I've had 4 Cigarettes dating back to 1976, and never had a single structural problem with any of them? The balsa only rots when it gets wet, which only happens if you gouge the boat, or flip it.......BOTH of which, I don't plan to do!
They've been building one of the most elite powerboats in the game for a looooong time, so I'm definitely not going to question the techniques they feel are best of what they're building.