PDA

View Full Version : Don Aronow 39 Cat


bahamatrama
10-21-2005, 08:37 AM
I just finished reading the book about Don Aronow and the Blue Thunder drug boats this week. Wondering home last night I stopped by a buddies shop and they just happen to have one of the famous 39' cats in for repair. It is the first one I had ever seen and it was so sad. It does just look like they cut a 38 cig. in half and added a tunnel. Also it had modern 500 hp 540 ci motors with trs drives and top speed is only 54 mph. Thanks former President Bush.
Ing
10-21-2005, 12:02 PM
Customs sold off the dozen or so 39' Blue Thunder Cats several years back. The last 39 in use was retired two years ago and is sitting up in St Augustine at the Customs National Marine Center. It was a great boat to work from but the engine/drive options available in the 80's was the achilles heal. Everytime they upped the HP to get the boat moving the available drives at the time couldn't handle the torque. A diesel/Arneson drive combo worked well.

US Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) most recent contract for Interceptors is for the new 39' Midnight Express. The new company is not related to the company which Customs put out of business in the 80's. The new boats are replacing 42' Fountains which were crap. Customs also runs several Midnights and Cigarettes with HIN's from the 80's. The boats were so well built they just keep refurbing and up-powering them rather than replace.

The best book available on Aronows murder is SPEED KILLS.:D
Chummy
10-21-2005, 01:02 PM
Bahamatrama, what book did you read?
scalywag
10-21-2005, 01:04 PM
I almost bought a 39' arranow Cat center console in south Fla...Lauderdale.
2 years ago...It was set up for twin outboards...It had blue sides
and black bottom paint...I think it said USA? on the side, not sure
I remember??? It was a monster, but now that I hear that a simular boat did
about 45mph with 500s...I think a pair of outboards would barely
plain off...Nevertheless, it was awsome looking...the boat I was looking
at was parked right off 1-95 in some dealership... The dealer said
that it would do 70mph with a pair of 250s????? I dont think so...
bahamatrama
10-21-2005, 03:32 PM
It was Blue Thunder by thomas burdich. Yeah the thing was huge. The cockpit was real useable a great party boat. With a top speed of 50 mph in a cat, a pontoon will cruise past you these days.


It was blue with black bottom paint. I bet it was a former drug enforcement boat.
sterling
10-21-2005, 03:45 PM
Hi

There is a 39 aronow cat lying in miami at 142 ne ,I believe its from a customer from Intense marine.
Its sitting there for at least 5 years,maybe its for sale.
I do believe they created that cat from a v bottem,I looked in and out that 39 cat and could tell you this :its build like an aircraft carrier,its so thick and stiff and heavy,you could drive it to europe if you want.(Thats where I live)

regards sterling
Ing
10-22-2005, 09:25 AM
It was blue with black bottom paint. I bet it was a former drug enforcement boat.[/QUOTE]

It definately was a former Customs boat. Don Aronow only made a cat because of a non compete clause after he sold Cigarette. There was a thread on OSO from a guy who worked with Aronow who had the details of which Cigarette vee was cut in half. I thought it was the 36' but I may be wrong.

The pics are of a 39 for sale on OSO.

http://www.offshoreonly.com/esvon/page-215.html
rchevelle71
10-22-2005, 05:35 PM
It was almost definitely a 38' cut inhalf, I know where there is one for sale in Lauderdale if anyone is interested :rolleyes:
42cigrevotrips
10-22-2005, 10:34 PM
the company that built the 39 cats were originaly called usa racing team started by don aronow,and i believe owned by him at the tim of his death, but was named aronow shortly after to sell the famous aronow name and get in on the publicity of his death
Fish
10-23-2005, 08:22 AM
... There was a thread on OSO from a guy who worked with Aronow who had the details of which Cigarette vee was cut in half...

it was probably Alan Brown "Brownie" who had the details. He ocasionally posts here as well. Very few people were as close to Aronow as Brownie was.
Racemore
10-23-2005, 08:44 AM
Blue Thunder operated out of Jax for a while.it ran a little faster than 54 though.Sucks Aronow got in the crossfire but you cant work for the good guys and the bad guys without conflict of interest.He was the father of Offshore performance in the V-bottom class.
42cigrevotrips
10-23-2005, 10:29 AM
it was probably Alan Brown "Brownie" who had the details. He ocasionally posts here as well. Very few people were as close to Aronow as Brownie was.

yes brownie knows everything about anything when it comes to offshore powerboats.
rchevelle71
10-23-2005, 05:40 PM
Sucks Aronow got in the crossfire but you cant work for the good guys and the bad guys without conflict of interest.He was the father of Offshore performance in the V-bottom class.

Don never "worked for" the "bad guys", he had a right to sell a boat to anyone who had the $$$$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you sold your boat to someone, and then it was used in a crime, would you wanna be blamed for it???????????
Ospreyproduction
10-23-2005, 07:20 PM
Thats not a Cat it's a Vat.
RBT
10-25-2005, 08:39 AM
Kramer owned USA Racing, they the gov't found out and didn't like buying boats from a convicted felon. Aronow bought it back less a little under the table cash and poof, some .45 bullets flew.



Or so the story goes..........


RT