Project Update: Stephen Miles Design Smoothing Out Rough Rider Cigarette

Almost a year ago, powerboat graphics design and airbrush man Stephen Miles created a fresh look for a Cigarette Racing Team 46 Rough Rider built in 2007. Miles and the team at his Owensboro, Ky., shop were part of a collaborative, long-term effort spearheaded by Tres Martin, the founder of the powerboat driving school that bears his name, for one of Martin’s clients at his shop in Asheville, N.C.

Paintwork on this 2007 Cigarette Racing Team 46-footer should be finished by spring.

Miles estimates that paintwork for the 46-footer is 65 to 70 percent complete and that his team will have 1,500 hours into it by the time it is completed this spring. Prep work before painting,” he explained, required them to sand off two paintjobs from the boat.

“When you look at the project from the prep standpoint, it’s big,” said Miles. “When we finally got the boat under primer, I remember vividly my son Corey saying ‘You do realize what an accomplishment this is just having the boat to this stage, don’t’ you dad? We have more hours invested right now than we will have with the actual paint job.’ And he was 100 percent correct.”

Check out the slideshow above for images of the 46-footer in its current state.

As previously reported on Speedonthewater.com, Miles has designed paintjobs for other Cigarette models. But this is this first one he has applied.  

“This project has definitely ended up being way more work than I had initially anticipated, but I am very pleased with how it’s turning out,” he said. “I’ve always loved the 46, and I’m very grateful For the opportunity to put the SMD spin on such a classic hull design. And Tres has been an absolute joy to deal with.

“My boys are the true rock stars of Stephen Miles Design,” Miles added, then chuckled. “I just draw stuff.”

Speedonthewater.com will continue to follow this project as it develops.

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