The secret is out!

April 10th, 2010 by james

I literally had no idea what to expect as I got close to Sallochy Bay on the east coast of Loch Lomond. I was heading over to join some of the usual suspects and some other new friends at the new Loch Lomond Wakeboard site for their first weekend of business. All I knew about the place so far was that it had a pretty sweet jetty and…  well that was about it- the guy’s had been so secretive about it I was dying to go check it out.

As I drove out the other side of Balmaha things started to feel a little bit more remote, and the wee bays more and more tranquil. I spotted the LLWB van from the road and pulled down the dirt track to be greeted by a rustic boathouse overlooking a glassy Loch, and Raymondo firing up yet another epic barbeque.

Not long after I arrived Scottish Stu turned up to join Dave Knight and the family, Tom Lomax, Kenny O, budding filmer Snowie and a handful of others, all enjoying the slow pace of life that the idyllic loch-side haven seems to make impossible to avoid. The boat went in an out as folk dropped in to ride, and a pretty competitive ping-pong tournament got underway on the salvaged table!

After a fine LLWB barbeque a monster campfire came to life down on the beach drawing everyone around and went on into the night with chatting, guitar playing, plenty of Tennents and even a speech from land owner and proud LLWB advocate Kevin.

I emerged from the van the next morning to discover the keen kids were already out making the most of the buttery loch. I grabbed a coffee and a chat with Raymond before heading out in the new Mastercraft skate/beginner boat with Dave and Duffy. An excited Raymond shotgunned first set in order to christen his new boat! And what a boat it is- crisp but forgiving wakes that still have enough pop to for DK to throw his super smooth W2W 180’s; I miss skating behind the old jetski but this boat more than makes up!

After a  spot of winching, and a 10 man mission to move a 30 foot static caravan the full length of a waterlogged field, sadly it was time to leave. I put my watch back on and time sped up to its normal pace as I headed back to the city, already planning my next trip over. I can only imagine what this place will be like when it’s fully set up- it’s already far more than just a wakeboard camp, it’s an escape, even if you’re only there for a few hours.

The guys are putting on some pretty sweet deals all the way through April to give you an excuse to get up there so give Raymond a shout on 07545561360 or check out www.LochLomondWakeboard.com for more info. And don’t forget Loch Stock will be there on 1st and 2nd May.

Happy days…

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Buy British, Support Scottish…

March 6th, 2010 by james

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

Posted in All Posts, Loch Lomond Wakeboard, Loch Stock Tour 2010, Merchandise, Support Scottish | No Comments »

At University? Wakeboard?

February 28th, 2010 by Sammi

Set up a University Wakeboard Club!  It’s great experience, perfect for your CV and it’s fun!  Persuasion is easy now it is BUSA recognized, get someone trained up to win the beginner category and you’re in the points.  After knowing how intimidating it is to set one up here is a bit of a hand, it is definitely worth it in the long run as that’s how we ended up here.

For all universities, the exact things you will need to set up a club (not society as this may prevent future funding) vary, however this is a basic guideline, and you can always email me at sam@loch-stock.com if you need a hand.

First of all you need to think what you can offer members. It is helpful if there is a lake nearby with year round facilities, as remember the majority of university time is during the ‘off’ season.  Plan your transport in advance, don’t assume there will be minibuses available through the uni, it isn’t as easy as it sounds.  We have done car pools with any extras coming and going by train.  This also means that the club may be there for the day but individuals with lectures can still get there.  You don’t need exact days just yet but speak to the owner and see if they can hook you up, remind them you will be bringing large numbers when they would usually be quiet, if they have a brain that should do the trick!

Alliance magazines are available for your club for a year subscription of 30 each issue.  You can either cover costs and use them to entice people to your amazing sport, or sell them and make money- we like this!

Think about what you personally can offer them.  For us it was unlimited access to Dunfermline as I have keys but also discounts at places we had organized for Loch Stock.  If you work, speak to your boss about something they can offer the club, they will probably support you for taking the initiative and even if they can’t help they should point you in the right direction.

Next you need a plan.  This should be a rough idea of where you, as president, plan to take the club within the set up year.  A few ideas of this is regular training, socials, weekend trips to LLWB, creating a presence at student nationals and following the Loch Stock tour.  This should be enough ammo for a meeting with your Sports Union (SU) president.  From here they will tell you where to go.

You will probably need a constitution and a safety policy, for this try and get a copy off a different club at your uni, they all have to have them.  We used table tennis and badminton!

From here on it is all specific to what your SU needs, but it is a good place to start and don’t wait for them to give the approval before you start getting people involved, do it now!!  Set it up on facebook as there is probably someone else out there willing to help; every time you go riding get it out on the internet so people know, even if it’s just one or two different people every time it is still spreading the word!

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