If I'm asked to assist the coast guard in a search, can I bill for fuel cost?

I think you could bill them - I just don't think you would ever get paid.

Interesting however, in light of the Cunard Lines being billed by the Coast Guard - Cunard's response was their ships have helped in search & rescue many, many times and never were reimbursed for their fuel or expenses.

If you are asked to assist, the choice is yours. You can not be compelled to. Mariners have only a moral responsibility to give assistance, but you never know, it might be you needing help the next time. Freighters and passenger vessels of all nations frequently make extensive alterations of course, expending thousands of litres of fuel and delaying port arrival times with the attendant costs involved to give assistance or to save lives. It is an unwritten custom of the sea, not a law. The companies involved do not submit invoices. Conversely, operators of salvage tugs do not attend vessels in distress unless they have a "cast iron" agreement that they will be paid a fee. I once spent a whole day sheltering in the Downs listening on 2182, following the negotiations between a Norwegian vessel, lying broached to with disabled engines and a Dutch salvage tug. They failed to agree a price, the tug stayed in port and the vessel foundered. Other ships in the area saved the passengers and crew. The tug's Master and owners were considered to be morally irresponsible, but that was all.

In short the answer is NO. You can not bill the coast guard or any other marine co-ordination centre for any costs involved in a distress situation. You are required to render all assistance necessary in the event of a distress, consistent with the safety of your own vessel, her crew and passengers, (if any).

The vessels owners may well have insurance cover through their P&I club covering such situations.

To the Coasties Mum, quite true are your comments. However just to put correct "PonPon" should be PANPAN, this is the Urgency signal and is one down from the distress signal SOS ...---..., verbal cal mayday, mayday mayday.

No. Any respectable mariner would be ready to help not worry about billing for fuel. If it were you in peril, you would want your fellow boaters to help look for and possibly recover you and your family. Don't be a jerk.

Again, I'll ask if it were your mom and pop cruise ship that was having trouble, possibly going down... would you want someone to say "Well, gee I know they might die but I'll miss my flight" Come on, think with your head, not with your wallet. Also, if surveyed... I'm sure passengers would say let's go see if we can help. No one can determine hoax from real without investigating. What if you were to send a "Mayday, mayday, mayday, we are going down, 60 souls on board, send help" and the CG immediately, without investigating, without asking for help said "Oh that's just silly, it's a hoax." No... you would want to hear "Ponpon ponpon ponpon, this the USCG issuing an urgent mariner request for help..." (Can you tell my son is an OS in the Coast Guard??)

No. You have a legal duty to assist. Nor can you charge for saving life.

On the other hand, if you find the lost vessel, and recover it or assist materially in recovering it, you have a salvage claim against the owner.

No. Assisting others in trouble is part of your responsibility as a mariner.