Time was you could cut yourself a pretty nifty deal on a new set up by looking a bit further afield and ordering from the states; even after shipping (which was never generally that steep), and the government taking a cut in the form of import duty you still had a pretty nice bargain on your hands. Unfortunately by doing this, we were doing more damage to our delicate little UK wakeboard industry that we could imagine, and the way exchange rates are right now there’s not even much of a saving to be had. It’s a simple fact that every business relies on one crucial commodity; customers. The more of our money we send abroad, the less of it reaches our UK industry and at a time when even the bigger businesses are having to tighten their belts we simply cannot afford not to support industry on our shores. This is particularly the case in Scotland where we’re fighting just for distributors up here, let alone shops for them to supply.
One of the primary aims of the Loch Stock tour is to raise the profile of wakeboarding in Scotland. To do this we need investment from sponsors, and for sponsors to feel it’s worth their while putting money forward… well you see where this is going. The tour is run at zero profit- every penny LS makes goes straight back into the tour, (and into the tourboat’s fuel tank!). So far the sponsors have stepped up to and beyond the mark, investing in what is, after all, a risky prospect. So now it’s your turn; get to the shop and buy a belt, buy a hoodie, and if you’re competing this summer get your entry in now! And next time you’re about to order a new board, why not give Raymondo at Loch Lomond Wakeboard a shout; you might be surprised what he can offer, and he might even throw in a free burger!
Buy British, Support Scottish.
“Cash rules everything around me, C.R.E.A.M/
get the money; dolla dolla bill y’all”
—Wu-Tang Clan, C.R.E.A.M., January 31 1994
