Cigarette Owners Rendezvous Turning Seven This Month

With Cigarette Racing Team sold less than two weeks ago, there are more questions than answers—and understandably so—about the future direction of the Opa-Locka, Fla., high-performance center console and sportboat company. But one thing is certain: For the seventh year in a row, Performance Boat Center of Osage Beach, Mo., is hosting the June 17-20 Cigarette Owners Rendezvous and the event is sure to attract a robust turnout.

The seventh annual Cigarette Owners Rendezvous at the Lake of the Ozarks is just two weeks away. Photo by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

Registration for the event opened April 1 and is still going strong. Still, no one involved knows if the 2020 fleet will top last year’s record setter.

“It’s definitely hard to beat 105 boats,” said Brett Manire, who co-owns the multi-brand dealership with Mark Waddington. “We shall see.”

Though Cigarette’s Miami-based new owners John H. Ruiz and Ophir Sternberg reportedly have been invited, Manire and Waddington don’t know if they’ll attend. However, company president and former Mercury Racing general manager Erik Christiansen will be on hand to represent the brand

The fun begins on Thursday, June 17, for early arrivals with a welcome party starting 6 p.m. at the Redhead Yacht Club Tiki Bar on the Performance Boat Center property. After a 10:30 a.m. breakfast and drivers’ meeting the following day, participants in town early with boats in the water will head for Coconuts Carribbean Grill for lunch and follow that up with a stop at Backwater Jacks before returning to Performance Boat Center for a pool party starting at 6 p.m.

The main event on Saturday also begins with breakfast and a drivers’ meeting at Performance Boat Center. The fleet will depart at 11 a.m. for Big Dick’s Halfway Inn for lunch. After lunch, there will be a raft-up in Linn Creek Cove, followed by an awards ceremony, dinner and a fireworks display at the dealership. Sunday is what the organizers are calling a “rehab day” at the Redhead Yacht Club pool.

Truck and trailer storage at Performance Boat Center is free to participants.

Speedonthewater.com will be on scene to cover the 2021 Cigarette Owners Rendezvous.

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