The research vessel NARA equipped with an azimuth thruster system was built in 2015. There are few vessels with this propulsion system in Korea. This vessel has two modes such as the normal for maneuvering and the power for investigation, and the other two modes as one axis and two axes on the operating. This type of vessels does not seem to have a clear grasp of the maneuvering character in comparison with the vessel with a conventional propulsion system. So the authors carried out the sea test for the turning, the zigzag and the inclination, and the results are as follows. In turning test, the case of using the two axes mode is much better than the case of using the one axis mode for the elements of turning, such as advance, transfer, tactical diameter and final diameter, but turning hard over the rudder in full speed is very vulnerable to capsize in both modes. In zigzag test, the yaw quicking responsibility index,  is very large excessively, which means a bad counter maneuvering ability, so an operator has to keep in mind that in turning operation. If necessary to avoid collision at head on situation, it may be a more effective method to use the crash astern stop than the turning according to the conditions and circumstances for the shortest stopping distance is very short.