Sea trial
An on-the-water test of the yacht under representative load, undertaken with the buyer's own captain candidate, surveyor, and chief engineer present.
The sea trial is the buyer's last technical inspection before closing. Trial scope covers the failure modes the pre-purchase survey identified, plus stability, vibration, noise, electronics under load, propulsion at full power, and emergency systems. The buyer's own captain candidate (and where relevant chief engineer) should be present alongside the surveyor. Findings can support renegotiation; readiness to walk away if material issues surface is the buyer's structural lever.