’s shared goals for excellence evolved into part of the Mercury legend,with racing ventures taking both boat and engine builders, to a lofty reputation and aura that remains today.

The 32’ Cigarette was refined over the years and gave birth to the 36‘ model that dominated offshore racing circuits for years. The 35’ Cigarette was then introduced, incorporating all the best features of the prior models and it became known as one of the finest powerboats in the world. The 40’ Cigarette followed and so did the racing victories. World famous customers from kings, princes, presidents and even the U.S. Customs Services, joined the ranks of racing champions like Rocky Aoki and Roger Penske as Cigarette owners.

Aronow’s untimely and unfortunate death in 1987 was a sign of the turbulent times and questionable customers on Thunder Boat Row--188^th Street in North Miami where he built his powerboat fame and met his demise. Aronow may have been gunned down by an assassin, but after a series of financial dealings, his name, business and legend lived on. The “Miami Vice” series perpetuated the “bad boy” and “outlaw” image of all powerboats, adding to the mystique of Cigarette and continuing its market dominance and brand recognition.

Over the years, the Cigarette Racing Team™ has seen tough economic times and tough competition, but its reputation, matched by its quality and performance, has kept it at the top of the astute powerboater’s list. Ranging in price and size from a 20’ Son of a Gun to a 46’ Rough Rider, Cigarette remains “The American Offshore Legend” because it is true to its history—one based on quality, performance and reliability.

The newest addition to the Cigarette menu of boats is the 42’ Tiger XP. Cigarette redesigned its bottom to meet the customer demand for more speed. While the 42’ Tiger was built to accommodate Mercury 575 engines with Bravo XR drives, the Tiger XP’s steps were rebalanced to handle the weight and power of high performance engines with #6 drives. The Tiger XP followed last year’s introduction of the popular 36’ Gladiator. While Cigarette Racing Team™ enjoyed its reputation as a great rough water boat, the company saw the value in refining its hull design to prove itself in calmer waters as well. The sleek version of the still-popular 38’ Top Gun won acclaim on the both the Poker Run and Offshore Racing circuits, as well as in the less-competitive recreational market. The Gladiator joined the 30’ Mystique, the 35’ Twin Step, now called the “Mistress,” after Aronow’s personal boat, 38’ Top Gun, 42’ Tiger and 46’ Rough Rider.

The addition of The Stealth the new concept 46’, accentuates the Cigarette Racing Team™ affinity for the highest in technology, quality and performance. The all-glass cockpit instrumentation and computer screens provide versatility and simplicity, bringing yachting technology to the powerboat market. Combined with speed, show-stopping appearance and ergonomic comfort, Cigarette created a technological state-of-the-art powerboat for the new generation of marine enthusiasts.

“The American Offshore Legend” continues, as today, Cigarette remains the boat of choice among famous customers from race car drivers and athletes to movie stars and celebrities. Always known for cutting-edge marketing and merchandising, Cigarette plans to include innovative and exciting product and apparel introductions to appeal to the record number of performance boat enthusiasts worldwide. Cigarette Racing Team™ licensed merchandise will perpetuate the feeling that more than a boat, Cigarette is a lifestyle.

As one of the most identifiable logos and brands in today’s over-populated marketplace, Cigarette is the icon for “go fast” boats. Under its new ownership, the company is poised to build on that brand and its legend. Don Aronow would be proud.