Black Tornado

Till now we have talked of the existence of two The Cigarette that Aronow handled in him triumphant offshore season in 1969.
Of those two 32’ prototypes designed by Aronow himself and builded under the brand of him friend Elton,Cary we know then that the The Cigarette that Don drove in Europe was sold to Balestrieri and renamed Black Tornado and that drove in the Usa races was sold to the Australian brothers Carr.
The fact that however in the 1970 were racing two identicals Black Tornado 32’ ever left me doubtful on the origins about one of two.
At last yesterday contemporary analyzing over 70 pictures of the The Cigarette,Black Tornado and Carr’s The Cigarette I was to the conclusion that the my suspects were corrects.
Here below the three The Cigarette that Aronow drove in 1969.

Bahamas 500 1969

Cowes-Torquay-Cowes 1969

Usa race 1969

If we analyze well the three pictures above we can discover the little but significants differences between the boats.
Ignoring the cockpits backs and the inscriptions “Magnums” and “MerCruiser Stern Drives” on the sides,that was changed during the season,we can note that the inscriptions “The Cigarette” and the flags differed between them in their positions on the sides(as regards the race number and the flag himself). We can recognize an inscription “The Cigarette” putted a little bit more highest of another one and a third inscription putted more to afterward the race number and very close to the flag. Also the positions of the flags were not the same respect the cockpit.
An other detail is the exactly position of the compass in front of the central site of the cockpit (that of “Knocky” House). Alls that compass of the three boats was positioned between the two “pipes union” of the forward fuel tanks but there in three different positions.
That one of the boat winner of the Bahamas 500 was little advanced forward between the pipes.

Probably Bahamas 500 1969

That one of the boat winner the Cowes-Torquay-Cowes was little aft between the pipes.


Cowes 1969

Black Tornado

At last that of the other boat that raced in Usa had the compass exactly in the same axis(lateral) with the two pipes.

Miami-Key West 1969?

The positions of two compass we can recognize unchanged in the pictures of the two Black Tornado in 1970.



Unfortunately I haven’t a picture where we can see clearly the deck of the Carr’s boat to recognize the position of that compass.
Someone can point out that those are particulars changeable with the time,but it’s interesting to see that the positions of the compass in two boats was uncheanged in the Black Tornados of 1970 and the inscription The Cigarette in the Carr’s 32’. You can try measuring the distances between the site of the original #1 and the new #210 and the “T” of “The” and the distances between the final “e” of “Cigarette” and the original site of the flag and the new two rounded decals.

Black Tornado

Therefore two was the The Cigarette 32’ drove by Aronow in Usa and one was sent in Europe in 1969.
Then Aronow sold two The Cigarette 32’ to Balestrieri’s Tornado Racing Team(that “European” and that winner of the Bahams 500) and the other one of Usa to the Carr brothers.
The former “European” The Cigarette was transformed in 1971 with a new wodden deck and cutted on the sides becoming 31’. That boat was drove by Hal Sahlman in 1974 like “The Little Cigarette”(see photo below)


The former winner of the Bahamas 500 was drove by Balestrieri until 1972 and maybe became the boat of the photo below.

The third less glorious The Cigarette was drove by the Carr brothers until the fatal accident in 1972 then became the first boat of the Aussie Champ Arnold Glass. In another thread we know that was gone lost.
I would like to know the opinions about it of someone,that even can find my errors or others informations helping us to make clearness about one big piece of the Offshore History.
BT

klaw

SO are you sayin the original US The Cigarette(2) was cut down to a 31 and is still in exixtance?

Will have to read thread a few more time to follow the trail correctly

Oh great detective work by the way

Top Banana

Michael Aronow has told me that in fact there were three identical 32 foot boats ..Don used two of them and the third was held in reserve in case it was needed.

So, there were three .."The Cigarette".

One went to Vincenzo,
one went to the Carr Brothers and.....don't forget
that Bill Wishnick also had a 32 footer when he competed in '72 for the title....was that the 3rd?

Deauville Trophy

I think that Bill Wishnick actually had a 32' Cigarette. One of the first made by Don Aronow's new company. It also had the same deck as the future 36' and quite different from the Cary 'prototypes'.

Phil.

Black Tornado

Klaw,I don't know if the Sahlman's boat it's still in existance but surely was one of the former Aronow's The Cigarette that raced in Europe(winner of the CTC for example).
Charlie,two The Cigarette gone to the Balestrieri's team and like wrote right Phil,the Boss O'Nova II was a really Cigarette 32' (one of the firsts boats of the Cigarette brand) builded in 1970-71 for Wishnick. It was a prototype with the deck of the new 36.

Marco

7xchamp

There was a 32` Cigarette raced by Bob Higgins and throttled part time by Gene Lanham, 1975 to 1976 era I`m guessing. was fitted with all the latest Aeromarine equip, etc. I did some test work on it for Higgins. Red hull sides white bottom and deck, boat was named Snoopy, Charlie should remember it, and Higgens. Bobby was a cool guy with a gorgeous blond girl friend, unfortunatly was in the Business of that time and went away. I believe the origin of the boat could possibly be Wishnik and maybe Billy McDonald?????? not sure who was first. Have fun with it. 7XCHAMP

Deauville Trophy

Hi Richie,

Good to hear from you again. Bob Higgins did race Bill Wishnick ex-Boss O'Nova from 1973 to 75 but all my archives indicates that the boat was named Red Baron at the time. I wouldn't be surprised if the boat had a picture of Snoopy on its hull or deck, hence a possible mix-up with the name.
Bob Higgins must have purchased this 32' Cigarette from Willie McDonald who had raced it under the name 'Wild Willie'.

As for 'The Cigarette', following its outing with Guilio De Angelis, the boat re-appeared in the hands of M. Raymond in 1973. Then in 1974, Hal Sahlman raced it succesfully under the name 'Little Cigarette'. From 1975 onwards, there is no trace of it.

Phil.

7xchamp

[QUOTE=Deauville Trophy;2013877]Hi Richie,

Good to hear from you again. Bob Higgins did race Bill Wishnick ex-Boss O'Nova from 1973 to 75 but all my archives indicates that the boat was named Red Baron at the time. I wouldn't be surprised if the boat had a picture of Snoopy on its hull or deck, hence a possible mix-up with the name.
Bob Higgins must have purchased this 32' Cigarette from Willie McDonald who had raced it under the name 'Wild Willie'.

As for 'The Cigarette', following its outing with Guilio De Angelis, the boat re-appeared in the hands of M. Raymond in 1973. Then in 1974, Hal Sahlman raced it succesfully under the name 'Little Cigarette'. From 1975 onwards, there is no trace of it.

Phil.[/QUOT

Phil: You are right it was the Red Baron, had Snoopy on the deck or something I remember, Boat was really fast, probably one of the fastest as it had the latest equip. I remember racing against the Cut down Cig. with Teak deck in Atlantic city, Smitty and Hal I beleive???????? Mark Raymond was a good friend nickname ( Big Dirty ) ex fire fighter from Lanham days, He raced with Wishnick etc going back to first Bahama 500`s and was crew for Big Broadjumper 32` Maritme. He was a good guy, and the Cig was probably just put in his name for some reason or another. Mark passed away several years ago, he was one hell of a guy, I miss him along with the others. 7XCHAMP