Relayer,
Glad to hear you got the help you needed and sorry to hear you had the trouble to begin with and health issues put a delay on your season.

I think most would find out that there are folks willing to help, and it would be 'immediate and without hesitation' when a true emergency happens. But depending on someone else to be around to get you out of a jam is pretty short sighted. What about the times that others aren't around? Do you only go out on the water during peak fishing times? what about evenings or through the week when other boats can be few and far between?
We have spent many quiet and uncrowded evenings and weekdays out on the lake, and mechanical problems can happen anytime. Having insurance is another item on a safety checklist for us... something we hope to never need to use, but have to make sure is ready for that rare circumstance.

Now a question... to what extent is 'rendering assistance' , as mentioned above, required? I totally understand/agree with responding to answer a call for help to ensure folks' safety... but beyond providing a safe boat for them to wait for help on or maybe other basic intervention if you are equipped to handle... Why would someone be required to tow someone back to port just because they were decent enough to respond to a call for help? Wouldn't notifying the correct authorities and maybe waiting for that assistance to arrive (if need be for some safety reason) fulfill the 'rendering assistance' description?

OK... thanks

A mayday is much different than a "can I get a tow?", but you are right. And you aren't supposed to call mayday for running out of fuel or mechanical breakdown unless conditions put your vessel at risk...