Check these valuable tips before buying a used sailboat trailer
Issue 33 : Nov/Dec 2003
For the most part, sailboat trailers are semi-custom, owing to the fact that each must be designed and built to accommodate a specific sailboat model’s hull and keel configuration. This factor alone makes them very expensive. For example, a new trailer capable of hauling, launching, and retrieving a typical 25-foot trailersailer with a shoal-draft keel and centerboard and weighing around 5,000 pounds can range in price from $4,500 to $8,000. A comparable used trailer, on the other hand, may cost from 10 to 90 percent less than a new one. This significant variation in price has to do with the trailer’s age, model, and, most of all, condition.
To find the right used trailer for your trailersailer, become an educated consumer. The first step is contacting the sailboat’s manufacturer and asking for recommendations. After all, who else would better know the sailboat’s underwater configuration? If the manufacturer is no longer in business, check out the owners’ association. One way to find sailboat owners’ associations is on the Good Old Boat website.
Query several members and ask them what make and type trailers they use. Also talk with other sailors who have the same or similar boats. Boattrailer manufacturers are another source of specifications. Armed with this newly acquired information, you’re ready to search the used trailer market.
Where to look
Unfortunately, I know of no “Used Sailboat Trailer Store.” You’ll need to get creative in your search. The classified section of your local newspaper will probably be the best source of leads. Other places to look for used sailboat trailers include your local Boat Trader publication if there is one, marinas, boat dealers and brokers, local chandlery bulletin boards, and the Internet. Don’t despair. While used powerboat trailers are more common and cheaper, sailboat trailers are not as rare as hen’s teeth.
If powerboat trailers are common, you may consider obtaining a powerboat trailer and modifying it. While this may sound simple, it isn’t. Most powerboat trailers have their axles located too far back to make for a good conversion. Furthermore, the rated capacity of the powerboat trailer will probably be too low since powerboats don’t have a weighted keel like sailboats do. And finally, in order to make a safe conversion you’ll need significant mechanical and engineering skills and possibly access to specialized tools and equipment. However, if you are not yet dissuaded, check out Chuck Fort’s article in the September 2000 issue of Good Old Boat, “Bringing Baby Home.”
What to look for
When checking out a used sailboat trailer, the first item to note is its rated capacity. This information is listed on the manufacturer’s identification plate, which is located on the trailer’s tongue. Remember that the capacity is not just the base weight of your boat but also the combined weight of the boat, motor, fuel, water, provisions, and anchor tackle, along with all accessories and personal gear you have or might have aboard. Adding all these together — plus a safety factor of perhaps 10 percent— yields a “trailer weight capacity.” Make sure the trailer you’re considering has that capacity or a bit more. Don’t skimp or go borderline. On the other side of the coin, it is not necessary to get way more capacity than you need. The stiff ride resulting from the heavier suspension could damage your sailboat’s hull.
In addition to being able to bear the load of boat, motor, gear, and so on, the trailer should conform to the shape of your sailboat’s hull. While most trailers have multiple adjustment points, not even the most adjustable trailer can be properly fitted for every sailboat. In determining whether or not a trailer will fit your sailboat, the most important area is the support system. The supports should be located at reinforced or structural areas of your boat, such as the bulkheads and the keel.
There should be enough supports on both sides, beneath the hull, and at the bow to distribute the weight. The support arrangement should avoid excessive pressure at any one point and inhibit lateral and forward movement of the craft during transport. The supports also should be situated so the boat is carried as low as possible. This keeps the center of gravity close to the road and makes for easier ramp launching and retrieval. If the supports are properly arranged, during launch and retrieval the boat’s hull will be constantly centered on the trailer and will not scrape along any unpadded parts of the trailer.
Personal preferences
As it is with sailboats, so is it with sailboat trailers . . . some things are givens, some are negotiable, and others fall into the category of personal preference. With trailer weight capacity and the matching of its supports to the sailboat’s hull being givens and non-negotiable, such things as bunks vs. rollers, painted frame vs. galvanized, and single-axle vs. tandem fall into the latter categories.
Bunk-type trailers have carpeted rails, or “bunks,” from which shallow-draft boats are floated on and off and deeper-draft boats are slid on and off. They are designed for relatively steep and deep launching ramps where the trailer is immersed over the top of its fenders. The principal advantage of bunk-type trailers is that, with proper adjustment, there is continuous fore-and-aft hull support, which equates to minimum risk of damage to the hull from jolts and bounces when being transported. Also, bunk-type trailers can be as much as 25-percent cheaper than roller-type trailers.
Roller-type trailers employ low-friction rubber or synthetic rollers mounted on adjustable brackets to make launching and retrieval easier. Since bunk-type trailers do not allow boats to slide on and off without some difficulty, roller-type trailers can be used on launching ramps with a more gradual incline. On steep ramps, it is easier to winch a heavier boat onto a roller-type trailer than it is to skid it onto a bunk-type trailer. The extra hardware involved on a roller-type trailer justifies its higher cost.
If you’re sailing in salt water, a galvanized trailer is superior to one that is painted. It will also be more expensive. Painted trailers will stand up to many years of saltwater service if they are judiciously rinsed with fresh water after each and every immersion in salt water and if care is taken to touch up any nicks with rust-preventive paint.
