Sea Trial Before "New Boat" Purchase? - The Hull Truth

by Sea Spy

I agree with Tony. We bought a new boat last October. No survey, no sea trial. We bought the boat simply because it had the best layout for our needs and the fit and finish was top notch. I advised my parents not to buy without sea trial as I have been on plenty of poor riding boats to know that you may be spending a fortune on something that will get you drenched or pound you to death. We got lucky in terms of ride. It could have just as easily gone the other way. As for the survey, speaking from personal experience, on the day we picked up the new boat this Spring, all went well until powering up in the ocean. Engines stalled out and we lost power steering and electronics. The reason for this misfortune was electrical. One of the batteries was wired incorrectly. A survey could have identified this problem before pick-up. Although it was not a serious problem and we were on the water an hour later, its not something you want to happen on the first day out on your new boat. A buddy of mine...

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