Boating in Finland is a great experience if you are looking for exciting navigation, access to nature and lots of interesting places to visit. One important but often overlooked aspect that contributes to making Finland a great destination are the Finnish volunteer organizations working for boaters. In this post I will focus on two such volunteer organizations, the Finnish Lifeboat Institution and the Keep the Archipelago Tidy environmental organization. Both are member and donation funded and I strongly encourage you to make a small financial contribution to them when you boat in Finland!
The Finnish Lifeboat Institution
As the name indicates, the Finnish Lifeboat Institution (FLI) is a sea (and lake!) rescue organization. Regional lifeboat stations are spread over the Baltic coast and the major inland lakes. Each station typically operates 1-3 rescue vessels which are on call 24/7 during the boating high season.
Watch the video for more info on the organization and to get instructions on how to make an emergency call in Finland!
The member service (Trossi) is a great way to both ensure your own safety and supporting the organization. The anual fee for Trossi is a mere 98€ (2025). For the fee you are guaranteed free services also for non-urgent situations (tows, pull boats away from rocks after hitting them etc.). Life saving activities are always free, but if you are not a Trossi member, the FLI will invoice you based on costs for non-urgent (material-saving) activities.
Unfortunately, the FLI has not exactly made it easy for non-nationals to support the organization, but with the help of an online translation service, I’m sure you can figure out how to pay for membership for one year: join!
Keep the archipelago tidy
The other NGO with a huge impact on your boating experience is the Keep the archipelago tidy (PSS) environmental organization. On the mainland and major marinas, you can find public waste disposal services. Public services however are not available out on the islands (both seaside as well as lakeside) or natural harbors or interesting destinations to visit. Here the waste handling services are provided by PSS.
Disposing of any type of waste into the sea or into nature is strictly forbidden in Finland. This includes septic waste (you cannot empty your septic tank into the sea), household waste and of course all types of dangerous wastes such as batteries, oil etc. The PSS contribute towards keeping the lakes and the Baltic sea in a better condition by offering waste collection service including septic waste pumping stations (floating for easy access), garbage collection points and dry toilets.
PSS has made donating a little easier. The annual fee for members is a measly 50€ and you can easily make a donation here: donate!
Together the two services should cost you 148€ and I have a hard time coming up with a better way to spend that money if you plan on spending any time in the Finnish waters!