A sea trial is likely to run the outboard at RPMs that are outside of what the manufacturer proscribes during break in. A sea trial is the marine equivalent of a test drive, crucial for assessing a vessel's performance before it is fully commissioned or sold.A sea trial or trial trip is the testing phase of a watercraft (including boats, ships, and submarines). It is also referred to as a shakedown cruise. The US Navy's amphibious transport dock USS San Antonio (LPD 17) has started sea trials after undergoing an extensive maintenance period. Sea trials are an important step within the boat buying process that allows you to take a boat for "test run. The surveyor we've hired is supposed to be really good and he is known for finding just about everything that's wrong with the boat. Sea trials test EVERYTHING operational about a vessel to insure that the different systems and components operate within design specifications. It's a summons, it doesn't mean that you'll serve as a juror. Fun fact, we practice law in a small county near here and we had a jury trial.