Aspiring speed demons on the water often wonder, how much do cigarette boats cost? Suffice it to say; these luxury go-fast boats can reach such high speeds (sometimes as fast as 90 knots) that many racers drool over them.
Unfortunately, the dream of bringing one of these boats home is only attainable for the rich. It might seem ludicrous, but a cigarette boat price ranges from $5,000 to nearly four million dollars.
The drastic price range suggests several factors are in play. Please continue reading to know the costly truth behind these aquatic speed monsters.
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Cigarette Boat Prices Depend on the Model
Like any machine (i.e., car or van), the cost of a cigarette boat depends on the model.
For instance, you might get a Mercedes-Benz car but cannot expect the SL Class (about $275k to $314k) to be the same price as an E series (about $57k to $114k). The same story applies to cigarette boat models.
Cigarette boats come in five variants: performance, special edition, performance diesel, performance center console, and e-jets. Most boaters classify the first three models as “powerboats.”
- You can get a 2014 39 GTS cigarette center console for about $350,000, while a 2021 390 GTS will set you back by $795,000. Some performance console models might be cheaper if you get them on sale by owner.
- On the other hand, you might get lucky with a 1986 performance cigarette 38 Top Gun, enough to get it for only $25,000.
- You can get a 1975 20 ft cigarette boat for $17,000, while a 2011 42X cigarette boat will set you back by half a million dollars.
- Cigarette Jet Ski price is typically more affordable. To name an example, the 2023 E-Jet PWC model should cost only around $40,000.
You might have noticed in the examples above that a cigarette boat’s model year is also a significant factor in its price. So, besides the model, what else can impact a cigarette boat’s price tag?
Cigarette Boat Prices Depend on Type and Size
Cigarette boat prices also vary according to size and type. For instance, used cigarette boats will cost less than the latest iterations.
- New cigarette boats could reach millions of dollars. For example, the 515 Project One cigarette AMG boat comes with a dizzying price tag of two million dollars.
This 51.5-foot, six-passenger water speed demon has three thousand horses underneath its sleek silhouette, allowing it to blast the waters at 121.657 knots or 140 miles per hour.
- On the other hand, you could still enjoy a pre-owned cigarette boat for about $11,000 (i.e., a 1978 30-foot Scarab cigarette boat).
Size is another factor. A rule of thumb is that smaller boats will generally cost less than longer boats of the same year.
- For instance, 24 cigarette boats that came out in 1986 only cost about $28k. Meanwhile, the CAFE RACER, with a length of 35 feet, would set you back up to $97,500.
- The 1972 OS Racer 28 cigarette boat is also relatively affordable, costing only about $16,900. If you want something from the same year but cheaper, look no further than the 1976 Cigarette Signature, which requires a budget of $13,000.
A 40 foot cigarette boat that came out in 2021, meanwhile, would have a price of roughly $795k. Even if you’re to compare this against a larger boat that came out in the preceding year (2020), such as the 42-foot vessel, it would still be cheaper ($795k vs. 950k).
Cigarette Boat Prices: Cheapest and Most Expensive
Given their wide price range, it’s hard to pin down the exact average price for cigarette boats. However, you can expect that you’ll have to set aside a budget of at least $10,000 to $20,000 if you’re buying used boats.
For brand-new vessels, expect the average price range to skyrocket up to 6 digits—at least around $100,000 or so.
Consider the following if you are looking for the cheapest and most expensive go-fast boats.
Most expensive
The 2022 62-foot 59 Tirranna cigarette boat has a price tag of $3,890,000.
Sadly, you cannot buy this deep vee-hulled motor yacht class in the US. You can only order it from Bremerhaven, Germany, provided that you’re willing to wait 15 to 20 months. Are you patient enough before you can pilot the world’s most expensive cigarette boat?
If you cannot wait that long and prefer a speedy watercraft for your family, you can get the Auroris. The 2023 cigarette 42 Auroris price is $1,625,000. Or, you could get the model released in 2021 for only $1.3 million.
Cheapest
The most affordable cigarette boat you could buy is the 1973 Classic Cigarette 28 FS, on sale for only $4,950. You could also get the 1974 Classic for $9k.
Read more: Will boat prices go down in 2023?
A Primer on Cigarette Boats
Cigarette boats are the aquatic world’s answer to Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Bugattis, and other speed demons on wheels.
The cigarette boat top speed averages 90 knots (or about 104 miles per hour) in calm waters. To put this into perspective, most monohulled boats top the charts at 7 miles/hour. On the other hand, watercraft with planing hulls can reach 59 miles per hour.
Although cigarette boats were notorious as rum runners during the early 20th-century Prohibition Era, Donald Aronow changed the public’s perception of these aquatic speed demons in the 1960s.
Aronow built a sleek and ultra-fast watercraft and named it The Cigarette. It paved the way for Aronow’s Cigarette boat company, working with the US Navy and the Coast Guard to build go-fast boats that could outrun drug traffickers.
The company now makes Cigarette racing boat models and other variants, catering to a diverse clientele.
No less than former US Presidents George H. W. Bush and Lyndon B. Johnson, Forbes Magazine founder Malcolm Forbes, and the Shah of Iran commissioned Aronow to make their cigarette boats.
Conclusion
How much do cigarette boats cost? These watercraft are more expensive than your average boat or vehicle. Newer models are faster and offer more amenities than legacy versions. Hence, you can expect their price tags to hover in the six- to seven-digit range.
An older model should still give you the thrill of piloting a watercraft known for outrunning 20th-century law enforcers without the hefty price tag. You might also want to pick a smaller vessel (i.e., 20-foot) over a longer one (50-footer).
Ten years of enjoying countless trips on boats never made me love them any less! So I am here to put all those experiences into good use for other boaters who want to have a safe and fun trip with their friends and families.