What action should be taken if navigational equipment fails while at sea?

In the event of a navigational equipment failure while at sea, the most prudent course of action is to contact the Coast Guard for assistance. This option ensures that help is on the way while allowing you to focus on the immediate navigational challenges without further compounding the situation. The Coast Guard is equipped to provide guidance and support, and they can assist in tracking your position, especially if you are in distress or if the failure compromises your ability to navigate safely.

While contacting the Coast Guard is essential, it is also important to follow best practices in navigation. Manual navigation procedures can be employed as an alternative method to maintain awareness of your position, but these require knowledge and skill. It’s critical to have a backup plan for situations like equipment failure, which may involve manual navigation rather than relying solely on potentially malfunctioning electronic systems.

Increasing speed to return to port could lead to further complicating the situation and riskier maneuvers if uncertainty about your location exists. Additionally, ignoring the failure is not advisable, as this could lead to potentially hazardous situations without proper navigational knowledge.

Therefore, contacting the Coast Guard provides a lifeline of support while simultaneously addressing the navigational challenge through other methods.