Boat Sea Trials – Key Steps to Assess Your New Boat’s Performance

Boat Sea Trials are a crucial step in the boat-buying process, allowing potential owners to assess the performance and handling of their new vessel on the water. During these trials, it’s essential to start the engines and get underway smoothly to evaluate the boat’s responsiveness. Defining cruising speed and observing how the boat performs under different conditions can provide valuable insights into its capabilities.

A thorough mechanical survey is also vital to ensure everything is in top condition before making a purchase. These trials not only verify the boat’s condition but also help you feel confident in your investment. Ultimately, successful sea trials lead to a rewarding boating experience and enjoyment on the water.

New-Boat Sea Trials

Once the conditional offer has been accepted, the first contingency which must be dealt with is the sea trial. Many people who purchase smaller day cruisers do so without a sea trial. A prudent buyer should insist on the right to an on-the-water demonstration of the boat’s capabilities before final money changes hands. A reasonable seller should be willing to accommodate such a request. When purchasing a brand-new boat, the sea trial may actually be conducted on an identical vessel, already commissioned. In such a case, it may be wise to specify in the original offer that the vessel actually delivered will perform in a manner consistent with the boat which was used for sea trial.

Used-boat sea trials. On a used boat the offer should contain a clause requiring the boat to pass a mechanical as well as a hull survey. Your surveyors may prefer to be aboard for the sea trial, as there are certain observations which can be made when underway that might not be possible at the dock.

Weather considerations. The most informative sea trials are conducted in moderate winds on somewhat choppy seas. Since most sellers will postpone the sea trial if gale warnings are displayed, it is just as reasonable for the buyer to reschedule if the water is as calm as a millpond with little or no wind. Unless a boater plans to go out strictly in life-threatening situations or on the few days a year when the weather is perfect, a sea trial conducted under either extreme will yield very little of the information the buyer is interested in. Determine how the boat handles under the normal (and maybe slightly worse-than-normal) conditions to which the boat will typically be subjected. Getting a good «sea-trial day» is easier when buying a boat in the winter. If the boat under trial throws a large enough wake or if there are a number of other boats in the vicinity creating reasonably large wakes, the resulting wave action can be a sort of substitute for a decent 10- to 20-knot wind. Using wakes instead of waves to test handling characteristics requires a lot of radical helmsmanship, including a number of sharp port and starboard turns into the boat’s own wake.

Starting the Engines

It is better if the engines are not already warmed up when you arrive for a sea trial. If an engine is difficult to start when cold, a seller can conceal this by letting the engine run for 10 or 15 minutes before the buyer arrives. The temperature gauges should read at the extreme cold end of their range when the starting switch is first engaged.

When the engines are started and idling at the dock, this is an excellent time to examine the exhaust. On twin-engine boats the amount and color of exhaust should be about the same from both exhaust ports, and the exhaust should not be overly black or blue in color. Black exhaust is usually the by-product of an engine running too rich; blue exhaust is usually associated with oil burning due to worn rings, valve guides, or both. Technical Recommendations for Choosing Engines for a BoatsDiesel engines will have a visible exhaust smoke for the first few minutes following a cold start. A reasonable amount of cooling water should splash out every several seconds from any engine exhaust port. And again, on twin-engine boats the amount should be fairly equal, or one engine may have a raw-water cooling pump in need of replacement.

Getting Underway

Most sellers or brokers will insist on handling the boat when leaving the dock. The potential for damage to the boat or other craft nearby is too great to turn the controls over to a helmsman unfamiliar with a specific vessel. While observing the process of getting underway, note which direction the winds and currents are flowing and what effect this seems to have on the maneuverability of the boat. A question such as «does this boat seem to be more susceptible to wind or to current when docking?» might serve to open some conversation regarding close-quarters handling and docking characteristics.

Defining Cruising Speed

In open water, the buyer should be allowed to take control of the boat. One item to perform during the trial will be a cruising speed survey. An aspect many sellers misrepresent, either through plain ignorance or by intent, is the speed at which a boat will cruise. Cruising speed is not top speed but a speed at which the engines can propel a boat through the water for extended periods of time without overheating or undue mechanical stress. Many diesel engines cruise comfortably at about 75-80 percent of their maximum rpm. Gasoline engines may red line at around 5 500 rpm, but for normal sustained operation, most will give longer and more reliable service at no more than 60-70 percent of that number. The optimum usage of available engine rpms will vary by application, and manufacturer recommendations should be noted for various vessel and propeller combinations. The seller or broker should be able to furnish the rpm at which a boat will cruise, and the reliability of the information can be verified by keeping an eye on the temperature gauge.

