Two British men who hoped to set a world record for rowing across the Indian Ocean from Western Australia to Mauritius have had their journey thwarted by equipment failure a day after setting off.

Ashley Wilson departed Geraldton on Monday with fellow rower James Ketchell. They were hoping to reach Mauritius in 85 days.

Mr Wilson, 37, used a satellite phone to call for assistance at 11:00am (WST) yesterday while 18 nautical miles off the coast.

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Mr Wilson initially placed a call to the local yacht club, and a sea rescue group began searching for the men's six-metre boat.

The rowers then called a charter fishing vessel, which towed them back to shore.

Mr Ketchell said the pair were approaching the Abrolhos Islands when they realised something was wrong.

"That moment when Ash and I realised that we had to come back - I've got to be honest, it was pretty frustrating," he said.

"We were going so well, we'd covered almost 70 nautical miles in 24 hours, so that sort of pace would obliterate the record for a two-man crossing."

A friend of the duo, Euan Blake, said the electronics on the boat had failed.

"It was a call for help just basically to help them get back into Geraldton," he said.

"The main issue is that one of the guidance pieces of equipment, which is a vital piece for the world record attempt, failed.

"The guys could have carried on and got to Mauritius if they kept on rowing, but the problem with the guidance system is that [it] was going to help them get the world record, but without this vital piece of equipment the world record was in jeopardy."

Pair to make second voyage attempt

He said the boat had otherwise performed very well.

"In fact exceedingly well, beyond expectations," Mr Blake said.

"What we are hoping for is to get that piece of equipment repaired, and then what we will do is set out again for the world record in about a week."

The boat was towed to shore by Abrolhos Island Charters and Mr Blake said they paid for the assistance.

"We have to categorically state that the challenge team paid for this charter boat to pull them back, it was not a sea rescue and it was not on the taxpayers' money," he said.

The rowers had called the Geraldton yacht club, which contacted the local sea rescue group, before the pair were eventually located by the charter company.

Geraldton Volunteer Marine Rescue spokeswoman Delma Shuttleworth said volunteers went out but could not locate the men on Tuesday.

"I got a phone call [from a satellite phone] saying they wanted to return to Geraldton and we sent our boat out," she said.

"I can tell you that when they called for help they were drifting at two kilometres an hour."

Rower Ashley Wilson, who has epilepsy, had said he wanted to show others with a disability they could lead normal lives. ( Supplied: Ashley Wilson )

She understood they were eventually found by the charter boat between Geraldton and the Abrolhos Islands.

Mr Wilson said he was confident they would be back in the water soon.

"It's obviously disappointing not to go the first time but we will get out there, we will break that record," he said.

"It's probably if anything made me more determined to get out there and do it again next time."

Rower hoped to empower people with disabilities

Mr Wilson suffers several epileptic seizures a week. He told the ABC he hoped the journey would empower people with disabilities.

Despite his health challenges, Mr Wilson said his biggest concern, before setting off, was the rough seas the pair may encounter.

"The boat is one-and-a-half metres high, but it's built to withstand just about anything Mother Nature can throw at us," he said before embarking upon the ill-fated first attempt.

There have been 41 recorded attempts in the past, but only four pairs have ever successfully completed the 5,800-kilometre row.

Two French men set the world record of 85 days in 2012.