I've always preferred sending with a straight-key and took pride in doing it reasonably well, if not fast. I have noticed, however that even at my relatively young age I have developed aches and pains in my arms and hands that has definitely reduced the quality of my straight key work.  When I find my sending (or me) suffering, I switch to a keyboard to keep the QSO going. 

In amateur work there isn't much need for really long transmissions, but I am reminded of using a keyboard when I was operating KPH a few years ago and there was a gigantic weather forecast to be sent for the entire Pacific!  There was a typhoon involved, so I used the straight key to send long X X X alert on 500 kHz and then switched to 426 kHz and a keyboard to send the wx.  It was pages and pages!  I guess the Pacific is a big place. 

I'm going to start my own adventure in the Pacific next week as I am starting a new engineering manager job at WWVH on Kauai, Hawaii. The station is located right on the SW shore so it will have a "maritime" feel I suspect.  Wish me luck.