Fresh Water VS Salt Water Trailers

[HubbaHubbaLife]

Gents..... I'm exploring options on restoring/ replacing my Magic tube trailer or buying a new Galvanized or Aluminum trailer. I'm a salt guy but when I decide to sell the boat in spring it'll most likely be owned next by a fresh only guy taking it out on the Colorado where most of you guys boat. If I restore the present trailer to mint condition and continue to launch in salt for 6 months it'll just begin to show rust again. When I bought the boat/ trailer 4 years ago the trailer looked new having never seen salt... now its a rusty mess. I only use it to store and launch through a service in Newport Beach and always wash it down well but boy was Neil Young correct, Rust Never Sleeps. If anyone has solution oriented ideas I'd enjoy hearing them....

 

[TPC]

My worst boating experience was buying and dealing with Pacific Trailers.
Bad trailers. Worst salt water trailers.
Horrible people to deal with.
That’s all I have to contribute.

 

[HubbaHubbaLife]

Says a lot really, off the list they go..... power of the internet baby.

 

[Checkmate21]

A tube trailer will rust away from the inside if used in salt water. Get a Galvanized channel trailer or better yet, a Aluminum trailer. Tube trailers look great but are for fresh water only. No Salt!

 

[WYRD]

Get a tube trailer and Crane launch for the next 6 mo.

 

[HubbaHubbaLife]

Fellas... awesome feedback. Checkmate21 you are correct, I've since had a ton oh info shared in speaking with the trailer manufacturers.

WYRD.... what an extraordinary idea. Brilliant concept and may work given I have a rack system here in Newport Harbor. Never would have thought of that solution. I could somehow dump my rusted trailer... place bought at rack till I'm ready to sell .... and buy a new fresh water tube trailer for the Magic river audience which is where she'll end up for sure. if you haven't heard it recently, I'll just tell you.... you're quite the brainiac.

 

[WYRD]

Fellas... awesome feedback. Checkmate21 you are correct, I've since had a ton oh info shared in speaking with the trailer manufacturers.

WYRD.... what an extraordinary idea. Brilliant concept and may work given I have a rack system here in Newport Harbor. Never would have thought of that solution. I could somehow dump my rusted trailer... place bought at rack till I'm ready to sell .... and buy a new fresh water tube trailer for the Magic river audience which is where she'll end up for sure. if you haven't heard it recently, I'll just tell you.... you're quite the brainiac.

I'll be sure to pass your assessment along to my wife, she hasn't yet received that memo

 

[ChumpChange]

Why so sure it’s going to the Colorado? What kind of boat is it? I always enjoyed cruising the harbor. Are you out or newport dunes?

 

[HubbaHubbaLife]

ChumpChange.... Its a 30' Magic Wizard.... open bow/ cuddy design. Well, my hopes are that she'll find a new owner here in Newport Harbor so I can still appreciate her beauty as she opens up going out of the channel. But the vast Magic audience and at 30' the percentages are in favor of her ending up flying up/ down a river. Personally, for me there's noting like the feeling I get when I haul tail out of the harbor into open ocean. Matter of fact heading to Catalina later today for an overnight.... epic water conditions now so whales/ dolphins galore!

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

Save your money........rack storage

 

[ToMorrow44]

If you used your tube steel trailer in saltwater, it’s already on its way out. My trailer looked pretty good and I was gonna have it refurbished when it literally fell apart. This was maybe 10 uses in saltwater..? I think the paint was the only thing holding it together.

If you want to use the trailer in salt, aluminum is the way to go, but they have a lot of downsides. Most are bolt together, they flex, they’re not balanced right, they don’t support the boat, and they tow like shit. Exceptions would be your Mycos, Manning, Pacific welded aluminum trailer.

Another option, which I currently have, is a c-channel steel trailer. I don’t do any salt water boating anymore, but with a C channel frame, all metal is painted and protected, nowhere for saltwater to hide, and if something does start to rust, you can see it unlike a tube trailer. I think Pacific does c-channel steel and Adrenaline maybe too.

 

[77charger]

C channel steel no where for water to collect.Proper wash down and cleaning it will last.I use my boat in long beach harbor here and there since 2002 no major rust spots.Ive learned that right as you launch boat head to washdown station rinse off the salt water before it dries then of course a good wash when you get home.

No way id take a tube frame trailer water gets in and harder for it to get out.

 

[GregG]

On welded aluminum, I like Manning. Only a few folks left doing C channel open steel. Then you have to determine what gauge they are using and how they apply the paint. I had a C channel trailer from VM which lasted forever in salt. Very high quality trailer. They are worth adding to your list.

VM Custom Boat Trailers
Phone: (559) 486-0410
Fax: (559) 486-0427
Email: [email protected]

 

[ToMorrow44]

On welded aluminum, I like Manning. Only a few folks left doing C channel open steel. Then you have to determine what gauge they are using and how they apply the paint. I had a C channel trailer from VM which lasted forever in salt. Very high quality trailer. They are worth adding to your list.

VM Custom Boat Trailers
Phone: (559) 486-0410
Fax: (559) 486-0427
Email: [email protected]

Nice, I had never heard of VM before, just looked them up. Looks like they do some good work.

 

[hallett21]

What’s a rough cost of welded aluminum vs standard C channel steel trailer?

Figure 2 axle with brakes on one axel and standard legal lighting.


