'I Need a New Boat Trailer for My Sailboat' He Stated
by：Snowaves Mechanical
2020-08-28
Not long ago, I was at the marina hanging out with a friend and I started talking to an older gentleman (midlife crisis age) and his newest younger wife. 'A perfect day for sailing,' I started out and we got to talking. He said he wanted to buy a trailer for his boat so he could travel up the coast in the summer and doing some sailing about 2,000 miles from here.
Of course, we both knew that picking out the right trailer is paramount to keep from damaging your pride and joy. You see, if you own a boat and would like to move it around then chances are you will need a boat trailer, one which is tough, properly sized, has brakes, and proper balancing when your boat is riding on it.
Believe it or not boat insurance claims on the road are nearly as high as mistakes which have led to accidents on the water. Thus, it makes a lot of sense to pay attention when purchasing a boat trailer. So, let's discuss this issue with some helpful hints and tips;
1. First, decide if you are primarily going to use this boat trailer to take it from the marina to a storage location; or if you are going to use the trailer to take your boat to another recreational spot from time to time? If the later, you'll want a decent tacking trailer for highway speeds. If not, you'll simply want a super tough, tank-like platform which can distribute the weight evenly over many months.
2. It makes sense to buy a boat trailer that is over-rated for the weight of your boat, stronger than needed, as this gives you room for errors, which can occur entering or exiting tricky drive-ways, or bumpy roads.
3. Make sure any used boat trailer you buy has very little corrosion and no major rust, as this over time fatigues the metal frame's integrity.
4. Always buy a boat trailer which has a fully water proofed electrical system for lights, wires, and brakes.
5. Make sure the axles have the equivalent of buddy-bearings so water will not get into the greased areas.
6. Watch for checked or warn tires. Tandem axled, or tri-axled trailers often have extra wear on the tires from the tires sliding sideways on shaper turns during low-speed towing. Checked tires could mean that the side walls are weak, thus no longer at the tolerances to hold their weight rating.
You really want a float-on trailer and a long neck, short coupled boat trailers are a problem, and you are not always privy to have a crane to set your boat onto a trailer, nor do you really want that anyway. Please consider all this, and make sure the boat trailer is properly registered and that your tow vehicle is capable of that weight; boat + trailer. Think on this.
Of course, we both knew that picking out the right trailer is paramount to keep from damaging your pride and joy. You see, if you own a boat and would like to move it around then chances are you will need a boat trailer, one which is tough, properly sized, has brakes, and proper balancing when your boat is riding on it.
Believe it or not boat insurance claims on the road are nearly as high as mistakes which have led to accidents on the water. Thus, it makes a lot of sense to pay attention when purchasing a boat trailer. So, let's discuss this issue with some helpful hints and tips;
1. First, decide if you are primarily going to use this boat trailer to take it from the marina to a storage location; or if you are going to use the trailer to take your boat to another recreational spot from time to time? If the later, you'll want a decent tacking trailer for highway speeds. If not, you'll simply want a super tough, tank-like platform which can distribute the weight evenly over many months.
2. It makes sense to buy a boat trailer that is over-rated for the weight of your boat, stronger than needed, as this gives you room for errors, which can occur entering or exiting tricky drive-ways, or bumpy roads.
3. Make sure any used boat trailer you buy has very little corrosion and no major rust, as this over time fatigues the metal frame's integrity.
4. Always buy a boat trailer which has a fully water proofed electrical system for lights, wires, and brakes.
5. Make sure the axles have the equivalent of buddy-bearings so water will not get into the greased areas.
6. Watch for checked or warn tires. Tandem axled, or tri-axled trailers often have extra wear on the tires from the tires sliding sideways on shaper turns during low-speed towing. Checked tires could mean that the side walls are weak, thus no longer at the tolerances to hold their weight rating.
You really want a float-on trailer and a long neck, short coupled boat trailers are a problem, and you are not always privy to have a crane to set your boat onto a trailer, nor do you really want that anyway. Please consider all this, and make sure the boat trailer is properly registered and that your tow vehicle is capable of that weight; boat + trailer. Think on this.
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