Key Bank Exits Marine Lending

In a stunning move yesterday, Key Bank announced that they will no longer offer boat and RV loans. Key Bank is the single largest marine lender in the United States. This move is a direct result of the current financial crisis.

Key Bank is the largest marine lender to exit the market, but certainly not the first. They continued lending after giants like GE Money pulled the plug.

This will further destabilize an industry that is already against the ropes. With extremely limited lending options left in place, expect new boat sales (and used boat sales, for that matter) to continue to plummet.

Latitudes & Attitudes Article

Here is a link to a reprinted article I wrote for Latitudes and Attitudes Magazine in their September 2005 issue. It tells the tale of two dimwits (myself and Randy) who tried to sail a 30-year old, 25-foot sailboat 5,000 miles from San Diego to New Orleans through the Panama Canal. Enjoy.

No Mardi Gras, or How Not To Sail 5,000 Miles on a 25' Boat

Hurricane Gustav Article

Here is a link to an article I wrote for Associated Content about Hurricane Gustav:

New Orleans Begins Preparations As Gustav Threatens

Spline Weights For Sale

I have 14 pure lead spline weights for sale. They were cast by the fine folks over at www.splineweights.com before they ceased operation. These are the Whale model and their dimensions are as follows:

• 1 7/8 inches wide
• 4 7/8 inches long (not including brass rod)
• 1/8 inch brass rod
• 3 pounds
• Cast-in-place brass rods
• Green felt base

Here are some photos:



I paid $28.50 each for them and they are basically brand new. I'll let them go for $20 each AND I'll pay for the shipping to any U.S. address (keep in mind that the shipping weight will be 42 pounds) if you want the entire set of 14.

These are ideal for yacht design and building. You can use a personal check, money order, or PayPal. Get in touch with me at dave@truesouthyachts.com if you have any questions!

Laborde Products expanding to Texas

Laborde Products, our local Yanmar dealer based in Covington, Louisiana, is expanding by opening an office in the Houston area. They are hoping to capitalize on the oil and gas, marine, and agricultural business available in Texas. Joe Manning Jr. will head up the Texas branch.

Back from the dead...

WOW! I am now fully recovered from a pretty violent strain of stomach flu I picked up last week. I assure you, things were not pretty around my house. But now that I'm on the mend, things should get back to normal around here, at least until I leave for Antigua next week!

Sunset on the Louisiana marsh...

After a successful sea-trial on a 1998 Hunter 340 today, my buddy asked me to go with him by mud boat to his duck hunting lease in the marshes of South Louisiana. He wanted to go down there and check out where the ducks were feeding, and what the grass seed (duck food) situation was where he hunts. I can only say that the beauty of that area at sunset is nothing short of breathtaking. Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera. However, this is a picture I took about a year ago not too far from there:


Believe me when I say that as beautiful as that picture is, it didn't hold a candle to tonight's sunset. There is just something magical about being in a place so intimate with nature, a place man rarely goes. The wildlife was more curious about us than afraid of us, and I'm sure at least mildly amused the handful of times we grounded the boat.

As an avid boater, I think its important to take time every once in a while and appreciate the gift we've been given as marine mammals to enjoy the water. It covers 80% of our planet, and yet 100% of the Earth's population is jammed into the 20% that's dry. What a waste of space! Yes, I'm probably biased, but I think nature's magnificence is most readily revealed away from the land and the lights and the pollution. If you haven't lost sight of the shore in a while, you owe it to yourself to do so!