Cigarette Racing Team
Cigarette Racing Team designs, hand-crafts, and sells custom high-performance luxury powerboats (38' to 59') for high-net-worth individuals, racing enthusiasts, and international collectors, operating from a single manufacturing facility in Opa-locka, Florida and distributing through a global authorized dealer network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1969
- HeadquartersOpa Locka, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Cigarette Racing Team does
Cigarette Racing Team is a privately held, U.S.-headquartered manufacturer of custom, hand-crafted high-performance powerboats, founded in 1969 by Don Aronow on what was known as Thunderboat Row in South Florida. The company relocated to a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Opa-locka, Florida in 2003, where it consolidates lamination, carpentry, finishing, upholstery, rigging, and electrical production. Its product line comprises two categories: Center Consoles (41' Nighthawk, 41' Nighthawk SD Edition, 42' Auroris, 42' Huntress, 52' Thunder, 59' Tirranna) and Performance Boats (38' Top Gun, 42X, 515), alongside KITH collaboration special editions. Underlying technology centers on a proprietary twin-step hull design, carbon-fiber vacuum-bagged composite construction, and deep integration with Garmin Marine multifunction displays (digital switching) and JL Audio Marine custom-tuned audio systems, with flagship models configured for up to 3,100 hp.
Cigarette Racing monetizes primarily through one-time sales of fully bespoke boats priced in the hundreds of thousands to multi-million dollar range on a quote basis, without public pricing disclosure. Revenue is supplemented by aftermarket parts and service through factory and authorized dealers, a Certified Pre-Owned resale program that brokers third-party transactions, and (as of 2026) a branded Apparel & Accessories retail store at the manufacturing facility. The primary customer segment is high-net-worth individuals seeking luxury performance and exclusivity; a secondary segment targets the performance boat racing community.
The go-to-market has shifted decisively from factory-direct sales toward an authorized dealer model since 2022. The dealer footprint now spans Japan, South Florida, New Jersey, the Lake of the Ozarks region (Big Thunder Marine, Performance Boat Center), the broader U.S. (Northeast, Kentucky, Michigan, Midwest, Tampa, Tennessee), and the Caribbean (Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Trinidad & Tobago). Distribution is reinforced by flagship-tier brand alliances with Mercedes-AMG/Lewis Hamilton and lifestyle collaborations with KITH, alongside participation in events such as the Miami International Boat Show and the annual Cigarette Rendezvous at Lake of the Ozarks. The company is led by CEO Alex Ruiz, with Skip Braver as the owner since the 2000s, and operates with 11-50 employees.
Cigarette Racing Team firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cigarette Racing Team
- Legal name
- Cigarette Racing
- Website
- https://cigaretteracing.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1969
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Cigarette Racing Team designs, hand-crafts, and sells custom high-performance luxury powerboats (38' to 59') for high-net-worth individuals, racing enthusiasts, and international collectors, operating from a single manufacturing facility in Opa-locka, Florida and distributing through a global authorized dealer network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cigarette Racing Team industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Luxury Performance Boats
- NAICS
- Boat Building (336612), Ship and Boat Building (3366), Boat Dealers (441222)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Luxury Motor Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAMAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Semi-Custom & Series Production Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAEAM)
Keywords
Where Cigarette Racing Team is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Opa Locka
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Cigarette Racing Team business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Custom Luxury Performance Boats: Cigarette Racing builds custom, hand-crafted luxury performance boats. Each boat is built to customer specifications with extensive customization options including paint, interiors, and engine packages. Boats range from 38' to 59' models with prices typically in the hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.
- Aftermarket Parts and Service: Parts and services provided through authorized dealers and the factory for maintenance and repairs of Cigarette boats.
- Apparel and Accessories: The company operates a retail store at their manufacturing facility selling branded apparel, accessories, and merchandise.
- Certified Pre-Owned Boats: Cigarette Certified Pre-Owned program facilitates third-party owners listing boats for sale, representing boats that match company records.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Cigarette Racing Team product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cigarette Racing Team is a privately held American luxury performance powerboat manufacturer founded in 1969 in South Florida by Don Aronow. The company designs, engineers, and hand-builds custom high-performance boats across two product lines—Center Consoles (41' to 59') and Performance Boats (38' Top Gun, 42X, 515)—featuring proprietary twin-step hull designs and carbon-fiber construction. Boats are sold direct from its Opa-locka, Florida facility and through an authorized global dealer network.
Product overview
Cigarette Racing Team is a luxury performance powerboat manufacturer offering two distinct product lines: Center Consoles (41' Nighthawk, 41' Nighthawk SD Edition, 42' Auroris, 42' Huntress, 52' Thunder, 59' Tirranna) and Performance Boats (38' Top Gun, 42X, 515). The company also produces KITH collaboration special editions (KITH 42X, KITH 42 Auroris, KITH 515). All vessels are hand-crafted in Miami, Florida, featuring advanced twin-step hull designs, integrated Garmin Marine electronics, JL Audio Marine sound systems, and carbon-fiber construction. The company supplements its boat sales with a Certified Pre-Owned program and a branded Apparel & Accessories Store.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- KITH Cigarette Editions: Collaborative special edition boats designed with KITH, featuring custom exterior and interior branding, premium materials, and co-branded details.
Products and services
- 41' Nighthawk
Companies that use Cigarette Racing Team
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Cigarette Racing Team technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature6 records
Cigarette Racing Team partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, regional and flagship.
- Performance Boat CentercoreReignited partnership making Performance Boat Center the official Cigarette Racing dealer for Lake of the Ozarks region. They serve as regional home for Cigarette customers providing sales, service, and owner engagement.
