Fred and Joe Zbranak built three separate
Orange Crates out of their Clayton mold as they would ordinarily race one for
a season and then sell it in order to make room for their new Orange Crate the
following season. Bob Grodeska owned the Pink Elephant, which was a sister to
Cigar Box (but most likely the second Clayton Orange Crate between Cigar and
Elephant), and the only other specifically built/ custom order boat built by
Fred and Joe Zbranak- all others were recycled Orange Crates that they sold
after racing for one season in order to make room for their new Orange Crate.
(Fred and Joe Zbranak built a fourth Orange Crate, but that was
taken out of Fred's SECOND mold, which he made using George Wolcott's last
wooden boat in 1967/68- more on this to follow when I post my Witness
the Quickness JS 72 and Summer Storm JS 100 boats shortly).
In any event, Walt Janesko ran Cigar Box as
JS 55 for the remainder of the 60's and kept her until approximately 1975
when he sold her. Thereafter, she changed hands several times until she
wound up in New Hampshire where that owner butchered the beautiful powder
blue hull by gobbing on paint, destroying the furniture quality wooden
transom and decks (not scalloped like the last three Orange Crates, but had
a 4" dark blue cap) and custom dash (which was complete with a built in
lighter to light Janesko's cigars which he always smoked while racing as he
cut a hole in his helmet shield-look closely at the first picture posted and
you'll see the cigar).
This prior owner used her as a pleasure boat
and kept her in the water, causing the wooden transom to leak. This prior
owner decided to install three bilge pumps, one in stern, mid ship and bow,
thinking he could pump the incoming water out faster than it was coming
in. As a result, the entire bottom, stringers and bulkheads rotted out.
Dale Winiczak purchased Cigar from this
owner in or about 2000 or so and began the long process of stripping away
the years of added on paint and neglect as he was going to restore her to
her original condition. Unfortunately, Dale lost his wife and wants to
concentrate on other projects that he and his wife were working on,
therefore I purchased Cigar in 2005 after Fred Zbranak and I drove to
Maryland to meet Dale and see what was left of Cigar.
Luckily, Dale is a perfectionist and
performed a meticulous job when taking Cigar apart, as he saved and marked
all of that which was left of Cigar's stringers, bulkheads, decks, floor,
etc. which are all being used as patterns in my ongoing restoration.
Walt Janesko currently lives in Rumson and
stopped by to see her the day after Cigar arrived at my house-see
picture. Walt confirmed that all of the hardware is the original that he
had when he raced her, with the exception of the rudder. Below are some
pictures provided by Walt which show Cigar in fine form in the 60's.
Although Fred Zbranak was not at all impressed with what was left
of Cigar when we went to Maryland to look at her, she is progressing nicely
as I have the new floor and stringers glassed in (identical to Fred's
original design of 5/4 mahogany sistered on the outside edges with 1/2
douglas fir) and the bulkheads fitted. 
Additional photos to be supplied during her
ongoing restoration, which will include custom dash and deck work by Fred
Zbranak.
