It seems I spend more time working on the trailers than working on the boats. Tires only last two years and then there is the salt water.., but still better than playing pickleball.
When I took possession of Nereid, I immediately discovered that my original plan of car topping would not work. I ended up going to Hopeless Freight for a trailer kit to adapt as a boat trailer. All went well until I fitted the beam axle to the hubs. I discovered that the axle on one side had been machined to the wrong dimension. After three visits to Hopeless Freight, they insisted on exchanging the entire kit. The new axle fit well to the hubs and I completed the trailer. It tows well and carries Nereid comfortably. Nex step is to get a tongue extender to have less overhang.
I've had my share of near disasters...and now that my trailer is on its fourth decade, and it gets used around saltwater, it's time to think about getting a new one before I lose an axle or a wheel, or the boat. My rule of thumb is to replace the tires (pre-mounted on new wheels) after five years (read the date code on the tire), no matter how many miles. It's called "cheap insurance." I carry the old tires/wheels as spares. If you plan on trailering long distances, carrying a spare hub assembly, or at least a bearing set, can save a lot of time looking for spares when you're far from home. You can buy any parts you need from www.easternmarine.com/ or from www.etrailer.com/
Along those lines: A boat + its sails = a sailboat, right? So what do we spend most of our time on? The trailer lights. The electrical system (trailer or otherwise). The outboard. The varnish. And - tho arguably part of the sails - the reefing lines. Grr. It's so nice to finally get on the water and just hoist the sails and sail.
Great writeup on the hidden costs of boat ownership! The pre-standardized equipment challenge is brutal, basically reverse-engineering a whole system from scratch when parts dont line up. I had a similar situaton with vintage motorcycle parts where nothing matched modern specs. The $600 and 9 months feels about right for that kind of custom fabrication work.
Very blessed to have a relatively new trailer, factory adapted for the boat. And a lift to put boat on while I service trailer. Still bearings should be service every year, lights and tire pressures checked before every use.
Reminds me of towing my Glen-L 17, loaded with all my possessions, from Michigan to Oregon in 1986. About half way on the trip I felt the truck grunting a little. I pulled over, got out and found that four of the five lug nuts were missing on the driver's side of the trailer. Then I realized that they were not nuts on studs, but bolts screwing into the hubs. I took two of the bolts off the starboard wheel and added them to the port side wheel and drove on to the nearest town with an auto parts store. There I was able to get new bolts to replace the missing ones, plus spares if this happened again. Lesson learned: always check that the lug nuts (bolts in this case) are tight, and check them periodically on the drive.
As it turns out, I'm a bit more compulsive about things than some folks, and have had quite a number of trailers. I have never built a boat trailer from scratch, but close. A hub, axel or tire failure can easily ruin your beloved boat and/or strand you on the road long enough to consume all the available time planned for a cruise. With that in mind I normally carry more than one spare tire as well as grease for hubs and anything else the particular trailer looks like it might need. Many current trailers are bolt together and major parts can be replaced as needed. It has saved me quite a bit of trouble over the years.
It seems I spend more time working on the trailers than working on the boats. Tires only last two years and then there is the salt water.., but still better than playing pickleball.
When I took possession of Nereid, I immediately discovered that my original plan of car topping would not work. I ended up going to Hopeless Freight for a trailer kit to adapt as a boat trailer. All went well until I fitted the beam axle to the hubs. I discovered that the axle on one side had been machined to the wrong dimension. After three visits to Hopeless Freight, they insisted on exchanging the entire kit. The new axle fit well to the hubs and I completed the trailer. It tows well and carries Nereid comfortably. Nex step is to get a tongue extender to have less overhang.
I've had my share of near disasters...and now that my trailer is on its fourth decade, and it gets used around saltwater, it's time to think about getting a new one before I lose an axle or a wheel, or the boat. My rule of thumb is to replace the tires (pre-mounted on new wheels) after five years (read the date code on the tire), no matter how many miles. It's called "cheap insurance." I carry the old tires/wheels as spares. If you plan on trailering long distances, carrying a spare hub assembly, or at least a bearing set, can save a lot of time looking for spares when you're far from home. You can buy any parts you need from www.easternmarine.com/ or from www.etrailer.com/
Along those lines: A boat + its sails = a sailboat, right? So what do we spend most of our time on? The trailer lights. The electrical system (trailer or otherwise). The outboard. The varnish. And - tho arguably part of the sails - the reefing lines. Grr. It's so nice to finally get on the water and just hoist the sails and sail.
Great writeup on the hidden costs of boat ownership! The pre-standardized equipment challenge is brutal, basically reverse-engineering a whole system from scratch when parts dont line up. I had a similar situaton with vintage motorcycle parts where nothing matched modern specs. The $600 and 9 months feels about right for that kind of custom fabrication work.
I found out that tires at best have a 10 year life that's is the trailer is stored indoors. Air degrades rubber.
Outdoors tires have a much shorter life. UV light is rougher on them.
Very blessed to have a relatively new trailer, factory adapted for the boat. And a lift to put boat on while I service trailer. Still bearings should be service every year, lights and tire pressures checked before every use.
Reminds me of towing my Glen-L 17, loaded with all my possessions, from Michigan to Oregon in 1986. About half way on the trip I felt the truck grunting a little. I pulled over, got out and found that four of the five lug nuts were missing on the driver's side of the trailer. Then I realized that they were not nuts on studs, but bolts screwing into the hubs. I took two of the bolts off the starboard wheel and added them to the port side wheel and drove on to the nearest town with an auto parts store. There I was able to get new bolts to replace the missing ones, plus spares if this happened again. Lesson learned: always check that the lug nuts (bolts in this case) are tight, and check them periodically on the drive.
Since the drive from my house to the launch ramp is 1/4 mile I totally ignore the trailer. 🤪
As it turns out, I'm a bit more compulsive about things than some folks, and have had quite a number of trailers. I have never built a boat trailer from scratch, but close. A hub, axel or tire failure can easily ruin your beloved boat and/or strand you on the road long enough to consume all the available time planned for a cruise. With that in mind I normally carry more than one spare tire as well as grease for hubs and anything else the particular trailer looks like it might need. Many current trailers are bolt together and major parts can be replaced as needed. It has saved me quite a bit of trouble over the years.
Annual grease is a bit of good, cheap insurance.