The Speed Trial. Speed-indicating instruments on boats are seldom extremely accurate. A speed run will establish the cruising speed capabilities of a boat as well as indicate the amount of variation between actual speed made good and the speed indicated on the speed log or speedometer. In many areas, there are measured-mile markers where boats are taken for speed tests, but any course of known exact distance which can be established on a chart will do as well. While up to cruising speed, the boat enters the measured course from either end and a careful notation of the number of minutes and seconds required to run the course is made. The boat is then operated at the same tpm back through the course in the other direction and timed as well. By averaging the two elapsed times, the effects of wind and currents will be nullified and a speed can be determined. The formula for computing speed is 60 divided by the number of minutes per nautical mile equals speed. A 6-knot cruising speed covers a nautical mile in 10 minutes, a 10-knot cruiser does a mile in 6 minutes, 15 knots takes 4 minutes, 20 knots takes 3 minutes, and so on, (Fractional minutes must be converted into decimal equivalents before making the calculation. Divide 60 by the number of seconds to determine the decimal equivalent of the seconds elapsed.)

Top Speed. Top speed can be extrapolated accurately enough from cruising speed. It wouldn’t be wise or even necessary to ever operate a boat with a wide open throttle for more than a few seconds at a time except for a racing situation. If a boat is listed with a cruising speed of 12 and a top speed of 14 and easily makes 12 during the speed survey, the 14 is probably technically achievable as well. A boat listed with a cruising speed of 8 and top speed of 10 that struggles to do a strong 7 during speed trial may have been misrepresented, may have had a prop change, or developed a fouled bottom since the last speed survey (possibly both), and probably won’t do the 10 knots, either.

Circular sea trials. A recommended course in a sea trial is a large circle, perhaps a mile or so in diameter. Running this course once to starboard and once to port will expose a boat to head seas, quartering and beam seas both starboard and port, and following seas. Note how much the boat pitches or slams in head seas, rolls in beam or quartering seas, or tends to wallow and wander in following seas. Particularly on boats with hulls that have a tendency to plane, it is important to vary the speed of the vessel widely enough to experience the changes in handling characteristics. At the helm, the prospective buyer should feel comfortable with the visibility afforded for maneuvering in tight quarters.

Miscellaneous testing. A sea trial provides an opportunity to check various systems aboard a boat which could not be adequately tested dockside. Autopilots and plotters can be tested while underway, and radar safely activated without concern for endangering people standing on a nearby dock.

Load factors. During a sea trial it is important to note the amount of fuel and water aboard. A boat which appeals to a purchaser because «it cruises at 20 knots» should be able to do so with fuel and water tanks topped off, since no reasonable boater goes cruising with a nearly empty water tank and one- eighth of a tank of fuel. Sellers may be understandably reluctant to completely fuel a boat for sea trial, but filling the water tanks costs virtually nothing. If the boat with a large fuel capacity is low on fuel (and therefore lighter), you should expect that the advertised cruising speed will be reached very easily indeed. Optional equipment, a large group of people aboard, and a:

• half-ton of pots;
• pans;
• canned goods;
• clothing;
• tools;
• and sporting goods stowed away will affect final performance as well.

Concluding the sea trial. The seller or broker will want to take the helm again when approaching the dock. Assuming that the boat has handled in a satisfactory manner, the performance has been as advertised and expected, and no major defects which the seller cannot or will not cure have been discovered, the buying process has evolved to the survey stage.

The Survey

Hull survey. The survey process begins with hiring a surveyor. On a used vessel, it is prudent to use two surveyors: one for a hull survey and one for a mechanical survey. Very few surveyors will have the required knowledge to competently perform both surveys.

