Highs and Lows From 2012: Skip Braver
From the debut of its strong-selling 42’ Huntress performance center console at home and abroad to its first owners’ Rendezvous in the fall—the posh event will be featured in the Smokin’ magazine issue available at the 2013 Miami International Boat Show—Cigarette Racing Team never stopped moving forward in 2012. Hush-hush upgrades inside the iconic boat builder’s plant in Opa-Locka, Fla., are only part of the continuously evolving story. Company owner and chief executive officer Skip Braver says the company will offer more surprises in the upcoming year. Here’s what he had to say, in terms of highs and lows, about this one.
High: The high was seeing the incredible impact the 42’ Huntress made in the industry. I think that really was a high for Cigarette in terms of inroads for our business. The continuing success of the 50’ Marauder also was a high. With those two models, Cigarette offers the best of both worlds. We were the first (custom performance boat builder) to get into the center console market and we reinvented it, but we’re also still very strong in performance boats.
Low: The low is that Fred Kiekhaefer is changing his role at Mercury Racing. All the years we’ve done business together, all of the times we’ve enjoyed together socially—they’ve been special and Fred is a great friend. It won’t be nearly as much fun without him.
Skip Braver
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