Trailer for my needs: Do I need galvanized?

[Philster]

I launch 90% in fresh water and slightly brackish waters.

2-3 times per year I launch in full-blown salt water of the lower Chesapeake or the Atlantic Ocean. I currently am selling my 26' Scarab, which sits on a galvanized trailer, and turning my eye to something along the lines of a 24' Checkmate bow rider... but I have to figure out what trailer to put her on.

So, what are my practical choices? Do I need an all-out fully galvanized setup or is aluminum an option? Should I rule out painted all together?

.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Trailer for my needs: Do I need galvanized?

I would rule out painted. Rust never sleeps. It works from the inside out, where there is little protection, even if galvanized, but especially if it's steel. Galvanized and aluminum handle salt water (and road salt) just fine

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Trailer for my needs: Do I need galvanized?

Even a couple of salt water launches per year in salt ware will raise hell with a painted trailer. Best if you have galvanized/aluminum.

 

[ufm82]

Re: Trailer for my needs: Do I need galvanized?

Three's a charm. If you are in salt water more than once in the boat's lifetime you'll want to go with galvanized or aluminum. Even a brand new painted trailer, no matter how well it is built, could have a spot somewhere that is susceptible to corrosion and salt water is seemingly able to find any vulnerable spot. LOL You could start getting corrosion somewhere you can't even see and have the trailer rot from the inside out. Until the paint bubbles and you poke your finger through the metal you may not find the rust. That can lead to added costs at minimum and tragedy at the worst. Go with a fully galvanized trailer if cost is the prime factor and aluminum if cost is not an issue but looks are. I really don't like the look of a galvy but they live anywhere. Alumimum is much sexier bit geez they are expensive. By the looks of your avatar you like sexy boats- get a sexy trailer to go under it.

 

[Philster]

Re: Trailer for my needs: Do I need galvanized?

Sexy: haha.... but so true. The boat I am buying is constantly described as 'sexy' by the dealer. He keeps pushing aluminum, but I think galvanized looks fine. It'll have Checkmate logos and name on it.

Aluminum is shiny though!

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: Trailer for my needs: Do I need galvanized?

Aluminum is only shiny when brand new?

 

[Philster]

Re: Trailer for my needs: Do I need galvanized?

Galvanized seems best then!

 

[cribber]

Re: Trailer for my needs: Do I need galvanized?

Aluminum would be best and galvanized 2nd if the price is the same for either combination. Aluminum trailers hold more resale value down the road when you get two foot -ytist!!!

 

[the vision]

Re: Trailer for my needs: Do I need galvanized?

Aluminum would be my only choice for salt water. I'm an industrial electrician, the conduit we use is galvanized and aluminum. The Aluminum holds up to the chemicals and elements much better and longer.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Trailer for my needs: Do I need galvanized?

Aluminum is highly susceptible to metal fatigue and stress cracking. You don?t have that problem with a galvanized trailer

 

[jacoboregon]

Re: Trailer for my needs: Do I need galvanized?

How long do you plan on keeping it? If only a few years it won't matter much if you keep it taken care of.
That being said... If you can afford aluminum you should go with it, otherwise galvanized.

 

[Outsider]

Re: Trailer for my needs: Do I need galvanized?

You don?t have that problem with a galvanized trailer

And aluminum doesn't rust from the inside out, nor do aluminum welds rust ...

 

[sschefer]

Re: Trailer for my needs: Do I need galvanized?

Galvanized is an economical way to go and if you take care of it you'll be just fine. That CheckMate would look better on the Al trailer but the cost will probably be tripple that of galvanized. As far as stress cracks, etc., with Al trailers, I've only heard that complaint from people whose trailers have torsion axles. Never heard it with a standard leaf spring suspension. The guy's I talked to had loaded down FishRite and North River Al boats so I'm not sure if it even applies when you put a CheckMate on one.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Trailer for my needs: Do I need galvanized?

And aluminum doesn't rust from the inside out, nor do aluminum welds rust ...

That's why you don't buy trailers made out of tubing.

I have a painted trailer and use it in salt water all the time. I just make sure I wash it and keep after any areas that start showing rust so if you aren't using the trailer much in salt water, it really isn't that big of an issue.

 

[Philster]

Re: Trailer for my needs: Do I need galvanized?

I'm looking out my window at my galvanized Load Rite trailer and it's been in service since 2002 and used almost only in salt. There is nothing wrong with it as far as any galvanized steel is concerned.

Honestly, when I opened this thread, I was wondering if aluminum was shinier but less durable than galvanized, and that maybe the push was all for looks (it also appears sleaker and I think is lighter).

Yeah, the Checkmate is about 2k lbs less than the Scarab.

When I say galvanized is best, I mean for me, considering the balance of durability and cost. Reading this thread over made me stop and take painted right off the list. I am actually in Salt Water land around here... and if I did need to resell the package, it won't move with a painted trailer.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Trailer for my needs: Do I need galvanized?

That's why you don't buy trailers made out of tubing.

Ain't that the truth. Been there, done that, never again :facepalm:

 

[Philster]

Re: Trailer for my needs: Do I need galvanized?

iboats should have a section called "LFMF: Learn From My Fail"

 

[merchonda]

Re: Trailer for my needs: Do I need galvanized?

Aluminum is a funny metal--lots of different alloys, real pricey when used in boat trailers but you got to wonder if its really marine grade aluminum. Material engineering tests show that an aluminum rod when pulled hard enough will snap but the identical spec rod will stretch. Why? Who knows. Thing is aluminum works because it rusts real good and ends up a self sealer. Its light so it makes it easier on your tranny but will not absorb vibration as well. Galv. trailers usually have a non-galv front hitch beam that rusts out sooner than they other parts--mainly because the silver paint is lousy. Bottom line though is no matter what you use on your beams, the u-bolts and springs are likely just hardened steel, probably just grade 5 so they rust out anyway before anything else does. Key to a steel trailer is the L-angle that they often use to mount the leaf springs. Salt gets between the angle and the main trailer beam and will rust it out like there's no tomorrow. Goes to show that if you hose the steel trailer down and paint it every so often, it can last a lot of years for cheap. Just means you have to watch since rust will take hold quicker than it will on the other options. Personally, galv. is good but care for it since it will still corrode.

 

[ufm82]

Re: Trailer for my needs: Do I need galvanized?

My galvy is a tube style trailer and considering it's a '93 model I'd say it's doing well. I guess the manufacturer knew that it would be getting wet both on the outside and the inside and dipped the pieces, thus galvanizing both sides. You can look inside the tubes and see no rust. Maybe I just got lucky with mine. Mine has had some very minor surface rust on places like the fender ( which I use as a step all the time, thus wearing the zinc) and on cut ends of the tube. I touch up those spots with a dab of paint to cover and go on. Not a big deal. I originally had a single axle and wanted to move up to a tandem. Pricing galvies and aluminum showed me that for half of what aluminum would cost I could get a galvy. I wound up buying a used galvy trailer for 1/4 of what the new one would have cost. And that is the one I have now. No issues, no problems. The only drawback? Galvanizing ain't shiny, smooth, eye-catching or silky-smooth. But I don't ride on my trailer at the lake.

 

[Philster]

Re: Trailer for my needs: Do I need galvanized?

A quick look in my area reveals alum boat trailers as cheaper than galvanized. Me confused.