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INTRODUCTION-7
Hailing from East Orange, New Jersey, John and
Warren Luhrs’ ancestry goes back to their great-
grandfather, Henry, who helped pioneer the devel-
opment of railroading and clipper ships in America,
and to their great-uncle, John, who helped build
the famous St. Petersburg-to-Moscow Railroad for
Russian Czar Alexander II.
Henry Luhrs owned shares in twenty-two different
ocean-going vessels - barques, brigs, and schoo-
ners - and was the principal owner of the barque,
Sophia R. Luhrs, named after his wife. He was
also a partner with Albert Sprout, who managed a
shipyard in Melbridge, Maine, where the Sophia R.
Luhrs was built.
The Luhrs’ family sea tradition was carried on during
the Great Depression by John and Warren Luhrs’
father, Henry, who worked at a small boat manu-
facturer in Morgan, New Jersey, and later started
his own company. When war broke out in Europe,
the United States Coast Guard asked Henry Luhrs
to repair their boats and install ice sheathing on
their bows.
After World War II, Henry built 27-foot fi shing boats
and, in 1948, he began to construct custom-built
pleasure craft. He then turned to skiffs and, in
1952, incorporated as “Henry Luhrs Sea Skiffs”. He
constructed lap strake sea skiffs using assembly-
line techniques. Henry personally “shook down” his
prototypes with family trips up the Hudson River to
Lake Champlain.
Henry Luhrs’ basic philosophy was to emulate the
late Henry Ford in building an inexpensive boat
for the average man, thus enabling him to enjoy
the luxury of boating. He was both designer and
engineer, creating innovative and progressive new
models. He designed the change in the line of the
bow from straight to curved at a time when all boats
were being built with the straight, square effect. It
is believed he was also the
fi rst designer-builder to
popularize a small boat with a fl ybridge.
In 1960, Henry Luhrs acquired the Ulrichsen Boat
Company, located in Marlboro, New Jersey. It was
here, too, that the Luhrs Alura Fiberglass Division
was located. In 1965, Henry sold his company to
Bangor Arrostook Railroad, which was to become
the recreational conglomerate, Bangor-Punta. It
was also during this period that the Silverton Com-
pany in Toms River, New Jersey, was purchased
by his sons, John and Warren Luhrs.
Today, John and Warren own Silverton Marine
Corporation, Hunter Marine Corporation, Mainship
Motor Yachts Corporation, and Luhrs Fishing Boats
Corporation, known as the “Luhrs Marine Group.”
In January 1996, John and Warren transferred a
portion of the Luhrs Marine Group to its employees
through an Employee Stock Ownership Program,
ensuring a personal interest in the construction of
your Silverton yacht.
THE SILVERTON STORY
SILVERTON YACHT OWNERS AND FOUNDERS
WARREN LUHRS & JOHN LUHRS