Sea trial tips

mcanderson

mcanderson

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I will be conducting a sea trial on a boat we have had an offer accepted on this Friday (14 July). I will be accompanied by my surveyor who is doing the survey on Monday when the boat is being lifted for engine and outdrives service, bellows replaced, antifouling (Micron 77 (thanks JFM for your earlier write up on it, I stole the idea from you)) and polish.

So as this is my first sea trial on a power boat I am making lists of things to check.

So far I have : handling lock to lock at various speeds, min of 5 min run at max power to check for cooling issues, all electronics, all seacock, generator, air con, anchor winch, opening of all hatches and lockers, toilet, holding tank and pumps, drips and leaks from the hard top.

Please let me know what I have missed. I have watched the YBW video on sea trialling as well.

Thanks!
 
mcanderson said:
Please let me know what I have missed.
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An engineer for a start!

Also....

1) Try and measure the temperatures using an infrared thermometer (you can get one from Maplins). Look for any hot spots on the engines, cooling systems, pulleys, tensioners, etc.
2) You need to see if the boat still attains it's manufacturers maximum speed (measured two ways on GPS) and revs.
 
Check that you have enough fuel in the tank(s) for the sea trial. You know what these tight & skint mobo owners are like :)
 
Pete,

The engines are being serviced fully before the sea trial and will be tested as part of the service. I have asked for the report. The owner is paying for the service, but using the same VP agent as he has done since the boat was new. Also this coming Friday (14th) is a bit of a holiday in France and so getting another engineer is a bit of an issue.
 
mcanderson said:
Sandy,

Fuel. Good idea. Of course I sold my sail boat with a full tank! I should have demanded the same when buying!
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It was just a though. You never know. Years ago a friend took a boat out on trial & ran out of fuel by the Nab Tower. He assumed there would be a full tank. Had to be towed back into Pompey.
 
Sandyman said:
It was just a though. You never know. Years ago a friend took a boat out on trial & ran out of fuel by the Nab Tower. He assumed there would be a full tank. Had to be towed back into Pompey.
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Aha..he didn't check the fuel gauges too much on that test then!
 
Sandyman said:
It was just a though. You never know. Years ago a friend took a boat out on trial & ran out of fuel by the Nab Tower. He assumed there would be a full tank. Had to be towed back into Pompey.
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I once bought a brand new boat rook it from Liverpool to Holyhead. The following day I looked at the fuel gauge (on top of the tank) and it showed half full. So I went out for a trip. The boat ran out of fuel. The Fuel Gauge had stuck at Half Full.
I also assumed that the boatyard where I bought the boat from had filled the boat up from the 2 45 gallon drums of diesel which I had delivered to the boatyard. Which they had not done. Moral of the story Never Assume.
 
My biggest lesson is to get a good reputable engineer to give you a full report on the engines, don't rely on the standard survey report and don't use a manufacturers agent (i.e., Volvo), use an independent.

The largest area of financial risk is likely to be the engines so worth the extra imho.

Good luck!
 
crossy said:
My biggest lesson is to get a good reputable engineer to give you a full report on the engines, don't rely on the standard survey report and don't use a manufacturers agent (i.e., Volvo), use an independent.

The largest area of financial risk is likely to be the engines so worth the extra imho.

Good luck!
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Why would you not use a manufacturers agent ? I would expect they could find out more about the history than an independent would and will have any up to date info that would be relevant
 
You would have thought so but my experience was not the case.

I had the UK dealer for my engines do a full pre-purchase survey, sea trial and report for mine and said they were in A1 condition. From the moment I picked the boat up I did nothing but poor oil in the port engine every time I used it.

If and when next time comes it willl be a reputable independent mechanical surveyor and I will insist that he measures blow by on the crank case (a manometer will do this for you) to measure wear.

I'm sure your survey will be fine but this is just my experience.

Andrew
 
Boat2016 said:
Why would you not use a manufacturers agent ? I would expect they could find out more about the history than an independent would and will have any up to date info that would be relevant
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If you're only going to use a manufacturers agent to fix the engines then use one for the sea trial.

If you're happy to get the engines fixed by an independent then use an independent for the sea trial / inspection. He'll tell you what a manufactures agent will charge to rectify any issues and what they can be repaired for by himself.
 
There's a risk ,a small risk I know -that the service @ this time July and antifoul sends alarm bells to me .
I would want to drill down deeper in the paperwork and see invioces for lifts ,Andes -oil ,bellows etc in a timely manor .
Exactly how,s it ended up being done 24 hrs before you get your mits on it ?
Another thing -being done by the so called same guy -suggests to me ,he could be in ca hoots with the seller .
An old outdrive boat ( guessing circa 10 y old ) especially the DPH with external steering rams will be a money pit .
It's just a case of the seller hopefully pushing all the deffered maintenance €€€ on the buyer blinded by the "fresh service " by the sellers mate .

How do you ,or will you know there was or is any milky outdrive oil ?
Your surveyor won,t lift a spanner .

Over and above the above open all the floor hatches ,lift rhe cushions ,look under beds for evidence of structural cracks -delamination if it's a Bavaria ? .
Examine the turbo external casing for corossion and if poss try and look down the back of the engines ( before they get hot ) at risers for rust spots .

I would have Preffered a lot of paper work ,re engine services -2y ly bellows change -Preffer by a official VP agent .Last work done April /May to start the season --- sold as it is and when lifted an engineer to inspect the drives for milky oil , as well as give the engines a once over on the sea trail .

I,am not familiar with this handing money over before a test drive -you guys call a "deposit "

I never done that in the 5 boats -3 yachts 2 MoBo ,s I have bought .
Similarly ,when I sold boats -allowed prospective punter to have a good mooch about followed by a go in /on it ,with the agent accompanying them --- if it's in the water .

Good look .
 
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