[sailingfool]

I perceive the primary purpose of the sea trial to confirm the proper operation of that equipment which can be tested on land, primarily the engine and instruments such as depthsounder. During 5 or 6 boat buys/sells I have never had a surveyor sea trial the boat as part of the survey. Post survey I have had a mechanic sea trial the boat several times. If you can''t do a sea trial escrow the cost of replcing the untested ewquipment subject to confirmation of normal operation after launching.

PS - from personal experience also have an engine survey done by an diesel surveyor (not a regular marine surveyor). A sea trial will not identify a condition such as marginal compression.

As a lone voice in the wilderness, I encourage you to think twice about jumping into such a big boat. Not so much as to the risk of your learning experiences, as you seem to have the boat disease, but because of your reference to your family. In any first boat you will have learning experiences (i.e. make mistakes), but in a 15,000 lb. boat those mistakes can be far more scary or painful than in a 5,000 lb. boat. My personal opinion is that within the first two weeks of use one runs a 50% chance of scaring the hell out of the wife or kids such that they will never come back. Not to mention the real risk of hurting someone.
The way people successfully get into a big boat is via a small boat. If you start with a 25'' boat you can handle her more easily, your mistakes will be less visible and more manageable, and you can jump up again in a year, as a more knowledgeable and confident buyer.
One of the heardest things for a new sailing enthusiast to understand is that not everyone finds the sailing, or the boating experience fun, and the best way to increase the likelyhood of family members adopting, or at least tolerating, sailing is to bring them into it slowly, in very carefully limited and staged expereinces, until everyone is confortable with the program. Beat to windard at 30% on the first day, and someone may never return...Lose the family participation, and your boating pleasure will be greatly limited.

Good luck and welcome to the asylum.