My Finngulf Story: January 2004
Text Tuija Tuominen, Photos Ilkka Liukkonen


Ilkka Liukkonen is a passionate yachts-man and has seen a lot of the world from the sea. During many years of active sailing he has sailed altogether over 70 000 sea miles - same as three times around the world. Last sailing season he sailed from Finland to the rough and chilly waters of Shetland, and his plans include many more sailing tours to the seas around the world. For almost 20 years now Ilkka has relied on Finngulf yachts.
- There a yachtsmen, enthusiastic yachtsmen and passionate yachtsmen. I think I belong to the third group, describes Ilkka Liukkonen, 53, his relation to yachting.

Ilkka, who as his profession is the managing director of Optical Information Center in Finland, spends almost all of his spare time at seas.
His yachting season starts at the beginning of April and ends late in October. He has almost no time for other leisure-time activities. Neither is there any need for anything else because sailing for Ilkka is almost always either enjoyable or very enjoyable. Even the weather is always fine, when you have the right clothing and equipment. Without proper clothing it is better to stay at land, according to Ilkka.
- When your bottom gets wet, you lose the joy of sailing.

Ilkka has plenty of time for sailing since his wife is as enthusiastic as he is. His most common crew is his wife. He considers it necessary for the success of a long sailing trip that both spouses are as interested in sailing and are able to do everything on the yacht.