Benefits of Joining a Navigare Sea Trial
First-Hand Experience, Expert Guidance & a Taste of the Yachting Lifestyle
If you're considering buying a yacht, there’s no better way to be sure of your decision than by stepping aboard and setting sail. That’s exactly what our highly popular Sea Trials offer: an immersive, hands-on experience that goes far beyond what any boat show or brochure could ever provide.
During our Sea Trials, we invite a small number of potential future yacht owners to join us for a few unforgettable days at one of our bases—testing a yacht model under real-life conditions, meeting our team, and enjoying some of the world’s most beautiful sailing destinations all packed into a rewarding, hands-on, and very popular event format.
What Is a Sea Trial?
Think of a sea trial as the marine version of a test drive – only far more fun! Rather than winding your way through the crowded docks at a boat show or flipping through yacht specs online, you’ll actually sail the boat you’re considering buying (or a comparable model) alongside our expert crew. Over the course of two to three days, you’ll get a feel for how the yacht handles under sail, how comfortable it is to live aboard, and whether it suits your owner style and needs.
What Is the Purpose of a Sea Trial?
At its core, a sea trial is designed to give a potential buyer the confidence they need to move forward with the purchase. The sea trial lets you experience how the boat performs under real sailing conditions. It’s your opportunity to determine whether the yacht truly lives up to your expectations, both in terms of handling and liveability. Beyond the technical assessment, it’s also a chance to enjoy a mini getaway aboard a yacht you may soon call your own, explore one of our charter bases, and connect with the Navigare team, who will support your ownership journey every step of the way, including managing the yacht in our charter fleet and handling its maintenance work with utmost care.
Why Attend a Navigare Sea Trial?
There are many reasons to attend a sea trial. For starters, they are fun, informative, and incredibly valuable—especially if you’re on the fence about which yacht model or ownership program is right for you. Here’s what you’ll gain:
-
Hands-On Sailing Experience
It’s one thing to do a walkthrough of a yacht model when it’s docked at a boat show, it’s an entirely different thing to experience the vessel in action under sail over the course of several days. Whether you're eyeing a catamaran like the Lagoon 46 or a monohull like the Oceanis 40.1, there is no substitute for test sailing the boat, which lets you experience its performance, maneuverability, and onboard comfort in real-life conditions. -
Liveability and Layout Evaluation
How spacious is the galley? Is there enough storage for the type of cruises you are planning? Do the cabins feel comfortable? During a Sea Trial, you’ll be able to move through the yacht as if you already own it, assessing every detail—from flybridge visibility and deck space to below-deck acoustics and the amount of natural light in the salon. -
Connection With the Navigare Team
Our sea trials aren’t just about yachts—they’re about forming connections. You'll meet our base staff, crew members, and ownership experts in person. This helps build trust and gives you a clearer understanding of the people you’ll be working with and entrusting your yacht to if you join our ownership program. Besides our team, you’ll get the opportunity to connect with other like-minded individuals who are also on the journey of becoming yacht owners, and perhaps make some friends along the way. -
Preview Our Destinations
Our sea trials take place at Navigare bases in top sailing hubs like Croatia, Greece, Spain, and the Bahamas. It's a great opportunity to explore a destination where you might one day base your yacht. You get to visit and familiarize yourself with the marina and our facilities, talk to our base staff, and envision what your future ownership experience might look like.
Make It a Vacation
The Sea Trial itself is sure to bring lifelong memories, but why not make the most of your trip and turn it into a charter vacation? Many of our sea trial guests choose to extend their stay at the destination by chartering another yacht in our fleet. This gives you even more insight into how our yachts are maintained and how our bases operate—and lets you enjoy a well-deserved getaway at the same time.
A New Way to Explore Yacht Ownership Before Committing
More and more buyers are looking beyond traditional boat shows, opting instead for immersive experiences like sea trials and open-shipyard events. That’s why hands-on events that offer one-on-one expert attention, real-world sailing, and authentic insights into the yachting lifestyle are gaining momentum.
Navigare’s Sea Trials are part of this exciting evolution of events that offer hands-on opportunities to explore yacht ownership before committing to making a purchase. These events are more private and personalized than traditional boat shows and combine travel, test sailing, and personal service—all in one unforgettable experience.
What to Know Before You Join
- Participation is free, but attendees cover their own travel, accommodation, and provisioning expenses.
- Spaces are extremely limited, and spots fill up quickly, so early registration is essential.
- We update our Sea Trials event page regularly, so keep an eye out for upcoming opportunities.
In 2025, sea trials have already taken place in the Bahamas and Croatia, and our next ones are in the works!
Don’t Miss Your Chance
Sea Trials with Navigare Yachting offer a rare chance to sail before you buy, connect with our team, and truly experience the yacht ownership lifestyle. Whether you're still deciding between models or ready to finalize your investment, a sea trial is the perfect next step.
Ready to join the next one? Keep checking back on our event page and sign up early to get the chance to join. We can’t wait to help you take the helm of your future yacht ownership.
Navigare Yachting is a five-time 2024 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Award winner, trusted by over 400,000 charter guests since 2001. With over two decades of expertise and a global presence in 12 sought-after destinations, Navigare offers more than just unforgettable sailing experiences—we offer a smarter way to own a yacht. Whether you're looking to offset costs through charter income or enjoy hassle-free ownership with full-service management, Navigare Yachting makes yacht ownership seamless, rewarding, and global.