Donald Aronow, who sold one of his...

Donald Aronow, who sold one of his famed “Cigarette boats” to Vice President George Bush, was shot to death in Miami, but information about the murder was sketchy.

Aronow was rushed by helicopter to a hospital from the shooting scene, the Apache Marina north of Miami, but was pronounced dead of multiple gunshot wounds at 4:45 p.m. EST.

First police reports on radio indicated Aronow was killed by machine gun fire, but police later would not confirm the make and caliber of the weapons. Aronow was shot in his car as he was leaving the marina, in the exclusive Williams Island neighborhood.

He was identified with the sleek-hulled Cigarette boats used in competitive racing. He was credited with helping design “Blue Thunder,” the U.S. Customs drug interceptor boat used to stop Florida-bound drug shipments.

Aronow, 59, was a friend of Bush, who owns a 28-foot Cigarette boat designed by Aronow. Other Aronow clients include King Juan Carlos of Spain, former Beatle Ringo Starr, tennis star Vitas Gerulaitis and industrialist H. Ross Perot.

His sleek, 175-m.p.h. boats were used in competitive racing and also by drug smugglers.