Inside SOTW Mag: A Tale Of Two Cigarettes

With 87 sportboats and center consoles in the mix during the fourth annual Cigarette Owners Rendezvous hosted by Performance Boat Center, it was easy for any given boat to get lost in the pack. But when the mist settled and most Cigarette owners had left town after the mid-June event, two Cigarette beauties stood out in stark yet equally beautiful contrast in the showroom at the Osage Beach, Mo., full-service powerboat dealership.

What do a new Cigarette Racing Team 42X and a 17-year-old 38’ Top Gun have in common other than brand? They’re both offered by Performance Boat Center, of course. Photo courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

On the new side, there was a 2018 model- year 42X powered by Mercury Racing 860 engines, the naturally aspirated iteration of its quad cam four valve (QC4v) engine platform that ranges from 860 to 1,750 hp. On the “vintage” side, there was a 38’ Top Gun built in 2001 and powered by a pair Mercury Racing 600SCi engines, the only supercharged mills still in production at the high-performance marine
engine and accessories company located in Fond du Lac, Wis.

Of course, each boat—both currently are for sale—has a different story behind its arrival at Performance Boat Center. Brett Manire and Mark Waddington, co-owners of the Missouri dealership that recently expanded into South Florida, ordered the 42X as a “stock” boat.

To read the full story, click the download link for the PDF of the May/June 2018 Speed On The Water magazine, and please share any feedback with us below, via email or on social media.