Hello, I'm currently trying to start my own towboat business. I have been in this industry for 17+ years and have seen companies make and extreme amount of money. With the economy the way it is a lot of smaller companies have folded or sold out to the bigger companies. Many have folded cause of the new regulations the coast gaurd is enforceing these days. This is an industry that has been in the shadows for years. Smaller companies that have accidents similiar to the gulf oil spill and the barge accident with the tanker in New Orleans were not prepared for it cause of lack of maintenance and years and years of no enforcement from anyone. I started out here when a lot of the changes started taking place. I have been in every aspect of the business from deckhand, to repair, to sales, to running pilot and captain. I know enough quailty people to have myself covered in repairs, engineering, piloting and safety that i'm not worried about my day to day operations. I need help with my starting capital. I can't get a boat without money from the bank. I can't get a contract without a boat. Bank will fund for a boat if i got a contract. Also towing companies are slow to pay, they usually do a 60 to 90 day payment. Any help will be grateful!!