About BoatWise

Tristian is the founder, captain and head trainer of BoatWise. He has spent the past 12 years working in the maritime industry, building his experience across practical boat handling, vessel operations, training and luxury vessel management.

Before starting BoatWise in 2020, Tristian worked in marine operations at Sydney Boathouse, where he helped manage a fleet of more than 200 boats. His role included operating the forklift to launch and retrieve vessels, coordinating daily fleet movements and manoeuvring between 50 and 70 boats a day during the busy summer season.

Handling that volume of boats every day, often at speed and in changing wind, weather and marina conditions, is where Tristian developed his boat handling expertise. It gave him an instinctive understanding of momentum, vessel response and close quarters manoeuvring across a huge variety of boats.

It also showed him a common problem. Many people had their boat licence but had never received enough practical training to feel truly comfortable handling their own vessel. Docking, wind, current and tight marina spaces often became stressful rather than enjoyable.

That is why Tristian created BoatWise.

His approach is calm, patient and practical. Every session is tailored to the client, their boat and what they want to achieve. Training can include docking, marina manoeuvring, anchoring, navigation, passage planning, onboard systems, safety, skippering and handling a vessel confidently in wind, current and confined spaces.

Tristian takes the time to explain not only what to do, but why it works. The goal is not to rush through a checklist. It is to help each client understand their boat, make better decisions and feel capable of operating it safely and independently.

Over the years, Tristian has worked across thousands of different makes and models, from small trailer boats through to large luxury cruisers. His experience extends well beyond Sydney Harbour, with clients flying him to Queensland, Melbourne and Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea to provide personalised training aboard their own vessels.

Alongside training, Tristian has extensive experience managing luxury vessels for private clients. This has included managing a Pardo 43 and a Greenline 45 Flybridge since they were delivered new in 2022, overseeing the restoration of a 1963 Halvorsen in Sydney and managing the refit of a 1994 Sea Ray Sedan Flybridge in Port Moresby.

He has also provided consulting support for a new marina development in Port Moresby, drawing on his practical experience in vessel operations, maintenance, onboard systems and marina management.

After more than a decade in the industry, Tristian has built a trusted network of experienced marine electricians, mechanics, shipwrights and specialist trades. This allows BoatWise to support clients beyond training with vessel management, maintenance coordination, refits and practical advice, all delivered with a strong eye for detail.

BoatWise also operates a dedicated Gemini 650 WaveRider training boat, custom built from the hull up specifically for practical powerboat handling courses. From the custom fuel tank and electrical system to the chartplotter, marine radio, stereo, lighting and onboard equipment, every part of the boat was carefully selected and built for training.

BoatWise provides NSW Boat Licence courses, practical powerboat handling programs and personalised tuition aboard clients’ own boats. Whether someone has just purchased their first boat, upgraded to a larger cruiser or simply wants to feel more confident docking, Tristian and the BoatWise team are there to help.

For Tristian, BoatWise is about more than teaching people how to operate a boat. It is about helping them stay safe, understand what they are doing and enjoy their time on the water with genuine confidence.

Confidence is built, not found.