Captain: David Risch

Captain David Risch
David is an energetic host that will greet you with a smile and leave you with lasting memories of your trip aboard Raven Claw. David is from Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts and spent his childhood cruising the coastal waters of New England with his father and quickly culminated a fond love for the sea. From sailing dinghies to night watches offshore in a nor’easter, he will always have a smile on his face and a calm attitude.

With not only has 17 years of sailing experience under his belt, he also has four years working in the service industry from barista, bartender, and sous chef. From a French café in Manhattan to a Yacht Club in a small town, David can adapt to any audience or environment. David has progressed quickly in the past seven years working as a sailing professional, gaining his RYA Yachtmasters 200 ton at the age of 21 and taking his first role as captain not long after. His love for adventure will make your experience on board as exciting and memorable as it will be comfortable

He and his crew will give you a fantastic experience that you will never forget!

Mate Justin Mitchell
J.T. is easy going young man, from the great state of Oklahoma. He always introduces himself with a warm smile accompanied with a greeting of either ma'am or sir. J.T. developed his passion for the water by spending his summers growing up on the lakes swimming, anything involving a board, and fishing. After graduating from college with Bachelor in Fine Arts Degree, J.T. became a Divemaster, and then a PADI Diving Instructor. His favorite class course to teach is the Rescue Diver Course, because safety is his number one goal with diving closely followed by having fun. He has spent the last four years in the Caribbean as a Dive Boat Captain and Diving Instructor, also working on a liveaboard dive vessel that traveled the Caribbean that was involved with shark tagging. He has worked on all types of boats from day boats, large motor vessels, and even raced on America’s Cup 12 meter racing yachts. When not working, J.T. can be found working on his art work, skydiving, a sports game, and of course scuba diving.

Chef Mallory Patterson is a Great Lakes sailor who found her way to the East coast via Johnson and Wales University. She managed hotels and restaurants for years but found her sense of adventure drawing her to sailing again. Trading her computer for a chef’s hat and sea boots, Mal strove to have a flexible and colorful cooking style with a focus on locally sourced organics and vegan cooking. With six years of cooking for busy charter yachts, Mallory will always steal the show and make every meal better than the last. She takes the time to learn about each guest and touch their palate in a special way that they will never forget. Winning the 2014 Newport charter show chef competition, she has a long list of prestigious accolades and glowing reviews from owners, guest, and renowned chefs alike. She is not only an amazing chef but is a yogi, holds an RYA Yachtmasters 200ton license, Aida 2 free diver, and rescue diver certificate.