[RIROCKHOUND]

Boatwise is a good org...
First off, remember that Mayday is supposed to be only life or death, dont use it unless you need it. Running out of fuel is not a mayday unless you are in the surfzone and dont have an anchor.

I've never called out randomly looking for help, but it was something silly that happens (like needing a jump) using 16 to put out a general call to a geographic area is probably not a bad idea if there are boats around. Otherwise use a commercial service, thats what ya pay for.

As far as the radio.. several key points...
1. Be courteous; dont step on others talking unless it is an emergency
2. 16 is hailing and distress... dont chat for hours on it about fishing, and use 09 for radio checks... which btw I do every morning when I get to work on the bigger boat..
3. When calling the CG's or SeaTow/SafeSea... be specific, clear and concise.. and know where you are in the world. I.e. a spefic geographic location or lat/long if your electronics are working. Expect to switch up to 22A if you call the CG's and be patient, alot of times multiple stations will call back, so make sure you get the nearest station.
4. If you talk to the same people all the time have a designated channel; so all you have to say is
"f/v Grim, f/v Grim, this is Goose"...
"Grim back to Goose, switch up Tony"...
Then you can call back and chat in relative privacy on some little used frequency
5. Carry a hand-held back-up
6. If you are fishing in a highly commercial area (tankers etc..) keep your radio scanning 13 and 16... You can hear security calls of who's out there and make mental notes of where to avoid and who'll be coming down the channel later. Just dont call the tanker and expect him to move... I laughed outloud when a small sail race of 420's was in the East Passage telling a Car Ship to stay clear of the channel... the 'admiral' of the yacht club should have read the ROTR a bit better....