The Cigarette Boat Name Origin Story Explained

The term cigarette boat is believed to have originated from Donald Aronow, who, in the early 1960s, built his first boat with a distinctive long and narrow hull and christened it The Cigarette. He thought the boat's sleek design resembled a cigarette. The name The Cigarette replaced the older term rum runner, which referred to boats used to smuggle alcohol during the Prohibition era. Aronow's boat design gained popularity, and he went on to build boats for notable figures such as George H.W. Bush and Malcolm Forbes. Cigarette boats are known for their speed and performance, reaching over 50 knots and featuring powerful engines with up to 2,848 horsepower.

The name 'cigarette boat' was coined by Donald Aronow, who thought the boat's long, sleek look resembled a cigarette

The name "cigarette boat" was coined by Donald Aronow, who thought the boat's long, sleek look resembled a cigarette. In the early 1960s, Aronow built his first boat with this distinctive hull design and named it "The Cigarette". The name "cigarette" was also inspired by a prohibition-era smuggler boat that Aronow had seen as a child. This original "Cigarette" boat was narrower and faster than other boats at the time.

Aronow's first "Cigarette" boat won the United States Championship race, and he went on to win many more races with his innovative design. The boat's unusual name and remarkable speed captured the interest of the boating community and the public. Aronow renamed his company "Cigarette" after his champion boat, and the name stuck. The term "cigarette boat" replaced the older term "rum runner", which referred to boats used to smuggle alcohol during the Prohibition era.

Aronow's boats were known for their sleek, minimalist design and extreme speed. They had a tiny crew and could move very fast. The design was so successful that Aronow was asked to build boats for famous people such as George H.W. Bush, the Shah of Iran, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Malcolm Forbes. Aronow's success in boat racing and design made him a multimillionaire.

Unfortunately, Aronow's boats were also used by drug smugglers to escape from the US Coast Guard and DEA agents. This led to Aronow being commissioned by the US government to build a fast boat for US customs agents, called "Blue Thunder". However, the contract was cancelled when Aronow sold his company to a suspected individual with connections to the drug trade. Aronow bought back his company in 1987 and revived the "Blue Thunder" contract, but he was gunned down in a Miami street that same year, believed to be by hired guns connected to the short-time owner of his company.

The term 'cigarette boat' replaced the older name, 'rum runner'

The term "cigarette boat" is said to have replaced the older name, "rum runner". During the Prohibition era, these boats were used for smuggling illegal alcohol or liquor from larger vessels outside US territorial waters to the mainland. They were called "rum runners" because they were used to smuggle rum.

The term "cigarette boat" is said to have come from Donald Aronow, who built his first boat with this hull design in the early 1960s and named it "The Cigarette". He thought the long, sleek look of the boat resembled a cigarette. Aronow's boat won several championship races, and he was soon asked to build boats for notable figures such as George H.W. Bush, the Shah of Iran, and Malcolm Forbes. Aronow also renamed his company "Cigarette" after his champion boat.

The term "cigarette boat" may also be related to the activities of Charles 'Vannie' Higgins, an Irish-American smuggler and gangster in the 1920s. Higgins smuggled large quantities of alcohol from Canada to the US during the Prohibition era using a fleet of small, high-powered speedboats. One of his boats was named "Cigarette" because of its narrow beam and elongated hull, which were unusual for regular boats at the time. It is believed that Aronow knew about Higgins' activities and his "Cigarette" boat when he was young.

The term "cigarette boat" may also be related to the practice of using speedboats to smuggle cigarettes and other goods from New Jersey to places in Brooklyn, New York, such as Bath Beach and Sheepshead Bay, where Aronow grew up. Even after the Second World War, these illegal activities persisted.

Today, the term "cigarette boat" is used to describe a relatively small boat with a long, narrow body and a planing hull designed to attain high speeds. These boats are also known as "go-fast boats" and are some of the most expensive vessels in the boating industry.

