Tips in Choosing the Right Trailer for your Boat

That boat you’re towing, whether it’s a streamlined speedboat or a beat up rust bucket, is your pride and joy, an investment that you passionately want to protect. Therefore, if you’re to safely escort the craft to its launch point, you’re going to need the right trailer. There’s no room for a substandard boat hauler here, and you’ve got a number of important decisions to make, so let’s load you up with some trailer purchasing tips.

Tip Number 1: Function Over Style

Boat owners feel like they’ve been let off a closed rail system when they slide their craft into the waves. Don’t let that sense of freedom influence your buying sensibilities, though, not when the following practical features will make the most impact.

Tip Number 2: Pick a Structurally Durable Frame

Following on from that opening passage, you’re going to want a tough but manageable trailer, something that’s built from a fabricated aluminium frame or a similarly water-resistant galvanised steel. Painted metals are a viable option if you’re boating habits are restricted to fresh water, but salt water recreational sites will corrode that painted metal work.

Tip Number 3: Weighing Bunk vs. Roller Features

Boat trailer configurations vary as much as the boats you see on sale. If the hull-supporting features of a bunk cradling trailer suit your tastes, then head on over to that section of the trailer catalogue. However, although the bunk type does offer more support, roller cradles launch their loads easily, without wetting the rear axle of the boat carrier.

Tip Number 4: Loading Considerations

The dimensions and weight of your road-bound craft impact the boat trailer’s capacity rating. If the craft is small, perhaps only big enough to carry a few keen fishermen, a single-axle configuration works well. If it’s larger, you’re going to need a multi-axle vehicle, a wheeled trailer that’ll likely be harder to pivot towards your launch site.

Tip Number 5: Accessorise and Accessorise Some More

Remember, one of those axles may spend time in the water. Plan for waterproof LED lights, if possible, and a set of anti-slip tyres. Again, pivoting and pre-launch manoeuvring is the norm here, which means you should partner this superior grip feature with a good braking system.

The tips continue for some time beyond this point, but these are the primary points to consider. It helps to split your issues into road going problems and launch concerns. Again, weigh the pros and cons of a bunk versus roller hull cradle, especially if you hate the laborious drops and pickups associated with propelling and then receiving your boat. It’s all worth it, after all, when you’re protecting your recreational investment.