Kent Potton

Age: 37
Nationality: New Zealander and English
Family: Wife, Paola
Hometown: Auckland, New Zealand
Based in: Grosseto, Italy
Hobbies: Travel, golf, cycling, being outdoors

Variety is the spice that has kept Kent Potton building boats for the past 17 years. “On any given day you could be laminating, fabricating, fitting, trimming – it’s pretty vast,” he says.

And yet overall, he says each boat build shares a common element: “It takes hours. And hours. And hours,” he says with an easy, melodic laugh.

Potton is not bound to boats or sailing. “I get seasick,” he admits readily. His trade has allowed him enough diversity to work on a Formula One car in between race-boat projects.

Personally, he never wanted to sail though his father wished it for him. “During my apprenticeship, my friend and I would finish a long day of work and he’d go yachting while I went to play rugby. Back then, I didn’t think sailing was physical enough,” he recalls. Now, however, he knows better. Racing round-the-world is “the top end of the sport…it’s the epitome of sailing,” he says.

Free time wish list

He’s passionate about traveling with his wife and trying to play golf – but there’s always a shortage of time. “You spend a lot of time on builds – sacrificing a lot of time with the family. But seeing the boats do well, without having any major breakages – it’s a point of pride,” he admits.

Mobile communications should be easy, if you ask Potton. He’s a regular user of video chat services to keep in touch with faraway friends and family in England and New Zealand.

Ultimately, he wants just simple services. “If you told me ten years ago that you’d be able to watch a movie on your mobile I wouldn’t have believed you. Ten years from now, I’d be happy if the phone could make me a cup of coffee!”