Cigarette boats were used to smuggle cigarettes and other goods from New Jersey to New York

Cigarette boats, also known as go-fast boats, are designed with a long, narrow platform and a planing hull that allows them to reach high speeds, typically over 50 knots. These boats range in length from 28 to 48 feet and are among the most expensive vessels in the boating industry. The term "cigarette boat" is attributed to boat builder Donald Aronow, who, in the early 1960s, constructed his first boat with this distinctive hull design. He named it "The Cigarette," believing that its long, sleek silhouette resembled a cigarette. This name eventually replaced the older term "rum runner."

During the Prohibition era, smaller, faster boats were used to smuggle cigarettes and other goods, including alcohol and liquor, from New Jersey to New York. High taxes on cigarettes in New York City made cigarette smuggling a lucrative business. These boats, with their higher speeds, easily outran the typical patrol boats used by the coast guards at the time. The practice of cigarette smuggling continued even after World War II.

Donald Aronow's boat "The Cigarette" raced in the United States Championship and won first place. This boat also brought him the UIM Gold Medal of Honor and the World Championship title. Following these successes, Aronow renamed his company "Cigarette." Over time, the term "cigarette boat" became synonymous with the boats he built, known for their remarkable speed and performance.

In addition to cigarette smuggling, these boats were also used for drug smuggling. Their speed and agility made it challenging for law enforcement agencies like the US Coast Guard and the DEA to intercept them. The US Navy eventually developed their own fleet of high-speed boats, dubbed "go-fast boats," to counter the activities of drug smugglers.

Cigarette boats are also called 'go-fast boats' due to their ability to reach speeds of over 50 knots

Cigarette boats, also known as go-fast boats, are designed with a long, narrow platform or body. Their planing hulls are built to reach higher speeds than regular speedboats—over 50 knots. The term "cigarette boat" replaced the older term "rum runner", which refers to the boats' use during the Prohibition era for illegally transferring alcohol from larger vessels outside US territorial waters to the mainland.

The name "cigarette boat" comes from boat builder Donald Aronow, who, in the early 1960s, built his first boat with this hull design and named it "The Cigarette". He thought the long, sleek look of the boat resembled a cigarette. Aronow entered his boat in the United States Championship race and won first place. He then renamed his company "Cigarette", after his champion boat. Since then, its unusual name and remarkable speed have captured the interest of the boating community and the public.

Aronow's cigarette boats have won more than 350 offshore races. He himself won the World Championship twice and was crowned the US champion three times. He was also one of only two men awarded the UIM Gold Medal of Honor, alongside Gar Wood, another American champion boatbuilder/entrepreneur.

Cigarette boats are impressively large, ranging from 28 to 48 feet in length. Due to their size, they are some of the most expensive boats in the industry. The Cigarette Racing Team is known for producing high-end speedboats for law enforcement and military customers.

The first cigarette boat was built by Aronow in the early 1960s

The first cigarette boat was built by Don Aronow in the early 1960s. He christened it "The Cigarette", as he thought the long, sleek design of the boat resembled a cigarette. Aronow's boat had a long, narrow platform, with planing hulls built for higher speeds than regular speed boats.

Aronow's first cigarette boat won several championship races, and he soon received requests to build speed boats for the rich and famous, including George H.W. Bush, the Shah of Iran, and Malcolm Forbes. Cigarette boats were soon being used for illegal activities, with their high speeds making them ideal for smuggling. During the Prohibition era, they were used as rum runners, and later, in the 1980s, for drug smuggling.

The term "cigarette boat" replaced the older term "rum runner", as the boats became popular in the 1960s. The name "cigarette" also had a more personal connection to Aronow. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where there were high taxes on cigarettes, and smugglers would use speedboats to bring them in from New Jersey.

Aronow's first cigarette boat was a Formula 233, which he first raced in 1963. He then built a 28-foot Magnum, which he used to win the World Championship title in 1969. The third boat he named "The Cigarette" was a 32-foot vessel, which he also used to win a World Championship in 1969.

Frequently asked questions