DIY Yacht Survey: Hull, Deck, and Below Deck Inspections ExplainedHull surveyors are charged with rendering an informed opinion, following a thorough inspection, of the structural soundness, overall condition, and, on a used vessel, an approximate value. A surveyor will list exceptions or defects discovered, and a buyer must be willing to accept that on anything as complex as a powerboat there will always be an opportunity to improve, repair, or replace some aspects or items. The items discovered in a survey may be as minor as «latch on transom door should be reattached with larger screws», or as major as «extensive laminate blistering throughout hull». It is the seller’s responsibility to cure any defects discovered, and the buyer’s prerogative to withdraw from the sale if the defects are major in nature and/or the seller is unwilling to make the required corrections. In some cases, defects discovered during survey are cured by the buyer, following an additional price concession by the seller. Most financial institutions and insurance companies will want to examine the survey report and be assured that any significant exceptions have been fixed before a loan is finalized or an insurance policy issued for a boat.

Hiring a Surveyor. o get a thorough and excellent hull survey, you must hire a thorough and excellent surveyor. If the broker says, «We always use Hoboken Smith to survey the boats we sell», be aware that Hoboken may feel greater loyalty to the broker’s interests in the sale than to the buyer’s. It might very well be that Mr. Smith is the most qualified surveyor available, and if so there would be no particular reason to avoid using his services. However, it is a sad fact that in many localities a man can be a butcher or a cab driver on Saturday, print some business cards and hang up a sign on Sunday, and be a marine surveyor on Monday. Some of these «surveyors» are back driving cab, cutting meat, or have taken up real estate appraisal 30 days later. So it can be important when hiring a surveyor to ask for some references and to inquire as to the length of applicable professional experience.

Certified Surveyors. Many of the more reputable and capable surveyors belong to one or more of the national organizations which certify surveyors, such as:

• the National Association of Marine Surveyors;
• the Society of American Marine Surveyors;
• or the American Boat and Yacht Council.

Locating a Surveyor. Marine insurance companies routinely require boats that they have insured for several years to be periodically re-surveyed to detect deteriorating conditions which might ultimately result in large insurance losses. Most marine insurance companies can recommend particular surveyors with whom they have had good experience. Unless you live in a very small community, it may be necessary to get four or five recommendations on surveyors before an individual name begins to stand out. Some surveyors in a given area may be specialists or particular experts in a field such as wooden hulls, and could be the best choice depending on individual circumstances.

Hauling Out. To perform a thorough survey, the surveyor will need access to the bottom of the boat and it will be necessary to have the vessel hauled, an expense commonly absorbed by the buyer. The surveyor will spend considerable time tapping the hull with a small mallet in order to listen for any – changes in sound which might indicate a decaying wooden member or a section of delaminating fiberglass. For most boaters, there are few opportunities to examine the under-side of their boats without donning fins and snorkel, and the survey haul-out is a great opportunity to become familiar with a vessel below the waterline.

Read also: Yacht Financing: Your Complete Guide to Funding Your Dream Boat

Mechanical Survey

An engine and marine-transmission survey can be con- ducted by an expert mechanic familiar with the particular brand of engine aboard. Major engine manufacturers will usually have a dealer for their particular product in an area, and this dealer will ordinarily have the most informed personnel available to analyze the condition of their franchised brand of engine, Ask for a cost estimate for any recommended adjustments or repairs, as these are items which can properly be topics for negotiation with the broker or seller. The engine surveyor will typically want to withdraw a couple of ounces of crankcase oil to be sent to a laboratory for analysis. A good oil analysis, properly interpreted, will be extremely useful in arriving at a well-founded opinion of an engine’s mechanical condition. When the engine surveyor is aboard, don’t forget to have the generator inspected as well.

Wrapping Up the Deal

The marine mortgage. For the majority of boaters, much of the paperwork revolves around the Mastering the Boat Buying Process – Essential Steps from Negotiation to Ownershipprocessing of a boat loan or marine mortgage. The lender will almost always require a copy of the surveyor’s report and valuation when financing a used boat. A knowledgeable lender will want some evidence that the work called for in the survey has been completed and will require some proof of insurance coverage as well.

