Harri takes the quadrella by backing AMM

by John Daffy on 12 Nov 2015 When it came to finding a winning combination of boat, motor and trailer, Finnish-born Harri Kielenniva turned to his much loved ‘voice command computer’.

“Find a boat that suits me” was the command and after extensive research and detailed comparisons, the ‘voice command computer’ responded: “Australian Master Marine - custom built boats of all sizes.”

Done! Never having heard of Australian Master Marine, Harri nonetheless went with the computer’s recommendation. That ‘voice command computer’ is actually his wife and fishing partner, Anna whose track record is perfect when it comes to making great decisions (after all, she married Harri).

Over the last six years and with the approval of his trusted computer, Harri has gone on to buy three more plate alloy craft designed and built by Australian Master Marine.

Harri followed up the original build and purchase of an AMM 6.8 metre Weekender plate alloy boat, with a 4.8 meter (“I needed a smaller boat for the estuaries in and around Hinchinbrook Channel as well as the larger one for offshore”).

Then Harri sold the 4.8 meter and purchased a very customised 4.9 meter to take its place; then sold the original 6.8 meter, while still retaining the 4.9 meter and now has just purchased a 7.8 meter Tournament which will be used for overnight offshore fishing trips in north Queensland.

Four AMM boats - every one of them a winner in Harri’s book, as well as managing to secure the perfect trailer boat double - one for offshore, one for estuaries.

“You don’t keep going back if you’re not happy,” Harri said.

Harri runs his own formwork construction company specialising in residential and commercial developments.

Any time off, Harri can be found in north Queensland fishing the offshore reefs east Hinchinbrook Island, north of Townsville.

“One important thing when you’re building a boat, especially a larger one, is that when you want something, you don’t hear ‘No - we don’t want to do that’.

“With Barton and Matthew (Thomas of AMM), it’s always - ‘Yes’ but then they guide you on the best way to do it. They’ll advise you on every part so you can get what you want on your boat - it becomes a true custom boat,” Harri said

“For example, I had two big aluminium cool boxes built. Matthew (AMM’s Sales Marketing Manager) guided the design pointing out how to convert them into seats, how to manage drainage, how best the space could be used and what it meant for weight distribution.”

“They work with you on the design - some other builders just say ‘no’ they don’t want to make changes, or they say ‘yes’ and then don’t worry about what the changes might mean. But Matthew will say ‘Well have you thought about this, or, it might be more cost efficient if we did it that way.”

Harri has fished from the time he was six years old and moved with his family to Australia when it was 11. With his father being a carpenter, the family first stayed in Canberra which provided ready access to trout fishing in nearby locations.

Harri headed to Darwin in 1975, then back to Brisbane.

Why the change too much hotter locations?

“It’s best for fishing,” said Harri.

It’s also apparently better for rare and memorable encounters.

A couple of years ago, Harri featured in a television report about an encounter with a whale shark that swam up to his boat off Britomart Reef.

“I leaned over the side and gave it a pat,” said Harri explaining just how ‘close’ the close encounter was.

The video of the encounter, shot on a mobile phone, was posted on YouTube.