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Rybovich & Sons Boatworks

The phrase "old world craftsmanship" gets thrown about rather haphazardly these days, but Rybovich & Sons Boatworks, founded in 1919 by an immigrant carpenter from the Austro-Hungarian area of the Baltic states, epitomizes the expression by building works of art with a fit-and-finish second to none.

"My grandfather started as a carpenter in West Palm Beach. But during the winter, when all the snow birds would come down, the noise ordinances would keep him from banging and sawing — so he started commercial fishing," says Mike Rybovich, now president of Rybovich & Sons Boatworks. "When the other captains saw what a good job he did repairing his own boat, they would hire him to fix theirs. He sort of just backed into the business."
 
Along with a reputation for top-quality workmanship, Rybovich is also a completely custom shop. "We will work with the customer and give him exactly what he is looking for — not force him into something that he's not."
 
In turn, Rybovich benefits from the many innovations developed to satisfy its customers' requests. "Single-lever controls, tuna doors, aluminum outriggers, trolling valves, and the list goes on and on," says Rybovich. "Our boats also stand out in performance — we've always been known for our ability to run in rough water. Many of the days that the boss wants to get away and go fishing aren't going to be perfect sea days."
 

At a Glance: • Beautiful woodwork throughout • Solid mahogany construction • Runs fast in the slop

Rybovich cold-molds its boats out of solid Philippine mahogany. "There's no plywood in our boats. It's not a new method, but it's still the strongest, lightest way to put them together while maintaining the flexibility to change and improve the product," says Rybovich. "There are a lot of misconceptions, and there are a lot of people who are scared of wood. But there are also a lot of 50-year-old Rybovich's running around. If you take care of it, it will outlast you!"
 
"We hope to continue refining our hull forms and further enhance our performance and efficiency. Given that this is an industry reliant on our natural resources, I'd like to see more research and cooperation geared toward finding and utilizing alternative fuel sources like bio diesel," says Rybovich.
 
For more information, contact Rybovich & Sons Boatworks of West Palm Beach, Florida, at 561-844-1800, or visit www.rybovich.com.

 

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