A tandem-axle trailer (two or three axles) generally can carry more load than a single-axle trailer, simply because the load is dispersed over more tires, springs, and so on. Compared to single-axle trailers, tandem-axle trailers give a smoother ride. However, maneuverability is impaired because of a tandem-axle trailer’s tendency to track in a straight line. Should you get a blowout with a tandem-axle trailer, you might be able to limp along on three or more tires. With a single-axle trailer, you’d best have a spare, a jack, and the tools to make the change.
Check the condition
With the trailer’s capacity and support configuration properly matched to your sailboat, attention should be directed toward the trailer’s condition. Condition easily equates to money saved or spent and/or negotiating room.
Tires: After years of occasional use, the tread of trailer tires may still be adequate. However, long-term exposure to the sun’s UV rays may have resulted in the deterioration of the sidewalls, characterized by numerous small cracks. If this is the case, the tires will need to be replaced no matter what the tread looks like.
If the tires appear to be in good shape, confirm that they are of the proper capacity. The capacity is listed on the tire’s sidewall and must be equal to or greater than the load being carried divided by the number of tires on the trailer. This includes the weight of the boat and the trailer. If the load being carried is 3,600 pounds, each tire on a single-axle trailer must be rated to be at least 1,800 pounds capacity.
Also, do not mix bias and radial tires; they must be of the same size and one type or the other. The construction and performance characteristics of radial and bias tires are significantly different; mixing them can result in severe trailering difficulties.
Wheel bearings: The most critical areas on a boat trailer are the wheel bearings. When the trailer is immersed in water, rapid cooling takes place, causing the grease and any trapped air in the wheel hubs to shrink. The resulting vacuum draws water into the hubs and can cause corrosion and bearing failure. Check the condition of the bearings, even if they have bearing protectors installed. Make certain that the bearings are in good condition and that the hubs are filled with grease.
Suspension: Inspect the springs to make sure they have the same number of leaves and no broken leaves. Since the springs are usually unpainted, don’t be too concerned about surface rust. However, if the rusting appears to be excessive, a closer look is warranted, especially if the trailer has seen saltwater service. Leaf springs are generally attached to the trailer frame by means of shackles held in place by bolts. Over time and use, these bolts wear to the point that they need to be replaced. A visual inspection will generally reveal what, if anything, needs to be done.
Lights: Make sure the trailer lights work. Water and electricity do not mix well. When warm bulbs hit cold water at the launch ramp, the bulbs often break. Check them. Also, light sockets can corrode, making for a poor electrical connection. More often than not, a poor ground is the culprit when lights don’t work. The ground wire is usually white. If the lights are still not functioning properly, suspect a short, an open circuit, or a poor connection. You now have a bit of negotiating room in your purchase.
Brakes: If the trailer is equipped with brakes, inspect them when you are checking out the condition of the wheel bearings. Excessive corrosion of the braking components may indicate that the brakes are seized. In addition to corrosion, note the thickness of the pads or shoes. If possible, activate the brakes slowly and determine if they work. With surge brakes, this can be done by applying reverse pressure on the hitch, which in turn activates the master cylinder. If the brakes are electric, lightly press the lever on the actuator.
Rust: Technically speaking, rust results from the oxidation of iron. It occurs when steel comes in contact with water. If salt is present, the process is accelerated. On a boat trailer, unchecked corrosion can eat away exposed steel surfaces. This can result in a gradual thinning and eventually failure of a trailer’s frame component. A good visual inspection, along with a bit of hammer tapping and screwdriver poking and scraping will tell you a lot.
Structural integrity: This is not difficult and can even be fun. Look at the frame components carefully. Make sure they are not bent. Wiggle everything and test each bolt and nut for tightness. Check welds or bends for cracks and crevice corrosion. When in doubt, give the questionable area a love tap with a handy 3-pound sledge hammer. If the noise produced is not a “clang” but rather a dull “thunk,” some repair work may be needed.
More tests
If all has gone well so far, examine the winch and make sure it is not rusted to the point of being inoperable. Test the brake-and-locking mechanism. Confirm that it works in both directions. This small device prevents the crank from spinning out of control. Winch line is usually galvanized or made of stainless steel, but it can be synthetic web strapping or even rope. Cable may rust or its strands may break over time, causing weakness and ultimately resulting in failure. Synthetics will deteriorate more rapidly due to UV degradation. Pay out the entire line and examine it closely.
Inspect the hitch and work the locking mechanism to determine that it is operable. This latch or screwtype mechanism will keep the coupled trailer and tow vehicle from coming apart. Safety chains should be present and permanently attached to the trailer’s tongue.
With roller-type trailers, make sure that all of the rollers are present and that they turn freely. Broken or severely cracked rollers must be replaced. Rock all roller assemblies back and forth and side to side, confirming that their pivot points move easily.
Check the undersides of the carpeted rails on bunk-type trailers. Broken, badly cracked, or rotten wooden rails need to be replaced. Slide your hands over the carpeted areas. Make sure that none of the fasteners holding the carpeting down are protruding. These can gouge or even puncture the sailboat’s hull.
Final thoughts
While searching for a suitable used sailboat trailer may appear to an overwhelming undertaking, keep in mind that trailersailing has never looked better. Slip rentals and winter storage fees continue to go up at an alarming rate, and mooring space is virtually nonexistent in many areas. These are inconveniences that do not plague the trailer sailor. Depending upon your home port, you could experience the thrill of a freshwater regatta today and enjoy saltwater cruising tomorrow. Unlike its waterbound cousins, the trailersailer is not limited by range.
Thank you to Sailrite Enterprises, Inc., for providing free access to back issues of Good Old Boat through intellectual property rights. Sailrite.com
