Your Captain for, Sailing and Motor Yacht Excursions
On the Waters of South Florida & The Bahamas
As a lifelong maritime enthusiast, I have also enjoyed a successful professional career as a corporate attorney. My role as Vice President and General Counsel of Westin Hotels & Resorts contribute to my reputation for being a competent person of high moral character, with integrity and temperate habits. Now that I am semi-retired, I continue to pursue my passion for boating by offering my services to other boat owners and operating WaterLimoUSA.
My U.S. Coast Guard Master License is documented with more than 1800 days of logged sea time, totaling more than five years of actual onboard experience.
DELIVERIES & SEA TRIALS – EXTENDED CRUISES – YACHT REFIT PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Historic 1927 Seattle Tug Boat The “Sally S.” Owned by Kelley Goad Marian & Michael Marian
About Captain Ray
I owned a Chris Craft Constellation cabin cruiser (“FATCAT”) while still in Law School in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I was moored along the ICW in Morehead City and early on acquired respect for the sea on the challenging waters of Pamlico Sound and Cape Hatteras.
I moved to Seattle after graduation because I wanted to live in a significant coastal boating environment. I 
sailed my Catalina 36 (“WINDSTAR”), and an Islander 40 (“TALUS”) year-round in Puget Sound, with annually extended summer cruises in the San Juan and Canadian Gulf Islands to Desolation Sound at the terminus of the Inside Passage 300 miles North of Seattle.
I managed a total refit of TALUS for an offshore roundtrip passage from Seattle to Marina del Rey California. I have bareboat-chartered in Bar Harbor Maine, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. My navigation skills at sea have been enhanced by my experience as a private pilot, having logged several thousand hours, including multiple flights as a solo pilot to Nassau, Freeport, Eleuthera, and the other Bahamas Out Islands.
I was a member of the Seattle Yacht Club for many years and was solely responsible for the acquisition, redevelopment, and management of the Cortez Bay Outstation for the Club on Cortez Island in Desolation Sound, British Columbia. Latitude 50°3’38.02″N, Longitude 124° 55’41.33″W
Most recently I have become very familiar with the waters of South Florida while being employed as a Captain for Fort Lauderdale’s famed Water Taxi fleet.
I grew up in North Carolina in a family of great cooks and restaurant owners who put me to work in their kitchens and dining rooms at a very early age. During my corporate career in the hospitality industry, I traveled extensively as part of my responsibility for the acquisition and redevelopment of legendary landmark hotels and resorts. My extensive cruising experience has allowed me to become quite proficient in planning, provisioning and simple onboard preparations with gourmet results. I also have a fair knowledge of fine wines and a knack for finding affordable and drinkable quaffers.
For more than fourteen years I was in-house Legal Counsel for Westin Hotel Company. My tenure at Westin coincided with the company’s rise as a multi-billion dollar global leader in the hotel and resort 
industry and culminated with my serving as Vice President, General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Westin Hotel Company. A highlight of my career was my role in acquiring the legendary Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on the Big Island of Hawaii from its developer Lawrence Rockefeller. For ten years I was very involved in the redevelopment of that land into what is known today as the Mauna Kea Beach Resort. My experience in the luxury hotel & resort segment of the Hospitality and Travel Industries provides me with a unique understanding of the service expectations of my clients.
As the Principal and Managing Director Westin’s previous design and procurement subsidiary, I was responsible for project design and other development services to the international hospitality industry with offices located in Seattle, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Kuwait.
I received my undergraduate degree while attending Brigham Young University, and Wake Forest University; and my law degree from The University of North Carolina School of Law.
Yacht Event Management
Hosting a group for a particular occasion requires the right venue and keen attention to many details. In South Florida, most everything is best experienced from the emerald waters that surround when guests are entertained aboard a luxury yacht.
When seeking to make a special occasion genuinely extraordinary, nothing does it quite like a yacht charter. This is especially so for events such as Weddings, Birthdays & Anniversaries, Corporate Events, and Graduation parties.
However, matching the right vessel, and managing the many details of a group function can be intimidating with varying results. Captain Ray’s extensive experience in luxury hospitality, yachting; and, his local knowledge assures that his management of any onboard function will exceed the expectations of both host and honored guests.
If you are considering such an event, take advantage of Captain Ray’s free initial consultation to discuss the various options available to you. Learn more about how Captain Ray’s one-stop, all-inclusive services can be the most efficient and cost-effective way to plan and successfully deliver your unforgettable yachting event.
Contact Captain Ray