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[GregG]

What’s a rough cost of welded aluminum vs standard C channel steel trailer?

Figure 2 axle with brakes on one axel and standard legal lighting.


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Not a lot of difference in cost. Some of the vendors work with steel and some with aluminum. Quality welds are equal.

 

[hallett21]

Not a lot of difference in cost. Some of the vendors work with steel and some with aluminum. Quality welds are equal.

Honestly I think I’d rather a welded aluminum. Easy clean up and if the boat ever went in the salt I would cry less lol


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[GregG]

If you will just dip it in salt water every now and then, I would go with open C channel steel. I have had both and towing a welded steel trailer is far better. If saltwater is going to be 75% of the time, alum is an absolute must.

 

[Xring01]

Find a used Trail Rite Galvenized trailer...

problem solved

 

[HubbaHubbaLife]

Good feedback gang, thanks..... I've got a buyer for my boat and I'm holding him off till spring as I enjoy the winter rides to Catalina. We'll have to deal with the rusted trailer issue when it's time to sell to him. I have the Newport launch service so frankly the trailer is only used to store/ launch.... it goes back and forth 100 yds. I don't trailer boat anywhere offsite. I think a good aluminum 3 axle trailer new might be around $12K. So in spring when I get serious about selling I'll have to solve that challenge for new owner.

 

[ChumpChange]

Good feedback gang, thanks..... I've got a buyer for my boat and I'm holding him off till spring as I enjoy the winter rides to Catalina. We'll have to deal with the rusted trailer issue when it's time to sell to him. I have the Newport launch service so frankly the trailer is only used to store/ launch.... it goes back and forth 100 yds. I don't trailer boat anywhere offsite. I think a good aluminum 3 axle trailer new might be around $12K. So in spring when I get serious about selling I'll have to solve that challenge for new owner.

I’ll bring the beer.

 

[RichL]

Been very happy with my Manning. All welded, aluminum. Wherever you buy, don't assume you can just make a call and have a trailer. Most good manufacturers build to spec and depending on schedule might be 2-3 months out.

 

[lIQUIDATEDdAMAGES]

Pacific made me a nice painted c-channel trailer for my old Nautique. It towed awesome and was reasonably priced as well.

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[HubbaHubbaLife]

Good stuff guys.... I'm starting to look around my boat yard where many boats are stored taking notice of all the salt water oriented trailers.... its a great way to assess what brands appear to be holding up best. Pacific, Myco, West Coast Trailers, Kokopelli seem to own the lot as best performing over time. In spring I'll most likely start looking for a used triple axle that would work for the next owner. Or he he feels the need for a new one, I'd simply negotiate that shared cost. Appreciate the "inmate" knowledge and opinions fellas.

 

[John Taylor]

Sport trail trailers makes really nice aluminum trailers. I think they are based in Louisiana.. there are a lot of aluminum boat builders along the gulf coast and the weld work is top notch

 

[HubbaHubbaLife]

Appreciate that comment John.

 

[HubbaHubbaLife]

Fellas.... I spotted a nice looking aluminum trailer under a new ShockWave boat on the forums here and they tell me its from a Fla based builder attached below. Free delivery and a 30' triple axle aluminum listed at apprx 4K... if that's accurate this sounds just right.
http://nextrailofamerica.com/

 

[HubbaHubbaLife]

Just another example of why this website kicks tail...

 

[ToMorrow44]

Fellas.... I spotted a nice looking aluminum trailer under a new ShockWave boat on the forums here and they tell me its from a Fla based builder attached below. Free delivery and a 30' triple axle aluminum listed at apprx 4K... if that's accurate this sounds just right.
http://nextrailofamerica.com/

I’ll just say you get what you pay for. If you’re just looking for something for the boat to sit on and dunk in saltwater, go for it. If you’re looking to actually trailer it places, don’t waste your money.

 

[CAZ007]

That 4K trailer from Nextrail is the one my boat came on, probably same Shockwave you are referring to. Just dumped $3400 into the trailer to Kokopelli so they could re-do all of the bunks to properly fit the twin stepped bottom. The original trailer set up had all the weight of the boat sitting on two large straight bunks. I think the owner just bought a universal set to get the boat to AZ from Florida. Only certain areas near the steps were sitting on the bunks and it was already starting to damage the bottom of the boat where strakes were rubbing up against the sides of these bunks. If you have a stepped hull, make sure you get it set up to properly support the bottom of the hull. I highly recommend Kokopelli Trailers in Phoenix.

 

[HubbaHubbaLife]

That 4K trailer from Nextrail is the one my boat came on, probably same Shockwave you are referring to. Just dumped $3400 into the trailer to Kokopelli so they could re-do all of the bunks to properly fit the twin stepped bottom. The original trailer set up had all the weight of the boat sitting on two large straight bunks. I think the owner just bought a universal set to get the boat to AZ from Florida. Only certain areas near the steps were sitting on the bunks and it was already starting to damage the bottom of the boat where strakes were rubbing up against the sides of these bunks. If you have a stepped hull, make sure you get it set up to properly support the bottom of the hull. I highly recommend Kokopelli Trailers in Phoenix.

You're correct.... the Shockwave contact on here let me know they use Nextrail of America. Based in Fla and a 30' aluminum @ 4K good enough for Shockwave is good enough for me. Website says "Free" delivery as well. Hard to imagine Fla to Cali for $4K but they've got my attention.