Insurance

Shop for insurance. Various underwriting companies evaluate risks differently and insurance premiums are not even close to standardized for any class of boat throughout the industry. While marine insurance brokers would have you believe that «everybody’s rates are about the same; the difference is service and ours is the best,» first-hand experience indicates that some insurance quotes can be as much as double those of other companies. Marine insurance policies usually carry at least a 1 percent deductible, ($ 1 500 on a $ 150 000 boat), so while marine repairs are expensive, a boater will not be involving the insurance company in every little scratch or scrape that results from bumping the dock during a difficult landing. Boaters in areas where hurricanes occur with any frequency will pay more for marine insurance than boaters who restrict their cruising to relatively calm, inland waters with less hazardous weather patterns.

Documentation. Boats will either be documented by the Coast Guard or titled and registered with the state government in which the boat is permanently moored. Coast Guard documentation is a way of registering a vessel in a country (the US) rather than registering the vessel in a particular state. In states where an annual excise tax is collected on boats, even vessels which are Coast Guard documented and have never been issued a state title are usually required to obtain a certificate of state registration and pay the annual tax.

Sales tax. A majority of states collect a sales tax when a boat is sold. A few boaters cook up elaborate schemes to register their boats in states where there is no sales tax, but this approach is seldom practical or ultimately successful. Sales-tax states have fairly universally adopted laws which require either sales tax or an equivalent use tax to be paid on a boat that remains in state waters for more than 60 or 90 days, unless it can be established that sales tax has already been paid elsewhere. Boaters who relocate to a state with higher sales taxes may discover that they must pay a tax equal to the difference in the sales tax paid in the state of purchase and the sales tax due in the state of new residence. Unfortunately, boaters moving from a high sales-tax state into a lower sales-tax state cannot expect a corresponding refund!

Charter boat tax breaks. In many states there is no sales tax on boats purchased for commercial operation or for use as charter. To prevent the complete loss of tax revenue that would result from every boater declaring a new vessel is being purchased «for charter», a state will ordinarily require a business license be obtained and will collect sales taxes on both the revenues developed from the chartering operations and a use tax due when the owner of a commercial charter vessel uses the boat for personal rather than business purposes. Insurance premiums and finance interest rates will both be higher for commercial boats, so going commercial is a poor tax dodge indeed.

Legal Advice. Dealing with the majority of banks and major finance institutions is usually a low-risk proposition, but for those boaters who feel more comfortable discussing the forms and documents with an attorney, this is the opportunity to do so. Most large institutions will resist rewriting a loan document to change verbiage or clauses which a buyer’s attorney doesn’t like (they would, after all, have to run any changes past their own attorneys), but at least the legally counseled borrower can be prepared to sign the loan agreement with a full understanding of the terms and conditions it contains.

Congratulations

Taking delivery. In most boating communities it is possible to take some on-the-water training in basic boat handling from certified instructors. During the time between the offer to purchase being accepted and the day of delivery, some training for a novice skipper is well advised. Unless you are quite justifiably confident of your ability to handle your new boat, it is a good idea to enlist a qualified friend or even hire a licensed captain to assist when taking delivery. Your fellow boaters will have little or no patience for any damage done when a beginner careens down the fairway learning to navigate by the Braille method. Before leaving the dock, make certain that all required Coast Guard equipment is aboard, including a life jacket for everybody, and be cognizant of the locations of fire extinguishers and the first-aid kit. Most brokers will assist in helping a new boater become familiar with the controls and instrumentation of a newly acquired vessel.

Shakedown cruises. It could be a mistake to pick up a freshly acquired boat on the first day of a summer’s vacation and set out on a lengthy cruise to a remote anchorage. A few local shakedown journeys would be better, allowing a boater to become familiar with the vessel’s operational tendencies and to put all of the systems through an initial, real-world test.

Yacht Clubs

Consider joining a yacht club. Most yacht clubs don’t fit the stereotypical image of a group of business tycoons sitting around in blue blazers and white slacks, polishing their brass buttons and looking down their disapproving noses at the rest of mankind.

In most clubs, a fairly congenial atmosphere prevails among a group of genuinely nice people (boating tends to be a fairly humbling experience), and the majority of members really perceive themselves as «boaters» rather than «yachtsmen». A new boater could do far worse than to develop a couple of dozen more experienced friends willing to share their knowledge and experiences and shorten the learning curve considerably. While some clubs can be prohibitively expensive or require a fairly blue-blooded personal pedigree, the majority of yacht clubs are not ridiculously exclusive or beyond the financial means of most boaters. See you on the water …