You all are correct, but this code still doesn't get the results: 
#!/usr/bin/perl

use strict;
use HTTP::Request::Common;
use LWP::UserAgent;
use HTTP::Cookies;
use URI::Escape;

my $url = q{http://cgmix.uscg.mil/PSIX/VesselSearch.aspx};

my $ua = LWP::UserAgent->new();
$ua->cookie_jar( HTTP::Cookies->new(
    'file' => '/home/matt/cookies.txt',
));
my $safe_key = uri_escape($key);
my $req = POST $url,
Content_Type => 'form_data',
Content => [
        VesselName => 'FLINTHORN',
        VesselNumber => '',
        VesselCallSign => '',
        VesselHull => '',
        VesselYear => '',
        CheckBoxOutService => '',
        __VIEWSTATE => $safe_key,    ];
my $res = $ua->request($req);print $res->content();

[download]
It is getting the correct cookie: 
$VAR1 = bless( {
                 '_content' => 'VesselName=FLINTHORN&VesselNumber=&Ves
+selCallSign=&VesselHull=&VesselYear=&CheckBoxOutService=&__VIEWSTATE=
+SHORTKEYTOSAVESPACE',
                 '_uri' => bless( do{\(my $o = 'http://cgmix.uscg.mil/
+PSIX/VesselSearch.aspx')}, 'URI::http' ),
                 '_headers' => bless( {
                                        'user-agent' => 'libwww-perl/5
+.65',
                                        'content-type' => 'form_data',
                                        'cookie' => '$Version=2; ASP.N
+ET_SessionId=xmtfq5nrirypi245hpi20e45; $Port="80"',
                                        'content-length' => 126
                                      }, 'HTTP::Headers' ),
                 '_method' => 'POST'
               }, 'HTTP::Request' );

[download]

In reply to Re^2: trouble talking to html form using LWP by mhearse
in thread trouble talking to html form using LWP by mhearse

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