If you have more money than you need, you have to give it away. It's a duty.
I get to choose whom to sponsor, and I like to give to the areas that I know something about.
-Gordon Getty-
ALIISA'S GOT SPONSORS!?
Yes. She has always had sponsors. The first one's name was painted on the hull the day I bought her. Aliisa was my mom and it was the money from her inheritance that paid for half the yacht. Since then, "sponsors" have included many others. Some of the early ones were mentioned long before the "big departure" in the LauriG.com pages Thank you!.
I have taken the liberty to verbally beat the shit out of the crap products (is it possible to beat the shit out of crap?) that turned out to be sub-standard. In the same 24000 mile Product Review I had the pleasure of telling about the products that really impressed me.
The honesty that I so much want to maintain, poses no challenge here. Don't think that company logos in these pages mean that I have sold my soul and opinion to the dollar. Firstly, I have received not one single dollar or any other currency from any manufacturer. Secondly, I do not hesitate to tell the truth about any product, regardless of the logos appearing here. Lastly, the brands that are displayed here are representing the products that I see as the best in their field. They deserve me. I deserve them. We co-operate. My dad taught me well when he said: A poor man can not afford to buy cheap. Therefore I always do my best to use the best quality stuff. And only the guys with the best products dare to allow me to test them. (The second product review will be out in October 2009, after a thorough testing)
So what's behind the logos?
Vene magazine has been there right from the start. One of my first sailing experiences was with Merivuokko in 1994. Capt. Pertti Duncker inspired me in many ways. He was writing books. He was writing articles to the largest boating magazine in Finland, Vene. I wanted to do the same. Ten years later (issue 1/05) I did. I love writing. I have always wanted to be a journalist. Vene made it possible for me to go to work, put words together and get paid for it. They continue to do so today.
I suppose Exide in Finland likes the energy I put into life. And vice versa. Aliisa's batteries used to be Trojan and they served well. Four years of hard work, deep cycling and even running dry at times have put them to bed. Exide is going to show me that they too can make my stereo rock through the night. Thank you Exide. I'm Exided.
Aliisa is currently insured for Finnish waters by Tapiola Insurance. (We have paid for our insurance.) Tapiola is a customer-owned group offering pension fund, insurance and banking services. They do the boring, worrying about safety and future, while we go out and play. They also feel that it's a little silly to cross big oceans on a small boat with our kind of budget, without a life raft. So they bought us one. By looking after our safety at sea, they also provide me with a mental health service. I worry too much, and now I can sleep better at sea. Thank you Tapiola.
Considering the the pride I feel with Finnish products, there would be nothing more suitable than the first REAL compass to find north in the middle of a steel hulled yacht. Suunto didn't feel pity on me and didn't enter into a sponsorship agreement, quite. A half-price compass was still a welcome help. Actually, I don't know why I bother with a compass after doing 24000 miles from Australia to Finland with a plastic toy that is still trying to find north without success? But having a steel boat Suunto might be the only thing on Aliisa that has big balls...
I've always had a need to steer away from the fancy and fashionable and seek rather robust and reliable quality that does does the job proudly. Too many products these days ride in the reputation of their name without filling the promise. I've had my fair share of autopilot trouble so far, and with Annina declaring herself a passionate opponent of hand-steering, I've got no choice but to get the best. Simrad didn't quite like the idea of putting their latest AP24 system in for nothing, but the price Maritim offered was less than cost-price, so I had to say "yes". Let's not tell them, that I would have bought one anyway!!
Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, and the trouble is I don't know which half.
