On 3 July, during the passage from Pula to Unije, HERA’s radar could not be activated. The display reported that radar was unavailable. An important additional source of information was therefore lost, while the yacht’s other navigation tools remained available.
Such a failure should be neither dramatised nor dismissed. The immediate situation comes first: visibility, traffic, distance from the coast, weather and the independent information that can still be used reliably.
What radar contributes
Radar transmits electromagnetic pulses and displays the returning echoes. This can reveal the range and direction of coasts, buoys or other vessels, which is particularly valuable when targets are difficult to identify by eye.
The equipment does not replace a proper lookout or the rest of the navigation process. Chartplotter, AIS, compass, depth information and direct observation each contribute something different. Decisions rely on the combined picture.
Continuing is not an automatic response
HERA continued the passage using the remaining means. That does not create a general rule. In poor visibility, dense traffic or a difficult approach, the same failure could require a different decision. Good seamanship starts by assessing honestly which information has been lost.
The crew checks the display calmly, compares the remaining navigation tools and continues only as far as visibility, traffic and weather allow safely.
The failure first changes the situational picture
When HERA’s radar cannot be activated between Pula and Unije, the technical cause remains open. What is immediately known is the lost information: radar can reveal targets without AIS and can show coast or precipitation as echoes. Visibility, traffic, distance from shore and the coming approach are therefore reassessed. Power and display are checked without letting navigation become secondary; continuing depends on whether the remaining observations form a reliable picture in the actual conditions.
Frequently asked questions
What did the radar system show on 3 July?
It could not be activated and the display reported ‘Radar not available’.
How did HERA continue the voyage?
The crew used the remaining navigation tools and adapted the passage to visibility, traffic and weather.
Does radar replace a proper lookout?
No. Radar supports visual observation, bearings, AIS and chart work but does not replace watching outside.
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Cockpit and instrument area of SY HERA underway