Niilo Seliö is a name deeply connected with Finnish boating history. A pioneer in powerboat racing and boatbuilding, he was the founder of Seliö Boats and a highly respected production professional whose knowledge and experience helped shape the Finnish boat industry. His influence also reached beyond manufacturing: he was the driving force behind the development of the GT10 racing concept, creating an accessible and competitive platform for young racers that would become an important part of Finnish powerboat racing.

In 1997, Seliö founded Seliö Boats, initially producing Yamarin boats and later becoming a significant Finnish contract boatbuilder. Over the years, the company grew to produce thousands of boats, developing extensive expertise in fibreglass construction, production efficiency and quality control. Finnmaster became an increasingly important part of this journey, with Seliö Boats beginning production of Finnmaster models in 2015. This close relationship ultimately laid the foundation for the next major chapter in the company’s history. In 2018, Seliö Boats and Oy Finn-Marin Ltd merged, creating Finnmaster Boats Oy. The merger brought together two established Finnish boatbuilding operations and, importantly, carried Seliö’s production knowledge and heritage directly into the Finnmaster Boats’ organisation. His contribution was therefore not simply part of the company’s history — it has become part of the foundation of the modern brands under Finnmaster Boats. The production experience developed under Seliö helped company to establish the expertise, craftsmanship and manufacturing discipline that continue to define Finnmaster, Husky and Grandezza boats today.

Niilo Seliö’s legacy also continues through his family. His son, Sami Seliö, has already become a two-time F1 Powerboat World Champion. In the same time he is working closely at Finnmaster Boats as a brand ambassador and development partner, bringing world-class racing experience into the development of modern boats. The Seliö story even continues into the next generation through Sami’s son, Sisu, who is, despite his young age, already a three-time Finnish champion in optimist dinghies. From Niilo’s pioneering GT10 concept and Seliö Boats, through the merger with Finn-Marin Ltd and the birth of Finnmaster Boats, his journey is inseparable from the story of the brand. For Finnmaster Boats, Niilo Seliö is not simply part of its past — he is still one of the key people in the company.

Read more of Niilo Selio’s thoughts on racing boating in the article by Kippari >>