- Wally Castro MarinecorePowers the Cigarette South Florida dealership covering Broward, Miami-Dade, and Monroe counties. Founded in 2008, Wally Castro Marine has a longstanding reputation for excellence in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.
- Cigarette JapanregionalNew authorized dealership marking significant milestone in brand's international growth strategy. Japan represents a sophisticated marine market with appreciation for precision engineering and craftsmanship.
- Big Thunder MarinecoreAuthorized dealership for Lake of the Ozarks operating as 'Cigarette Lake of the Ozarks.' With two showrooms, four marinas, four service facilities, and a new paint/fiberglass building, they are a key regional partner.
- Garmin MarinecoreCigarette Racing is one of the first Garmin-Certified manufacturers. The partnership integrates state-of-the-art Garmin multifunction displays, navigation systems, and digital switching controls into all Cigarette boats. The Garmin Convenience Package adds touchscreen displays throughout vessels.
- JL Audio MarinecoreExclusive partnership for marine audio systems. JL Audio Marine provides premium, audiophile-quality sound systems engineered to withstand wind, waves, and open-cockpit conditions. Each system is custom-tested and calibrated for every Cigarette model.
- Mercedes-AMG / Lewis HamiltonflagshipPartnership with Mercedes-AMG and F1 champion Lewis Hamilton for co-branded boat designs and technology sharing programs. The collaboration represents the brand's alliance with premium automotive partners.
- KITHflagshipFashion brand collaboration for special edition boats including KITH Cigarette 42X, KITH Cigarette 42 Auroris, and KITH Cigarette 515. Features custom exterior treatments, branded interiors, and exclusive design elements.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cigarette Racing Team competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Nor-Tech Boats: Florida-based builder of high-performance offshore powerboats and luxury center consoles in similar 38'-59' size classes. Closely comparable product mix (performance V-bottoms and center consoles), hand-crafted build approach, and HNW buyer profile make it the most direct peer to Cigarette Racing.
- Yellowfin Yachts: Manufacturer of offshore center console boats in comparable 39'-54' size classes, focused on performance and luxury. Direct competitor in the center-console category with overlapping buyer demographics.
- Sunsation Boats: Michigan-based performance boat manufacturer with a long-standing lineup in similar size and price classes. Direct competitor in the performance-boat segment with comparable enthusiast-driven buyer profile.
- Skater Powerboats: Manufacturer of high-performance catamarans and V-bottom powerboats, long-standing Florida-based brand with comparable racing pedigree and enthusiast buyer profile. Directly comparable to Cigarette's offshore performance segment.
- Mystic Powerboats: Manufacturer of high-performance offshore powerboats and catamarans, also based in Florida. Comparable customer profile, performance/racing heritage, and product positioning overlap directly with Cigarette's performance-boat segment (Top Gun, 42X, 515).
- Outerlimits Powerboats: Custom high-performance offshore powerboat builder with racing heritage and similar HNW enthusiast customer base. Direct overlap with Cigarette's performance-boat lineup in size classes and price tiers.
- Midnight Express Power Boats: Builder of high-performance center consoles and sport boats targeting the same luxury performance boating segment. Comparable size classes, customization options, and HNW buyer profile.
- Deep Impact Boats: Florida-based luxury center console and performance boat builder offering hand-crafted custom boats in the same size and price tiers as Cigarette. Direct competitor in the center-console segment (Nighthawk, Auroris, Huntress).
- MTI Boats (Marine Technology Inc.): Custom powerboat builder focused on high-performance catamarans and center consoles targeting the same affluent performance boating enthusiast segment. Comparable in build philosophy, customization level, and price point.
Broad incumbents
- Fountain Powerboats: Established broader-line performance boat manufacturer with a wider product range across multiple size classes and hull types. Comparable core customer and product category, but with broader market coverage and greater production scale than Cigarette's focused lineup.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cigarette Racing Team social profiles
Digital presenceCigarette Racing Team financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cigarette Racing Team leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Cigarette Racing Team funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cigarette Racing Team M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cigarette Racing Team
What does Cigarette Racing Team do?
Cigarette Racing Team is a privately held American luxury performance powerboat manufacturer founded in 1969 in South Florida by Don Aronow. The company designs, engineers, and hand-builds custom high-performance boats across two product lines—Center Consoles (41' to 59') and Performance Boats (38' Top Gun, 42X, 515)—featuring proprietary twin-step hull designs and carbon-fiber construction. Boats are sold direct from its Opa-locka, Florida facility and through an authorized global dealer network.
Is Cigarette Racing Team a public or private company?
Cigarette Racing Team is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Cigarette Racing Team founded?
Cigarette Racing Team was founded in 1969. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Cigarette Racing Team based?
Cigarette Racing Team is headquartered in Opa Locka, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cigarette Racing Team make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Custom Luxury Performance Boats are the primary driver. The others are aftermarket Parts and Service, apparel and Accessories and certified Pre-Owned Boats.
Who are Cigarette Racing Team's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Nor-Tech Boats, Yellowfin Yachts, Sunsation Boats, Skater Powerboats, Mystic Powerboats, Outerlimits Powerboats, Midnight Express Power Boats, Deep Impact Boats and MTI Boats (Marine Technology Inc.). Fountain Powerboats is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Cigarette Racing Team have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cigarette Racing Team.
What industry is Cigarette Racing Team in?
Cigarette Racing Team's product category is Luxury Performance Boats. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAJAMAD, Luxury Motor Yacht Manufacturing, with a secondary code of IMAJAEAM, Semi-Custom & Series Production Yacht Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 336612.