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USA Custom Builders of Passagemakers/Trawlers & Expedition Yachts

You Dream It, We Build It

You Cruise Happily Everafter!


We don’t just build boats, we create Nautical Statements!

  • Ruby Expedition Yacht 125 House Forward

Ruby Yachts Custom Boat Builders
You Dream It, We Build It,
You Cruise Happily Everafter!!

Ruby Yachts Custom Boat Builders

Ruby Yachts Custom Boat Builders is a privately owned faith-based business, which started in late 2000. As such, we believe God will provide customers for whom we can design and build high quality boats that are a great value, as well as the financial resources to build new boats “on spec” to use for promotional purposes.

We are a small, personal custom boat company based in Daytona Beach, Florida that specializes in Steel and Aluminum Custom Built-To-Order Expedition Yachts and Passagemakers/Trawlers. Take a look  at the Custom Designs we have to offer. Each One-Of-A-Kind vessel can be fully customized to meet your exact specifications.

It starts with your Dream of a new custom-built Nautical Statement. Whether it is your first or last, this will definitely be one to remember!

Your Personal Design is transformed into Construction Plans, which guide the details of the project from start to finish.

Like with you, this is a Labor of Love for us also. We are in this Adventure with you for the Long Haul to make sure the Project is completed exactly the way it was designed.

Ruby Yachts Florida Custom Boat Builders

Ruby Yachts Florida Custom Boat Builders

Meet Our Leader

Founder & President

Your First Point of Contact at
Ruby Yachts

How This Industry Grows On A Person

Russ first got hooked on Boating back in 1996 when he and his family casually stopped at a boat dealership in his hometown of Madison, Wisconsin. There it sat — a 1979 Sea Ray 26′ Sundancer. A couple of weeks later it was towed to Dubuque, Iowa on the Mississippi River where it provided much pleasure for the Thomas family, until Russ decided he wanted something with a fly bridge. A few months later the Sea Ray was “upgraded” to a 1980 30′ Carver Aft-Cabin Cruiser.

In September of 1997 the family took a two week trip down the Mississippi River, up the Ohio River, down the Tennessee River, and onto the Tombigbee Waterway. They left the boat in Fulton, Mississippi, and listed it with a local broker in case someone might want to buy it over the winter. As fate would have it, someone became its new owner in January, 1998!

Russ was going through withdrawal, but he heard about the Miami Boatshow that would be taking place in the middle of February. He and his wife, Ruby (does the name sound familiar?), drove to Miami to look for their next boat; something even bigger than the 30′ Carver.

Nothing was found of interest during that trip, or subsequent trips over the next couple of months. However, the Thomases decided to actually move to Florida so they could enjoy the joys of boating all year! That happened in June. They settled in the Daytona Beach area, and welcomed a 1986 Gulfstar 44′ Widebody Motoryacht into the family in August.

Russ had been a self employed Computer Consultant and Contract Programmer since 1985, but became a licensed Yacht Broker in late 2000. It wasn’t long after embarking on that career that he formed Ruby Yachts. The goal was to build Passagemakers/Trawlers from steel between 43′ and 62′ in length. The construction plans came from a company based in Europe. Several years ago, in-house designs for larger vessels have been created which are primarily classified as Expedition Yachts.

Explore the Ruby Yachts website and search through our array of ocean crossing vessels. Select the one(s) you like, and let’s talk!