Here is some footage of the 36 foot Cigarette racing in the Cowes Torquay race over in England.

These were the cutting edge of offshore racing back in the days.


http://media.boatmad.com/gallery/v/m...c/CTC.wmv.html

More still photos on www.historicraceboats.com

Beautiful!!!!!! They sound awesome.

Thanks.. That makes me really miss the summer and my boat.. Great shots of the old Cigs..

The perfect boat.

Is'nt that the Black Tornado AKA "The Cigarette" up front

Sure looks like it

Closely followed by my Avatar, the beautiful 36 cigarette Eraf, driven by Guilio de Angelis. Bonomi in third. I saw the start of that race! 9 years old I think at the time.

No seahawk. That Black Tornado in the CTC 1972 short footage was the second 36' of Balestrieri not the 32' former The Cigarette.
That 36' was the same that Joey Ippolito drove in him first race in Open Class in 1977.

Nigel! We started to see a offshore race in the same time!
I remember the start in the fog of the VBV in July 1972.
Big events those!
Balestrieri beat them all bigs 36' left him 36' in the dock and raced with the old 32' former The Cigarette.

What engines and drives were those boats running ?
what H.P. ?
and what kind of speeds in those water conditions ?
Great video !
ed