Trailers - Dunking and rust

[whichway]

Hi

So who dunks their trailer, and who keeps it out of the water as much as possible.

Prior to my current boat, I used to religiously keep the wheel hubs out of the water. But with a 6m+ boat, I'm afraid that I now dunk the trailer so that I can drive the boat on.

I got the boat second hand, but the amount of rust in the trailer has got me thinking that it will need replacement soon. The trailer is about 8 years old - the boat did about 280 hours in the first six years. I think that the trailer should have lasted a little bit longer

Any Thoughts

Whichway

[joeT]

With most ally boats under 5m, I would say no need to dunk trailer, just below the hubs will do.

However, as your boat gets bigger and more expensive, the risk of damaging the boat vs preserving the trailer, I'd rather save the boat and do as much as I can in terms of rustproofing etc to protect the trailer.

[Pointyfish]

I own a 5.2m plate ally c/console and do a lot of fishing by myself due to shift work. To get the boat off the trailer by myself I dunk the whole trailer. My whole package is about 2 1/2 years old and has 585hrs. I wash my trailer well after every trip giving special attention to any areas that may trap moisture. My trailer hasn't shown any signs of rust or degrading.
If you are going to dunk your trailer I would consider a the following:
1) Get LED trailer lights ( avaliable cheap on ebay )
2) Keep your bearings well greased
3) If you have to travel a large distance to the ramp you want to consider letting your wheel bearings cool a bit before dunking the in cold water.

[tiny_tinny]

Hi,

I've had boats up to a 'glass 15 footer (~ 4.5m), and have never had to drown any trailer - provided the ramp slope is OK. I can't speak about bigger boats, I guess the bigger they are the more likely it is that you have to give the trailer a bath.

Even so, I always give the trailer a good wash whenever it has been near the salt, including hosing up inside the steel sections. On that point, do the SEQld members know what will be allowed when we go to the next level of water restrictions??

Mike

[Spaniard_King]

Whichway,

My rig is just over 3 years old and I have just gone thrun re galling the trailer ::)

I did not do the main frame as it was OK

I did the subframe and 52 brackets, poles etc

I also changed every bolt from the winch back.

Total cost was $500 including new lights and bolts I did all the labor.

When finished I coated the area which gets a dunking with Tectryl 506. I tried to get it in every orifice ::). It is a waxy type coating used in rust proofing, IT LOOKS THE GOODS ;) I only wish I had found this proiduct earlier, it dries to almost tacky free. I have decided that a trailer that looks shitty (colour wise) is better than a rusty one 8-)

Garry

[QldKev]

I've always dunked my trailers, my last one I had for 6 years with no major problems/ no bad rust. Keep a good coat of paint (using a brush to get it thick) and wash after every use. If you still worried after the paint spray a good coat of fishoil.

[billfisher]

Spaniard King is on the right track, that Tectyl is a good product. It won't wash off easily like lanolin or fish oil.
The gal coating of your trailer is based on the element zinc. It is a more reactive metal than the steel of your trailer so oxidises first. This is how it protects the steel as it act as a sacrificial anode. The trouble is it gets used up over the years and then the steel will start rusting . Once this happens the corrosion will accelerate quickly. A protective coating like Tectyl will slow the whole process down.
Obviously it helps if you don't have to drown your trailer and if you can get way without dunking your wheel bearings all the better. This is one advantage of having big wheels. I have 14'' wheels on my rig (5.4m fiberglass) and on most ramps I don't have to dunk the wheel bearings. Note though I winch on rather than drive on.

[steveg1100]

With a shark cat you have no choice but to put the trailer underwater as the boat sits on top of the wheels. I have tried to slow down the rust on the trailer by puting a coat of gal and then endrust paint brushed on wherever I could see rust. Time will tell if it works.

[Stu]

What is the best way to apply Tecyl.
I checked out SupaCheap today and they only have aerosol type spray cans. Does it come in normal type tins.
The stuff I sprayed with the cans dried to a nice non stick finish but Id prefer to apply it in a more controlled fashion like brush or roller so I dont get over spray on the boat hull.
Cheers
Stu

[Stu]

That should have read Tectyl not Tecyl (woops fat fingers) :o

[Spaniard_King]

Blackwoods at cooparoo have it in 4l tins $48 or there abouts. thin with auto thinners for spraying or painting

Garry

[Stu]

Thanks for that Garry. I'll pick up a tin.
cheers
stu

[dnej]

Supercheap normally have it.Have they stopped stocking?
David

[Gbanger]

would there be any benefit in using a sacraficial anode on a trailer?

[Spaniard_King]

would there be any benefit in using a sacraficial anode on a trailer?

non what so ever, anodes stop corosion not rusting

I beleive super cheap have spray cans only

Garry

[ShaneJ]

I buy 4L tins and 20L tins from Supercheap at Tiagum and Aussie Auto at Sandgate.

[mark221263]

I agree with protecting the trailer but still question the drive on sink the whole trailer thing.

I've got a Cruisecraft outsider and went the option to buy a quality USA power winch and winch the boat on. It is a drive on trailer that is just 2 years old.

Sure it takes me about 3 minutes to put the boat on, but the extra time??? and risk of boat damage is zip!

Winch was ex ebay, claimed 1 year old and like new with a total cost of $220 at my door.

Cheers Mark

[Reef_fisher]

Just rebuilt my trailer which was twevle years old. It was a homemade job and the person that built it used Gal material but only cold Galed the welds. Still, it has lasted twelve years. I am definately a dunker. I live in far north QLD (Innisfail) and refuse to spend any time in the water Launching/retreiving boats. Knuckle heads like to gut their fish at the boat ramp and all this does is attract the crocs. Trailer gets a good desalt when the boat does.

[Mad_Barry]

I'm a dunker too, get it on, get it off. no point mucking around longer than you have to.

Besides, what good is a trailer thats only half rusty ?, it might as well be fully rusty ;D

[darrmun]

i've painted mine in tectyl .... works a treat , no rust / corosion etc & they get dunked , dragged up the beach etc , they look a bit daggy which is also good cause it keeps scumbags away

[Blackened]

G'day
Simple idea. Get an aluminium one made.
Dave