Ross Porter is the help you need for your boat, here’s a little bit more about him…
About Ross Porter: Founder of Pearls of Boat Wisdom
Pearls of Boat Wisdom (POBW) began almost by accident. When Viki Moore, CEO of the Island Cruising Association, reached out to Ross for help supporting her members, it sparked a connection that Ross hadn’t fully anticipated. A successful webinar and a wave of positive feedback later, he realized he had found a way to share his lifelong obsession with the sea in a way that truly helped people—while fulfilling the remote-working dream shared by so many sailors.
Technical Depth and Real-World Safety
While the superyacht world is often seen as glamorous, Ross knows the reality: it is a high-pressure environment that demands absolute reliability. By age 25, he was serving as Chief Engineer on a 300-ton 1938 Camper & Nicholson, a role that required a deep respect for maritime heritage and complex engineering.
His background is as diverse as it is deep:
Professional Mentorship: As an RYA Ocean YachtMaster Instructor and delivery skipper, he spends his days passing on the hard-earned lessons of countless global miles.
Aviation Precision: He completed an adult apprenticeship in Gas Turbines with Air New Zealand, bringing a high level of technical discipline back to his maritime work.
Search and Rescue: Ross served as the Skipper of the Maraetai Inshore Lifeboat, contributing to critical safety efforts on the water.
A Career Built on Practical Knowledge
Ross’s path has been what he calls “meandering but consistent.” While his journey has taken him in many directions, every mile under his belt has involved the sea, helping people gain confidence, and keeping crews safe. With over 35 years of nautical and engineering experience, Ross is a Marine Engineer and the author of the Pearls of Boat Wisdom Maintenance Course.
His career started with a traditional, “old-school” apprenticeship, where he developed a “hands-on” mastery of everything from inboard and diesel mechanics to petrol outboards. This wasn’t learned in a classroom; it was forged while handling urgent yacht breakdowns in the Greek Islands—environments where practical, reliable problem-solving is the only thing that matters.
A Trusted Partner for Your Journey
Pearls of Boat Wisdom is the natural progression of Ross’s desire to share what he has learned. He has “seen it all”—from the mechanical failures that can stall a dream trip to the simple maintenance habits that prevent them.
POBW isn’t about flashy claims; it’s a trustworthy, global service rooted in the belief that every sailor should have access to the “wisdom” needed to keep their vessel running and their family safe. When you work with Ross, you’re getting more than an instructor; you’re getting a veteran engineer who genuinely cares about getting you safely to your next landfall.
Captain
- MCA Master 200gt Power and Sail
- C.O.C. Master S.A.R. NZ Coastguard
- RYA YachtMaster Instructor
- 100,000+nm Blue water miles as Captain
Marine Engineer
- City & Guilds Vehicle Apprenticeship
- B-TEC Marine Engineer Apprenticeship
- NZQA Gas Turbine Apprenticeship
- NZQA Light Engineering Welding and Fabrication
- 35 Years in various engineering roles
Leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of your tomorrow.
“Ross and Pearls of Boating Wisdom has really exceeded my expectations and has boosted my confidence in understanding and maintaining the different systems on my boat.” Alistair W.
Ross Porter is an experienced Marine Engineer and the author of the Pearls of Boating Wisdom Maintenance Course.
He served an “old-school” apprenticeship in Marine Engineering which covered inboard, outboard, petrol and diesel mechanics. Ross worked yacht breakdown around the Greek Island’s and completed an adult apprenticeship in Gas Turbines with AirNZ.
In addition Ross served as Chief Engineer on super-yachts as well as skippering Maraetai’s Inshore Lifeboat in New Zealand. He completed many commercial yacht deliveries around the globe and taught RYA YachtMaster on a daily basis.
In short if Ross can’t work with you to fix it over the phone it probably can’t be fixed!
Remote Technical Boat Support
Our Remote Boat Technical Support is the key to unlocking your freedom and confidence in sailing and enjoying every summer. Our remote service solution was created to help you plan ahead, as well as navigate and remedy tricky situations in the moment.
Our service is designed for all boaties who want peace of mind while out on the water. As part of this service we collaborate with you to create a comprehensive ‘Boat Bible’ that outlines vessel system’s electrical, mechanical, rigging, and plumbing.When you need advice or guidance on emergency repairs, help is just a text, phone call, or email away – anytime, anywhere.
Some testimonials from Maintenance Course and Tech Support customers…
“I highly recommend Ross’s Pearl’s of Boating Wisdom course to both the knowledgeable and the newbie.
His extensive career and experience across a number of trades and oceans, not only gives him authority on
all subjects, but entertaining stories to draw from that help illustrate the numerous topics.I really
appreciated the time he took to find out our experience, our boats and weave them into the subject areas,
helping to answer any curly questions along the way, using a variety of resources, tools, apps, videos,
pictures and hands’ on experiments.
I highly recommend Ross’s Pearl’s of Boating Wisdom course to both the knowledgeable and the newbie.
His extensive career and experience gives him authority on all subjects and entertaining stories to draw from that help illustrate the numerous topics.
I really appreciated the time he took to find out our experience, our boats and weave them into the subject areas, helping to answer any curly questions along the way, using a variety of resources, tools, apps, videos,
pictures and hands’ on experiments.” Viki Moore, Island Cruising Association
Ross and the POBW support are always a phone call or message away! Whatever silly question I have, I ask Ross. Recently, I had a mysterious generator fault and Ross gave me a step by step check list which led me to the failed part. Thanks Ross! Hannah Wilks MCA200GT Professional Skipper
I engaged Ross Porter to assist me with troubleshooting and upskilling on my Schionning 49ft Catamaran.
Ross was responsive, knowledgeable, extremely practical and in addition a very concise and patient teacher.
He was available both in an elective and emergency capacity.
I attended his “Pearls of Boating Wisdom” course, then he helped troubleshoot some challenging engine issues.
I Contacted Ross on a couple of occasions at sea, he responded quickly and comprehensively.
Knowing Ross was there as a back-up added another layer of confidence in my ability to work aboard my vessel on my own. Michael and Kirsty, Owners
Do you want to learn more about your boat or engage Ross personally to help you?
- Save time and money
- Upskill yourself
- Experience ‘Phone a Friend’ type support…!
