$$$ if it's not the boat, it's the trailer...

Good catch, two words. Preventive Maintenance, but you know that now. 😉

That could have turned out a lot worse. Good find.

I never did much maintenance since 2002. Just stupid and just lucky. In 2020 I replaced the tires that were dry rotted. I got a new rim and 2 new tires. I went with the Goodyear Endurance.

I had neglected the trailer for too long. I had to gave attention to the Lug nuts and studs and

• The lights just didn't need new bulbs. I got a set of lights and ran new wire
• the trailer winch strap needed to be replaced.
• the tongue Jack needed replacement. The tongue flexed, and I noticed the bottom had rotted out. Nothing but rust there. I replaced it with Stainless steel. That was a job. I had to get cobalt bits to make holes for ball coupler.
• The safety chain had rusted away. That was replaced too.
• Last, but not least, I needed a new multi-ball receiver.

2021 will see me working even more on the trailer. The suspension is starting to rot. I have purchased the torsion Axle crossmember. But I need to install it. I have been putting off taking the boat off the trailer.

The bow rest assembly guide could use replacement too.

Wow, that picture of the axle is scary.
John

I had a 1999 Venture trailer until three years ago when I replaced the whole shebang (from crazy Mike at Mike's trailers on Montauk in Lindenhurst.) Over the years it did need new bearings, lights, springs, a couple of rollers etc. and the tires dry rotted out as well. Funny thing is I have always religiously flushed out the "beams" and crossmembers every time I flush the outboard (after every launch and retrieval) and the shop that did the aforementioned work could not believe how sound the basic frame was.

It never really gets any better, does it?

Definition: Boat: object with four sides and a hole in the bottom for dropping cash through.

Good thing I don't love my boat. 🙄

It's interesting, but we "tolerate" absolutely crap longevity on trailers. If our boats were that "sensitive", I don't think any of us would even bother having one...

My favorite story is about a friend of mine who was absolutely anal about his boat and trailer. It was one of the few boats you could go on and everything always worked.

He insisted the same regarding his trailer and you'd find him rebuilding his drum surge brakes 2 - 3x per season as they stopped working. After a couple of years of this "fun" I noticed that the trailer no longer had brakes. When asked about that, "What do you think I'm crazy? One rebuild per season is OK, but once every six weeks?"

Any part that is galvanized is going to rust. Even stainless is stain-LESS not stainproof.

As far as hubs, I have had nothing but good luck with my Turbo-lube oil hubs. I would get them again in a second. In fact I will take my hubs off the new torsion Axle crossmember and put on the oil hubs. I'll put the new hubs up for sale.

If I had to trailer my boat I would sell it!

Docked or trailered ? I have done both, but keep in mind neither boat I owned exceeded 19' . My town boat ramp is visible from my sidewalk. ( I kayak from there too.) When I docked (commercially) I had gasoline stolen, battery vandalized, ventilator stolen, dock line cut etc. plus I had to either lug gas cans to the boat when no one was around, or pay exorbitant prices on the water. Spring and fall had to rely on a boat transporting firm although I really got lucky with Smith & Sons in that respect. Every big storm had me running to the dock to insure the lines were good or to make sure the auto bilge pump had run, even though a younger Smith almost always did it for me. Friends who docked behind private homes faced disgruntled homeowners when they returned after an early outing, or interupted birthday parties in the backyard. Granted, decent cordless tools back then were at a premium, but being able to hop up the stern ladder from my driveway anytime is nice. Do I go out less because of the hassle of hooking it up if only to come back early because of a weather change - sure. Cost of a trailer ? Balanced out by cost of commercial haulers. (No way do I want an ugly boat trailer in the driveway without a boat on it. ) Of course now that I vastly prefer kayakfishing I don't use it much at all. I keep the boat because once I sell it, at my age it would not be getting replaced. Docked or trailered ? Each involves compromising- the only alternative would be to buy a house on the waterfront, which SWMBO was never in favor of. A happy wife is a happy life.

Docked or trailered ? I have done both, but keep in mind neither boat I owned exceeded 19' . My town boat ramp is visible from my sidewalk. ( I kayak from there too.) When I docked (commercially) I had gasoline stolen, battery vandalized, ventilator stolen, dock line cut etc. plus I had to either lug gas cans to the boat when no one was around, or pay exorbitant prices on the water. Spring and fall had to rely on a boat transporting firm although I really got lucky with Smith & Sons in that respect. Every big storm had me running to the dock to insure the lines were good or to make sure the auto bilge pump had run, even though a younger Smith almost always did it for me. Friends who docked behind private homes faced disgruntled homeowners when they returned after an early outing, or interupted birthday parties in the backyard. Granted, decent cordless tools back then were at a premium, but being able to hop up the stern ladder from my driveway anytime is nice. Do I go out less because of the hassle of hooking it up if only to come back early because of a weather change - sure. Cost of a trailer ? Balanced out by cost of commercial haulers. (No way do I want an ugly boat trailer in the driveway without a boat on it. ) Of course now that I vastly prefer kayakfishing I don't use it much at all. I keep the boat because once I sell it, at my age it would not be getting replaced. Docked or trailered ? Each involves compromising- the only alternative would be to buy a house on the waterfront, which SWMBO was never in favor of. A happy wife is a happy life.

Boat on dock in the backyard is the ultimate scenario...

If I had to trailer my boat I would sell it!

Trailering twice a year was enough for me.

While you're checking you're boat and trailer, check the undercarriage of you're tow vehicle. You would be surprised the damage the sea air can do to brake lines and springs over the years!

I usually hose the truck's wheels and tailpipe but for my very limited amount of yearly trips (due to kayaking instead) I get more salt air exposure on all my big boy toys just by living where I do, 2 blocks from the boat ramp.

Trailering twice a year was enough for me.

Me too!!

If I had to trailer my boat I would sell it!

Interesting. I have no qualms trailering my 17 foot boat. I like the flexibility of being able to fish Port Jeff today, Mattituck tomorrow and the south shore if I wanted to.

Same here, my boat is 21’ & so far no problems trailering, this will be the 5th year with this boat. I can fish the eastern sound, or launch in the Peconic & run to Montauk, or a short run to the Shinnecock canal & fish the ocean.......John