Just a year after acquiring Merrill-Stevens and embarking on a two-year renovation of the 127-year-old Miami shipyard, Marlow Acquisitions, led by Marlow Yachts founder and President David Marlow, has purchased the operating and related assets of Hunter, Luhrs and Mainship. These three historic American boat brands have roots dating back to the 1930s, when Henry Luhrs began building sea skiffs in coastal New Jersey. The Luhrs Marine Group filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in May 2012.

Under Marlow, Hunter sailboats will continue to be manufactured on a 38-acre facility in Alachua, Fla. Marlow Acquisitions has retained Hunter President John Peterson and his core manufacturing team, and announced plans for an aggressive R&D program aimed at positioning Hunter as the top manufacturer of recreational sailing yachts in the world. Hunter, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary, has launched a “Life Begins at Forty” promotion for the 2012/2013 boat show season.

David Marlow also announced that Mainship Trawlers would be built utilizing the Marlow Yachts Full Stack Infusion Process, the proprietary fiber-reinforced plastic technology employed in constructing the Marlow Explorer series, which ranges from 53 feet (16 meters) to 97 feet (29.6 meters). Existing Mainship models that meet Marlow’s standards will be re-engineered, and tooling will be developed for new models that he says will offer “increased performance in range, economy, speed and safety with quality and value of the highest order.”

For more information, visit marlowyachts.com