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Salt water and trailering

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kevinmac
Admiral

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USA
732 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/05/2006 : 23:02:01

I am taking my C250WK to Everett, Washington over the week that includes the 4th of July. Up to now, I have only sailed it in fresh water in the Columbia River.

I am looking for advice about salt water and trailering, and salt water in general. First, the trailer:

My choice is to install a brake flushing system on my trailer ($35 once), flush the brakes and rinse the trailer after launch, do the same after recovery OR

Pay $85 each way to have my boat launched in Everett. (I know I can get this done cheaper in Anacortes, but for various reasons, Everett is where I want to sail from unless I can't get a slip there.)

My question is, which ends up being cheaper if I make 3 trips a year to salt water? If you use your trailer in salt water, can you tell me how often you have to replace brakes, bearings, etc? Is there any type of maintenance I can do before I leave or after I get home that will stop the corrosion?

2nd question: Other than thoroughly rinsing off the boat after each day's sailing, and after recovery - and figuring out how to flush the outboard (I have never done that) - is there anything else I should to keep my boat in as good a shape as I can? I have waxed the sides of the hull, and the bottom is barrier coated and painted, but I have not gotten around to waxing the topsides yet - and had not planned to before the trip (too many things to do, you know how it is).

Thanks in advance for your help. It is tough being a newbie...

Kevin Mackenzie
Former Association Secretary and Commodore
"Dogs Allowed"
'06 C250WK #881
and
"Jasmine"
'01 Maine Cat 30 #34

Edited by - on

Dkn420
Captain

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USA
298 Posts

Response Posted - 06/05/2006 : 23:35:56

I've been told by several folks who have trailered for a long time, don't put the trailer in salt water...if I were going to salt water I would use a lift...Dan #727

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atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2006 : 01:30:45

I have been dunking my trailer for 3 years now with no ill effects. I do have disk brakes which are easy to flush. Drum brakes are another story. The bearings and tire are wear items that have limited life anyway.

$85 each way seems steep. The lift can also ruin the boat if not done right. I would lean towards the flush kit and make sure you carry a grease gun to grease everything up after the dunking.
Are you going to make it up towards Whidbey Island? That is my new home. There is room up here if you need it.

Tom.

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frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2006 : 06:49:09

I have been trailering and dunking boats in saltwater for more years than I like to remember and have learned a few things. Let start with the trailer, before launch insure you bearings are full of grease. The easiest way to do this is installed bearing buddies if not allready installed. This lets you pull out your handy grease gun and shot them full before launch. The best intrusion prevention is bearings full of grease thus no room for saltwater to get in. After launch rinse the brakes good don't worry about the rest of the trailer at this time.
Now for the boat: it is not necessary to clean your boat daily or flush the motor. Just enjoy youself and the sailing adventure.
When you pull the boat out for your homeward trip rinse your brakes drop your mast and head for home. Once home is were the fun begins. It is required that you clean your boat and trailer throughly after completing your trip. That means wash it with soap and water not just rinse it off. This includes the lines, sails, furler drum, clutches and mast. Flush the motor and don't forget to wash the outside with soap and water. Rinse everything and when you think you rinsed enough rinse again and you are done. I learned all this very early in my boating carrier from an old salt. He use to make me do it over if I rushed through the process, but I have never had a crossion problem or early gear failure do to operating a boat in saltwater by following this routine. Last make sure you get the deck waxed as soon as you can.

Edited by - frog0911 on 06/06/2006 06:51:24

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 06/07/2006 : 06:39:02

Salt water eats painted trailers but galvanized trailers properly rinsed show little or no effect. I've dunked followed by a good rinsing and show no ill effects.

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kevinmac
Admiral

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USA
732 Posts

Response Posted - 06/07/2006 : 10:00:20

Thanks everyone. I took a look at my trailer, it has drum brakes (factory standard trailer). It also looks like the brake mfg made provision for a flush kit, and the instruction manual says one is available. So I will look into getting a flush kit, and follow Frog's procedures. Seems like the easiest choice for me.

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frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 06/07/2006 : 20:44:30

Kevin, forgot to memtion one small item. Be sure and take the jib off the furler before you lower the mast. It is much easier to get off with the mast up than down. Them after you wash it and it dries you can store until the next use.

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Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 06/07/2006 : 20:47:18

Hi Keven, I've dunked mine a few times in salt water as well. I just got back from a salt water trip today. I rinsed the trailer well after I launch and when I retrieve. I have the drum brakes as well. My brakes have a hole on the back side, I run the water in the hole and rinse the brakes good after I launch and also when I retrieve. Like frog said a wash every thing at home. I keep the boat in the lake, so once back from my trips I launch her back in the lake and the trailer gets a another good fresh water dunken.

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britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2006 : 06:49:07

FYI, we have 'dunked' JD's trailer 26 times in the past 12 months. We wash the trailer down upon retrieval everytime at the wash station, no sign of any corrosion or any issues with the (disk) brakes. We had a few other issues.
1. The ogriginal holes for the pin that holds the launcing tongue in place was tooo tight a fit, so I reamed them out with my dremmel.
2. The trailer tongue jambs after retrieval in the extended position. The trailer manufacturers are replacing the tube.
3. We had one corroded wire connection that broke on the back lights.
4. Nothing to do with the trailer... we installed one of those coiled electric connection kits on the trailer to plug into the Fords 5pin trailer socket. It jambed into the trucks fitting and had to be taken apart to remove. The manufacturers replaced it FOC.

I top up the bearing buddies before every departure from the house, and I check the tyre pressures and wheel nuts at the same time.
We keep the grease gun and air pump/gauge in the truck.

The 2 pair of wheel chocks have been used several times, would not head to the ramp without them: we have seen too many boats slipping backwards when their truck couldn't grip. The chocks have a line attached to their mate so that it's easy to remove them from one side of the trailer.

Paul

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Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2006 : 07:47:24

My trailer tail lights have 2 wing nuts that hold them on and a plug to disconnect them from the trailer wiring harness. Its simple and only takes 30 seconds to remove the lights. Saves on corrosion in the lights.

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tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts

Response Posted - 06/11/2006 : 20:50:53

We launch in salt water 95% of the time. I usually don't rinse the trailer at launch but rinse it and flush the brakes when we put the boat back on the trailer. I installed new axles and drum brakes from Champion about two years ago. The bearings still look great. The champion axles have a fitting that lets you insert grease at the rear bearing and forces the grease toward the front so you can see when the axle is full of grease. Brakes have been a problem. I installed electric drum brakes. After about a year I could not get the brakes to work. The electrical parts all checked out. When I broke down an axle I discovered that the pin on which the actuater arm hinges was seized and I could not budge it. Ended up replacing the entire assembly even though other than the pivot pin everything looked in great shape. I saved all the parts with the plan of working out how to replace the correded hinge pin so I can reuse the parts. One issue I have found is that not every launch facility has a set up to flush your motor and trailer - such as Monterey. In that case I have to drive alll the way home and then flush and rinse everything. Still, I don't have the option to use a hoist at most places we go so we do what we can to minimize the corrosion. As mentioned above galvanized parts seem to not suffer from the dunking but regular steel corrodes quickly.

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