Salt water use and Aluminum Trailer

[Big Shasta]

For what it's worth, I have a 2007 AR 210 with the original MFI galvanized trailer. I boat just about every weekend in saltwater (in Florida) and the trailer is still going strong. Previous Owner was from Florida too. Don't get me wrong, I've got rust on the brake calipers and suspension, but nothing needs replaced yet. I also spray my parts down with T-9.

Absolutely, that's a galvanized trailer, not a painted one. The OP is getting a painted one. The galvanized ones are hot dipped in zinc but a painted one has no protection on the inside and will rot quick in salt water.

 

[ToddW850]

Absolutely, that's a galvanized trailer, not a painted one. The OP is getting a painted one. The galvanized ones are hot dipped in zinc but a painted one has no protection on the inside and will rot quick in salt water.

My bad. I must have read this too fast. Haven't logged on in a month or 2 and was trying to do some catching up.

 

[txav8r]

I think the OP, @JetPowered , got a great boat at a great price. And if you choose to hit the saltwater, I am guessing from reading your posts, that you won't be dunking the painted trailer that came with it, and instead, selling that one, which is a great EZ Loader trailer, and getting an aluminum trailer your first post here was about. If you only boat in the bay twice a year as stated, there are a number of ways to do that without a trailer launch. And the above is good guidance to further considerations. Even the galvanized trailers have to be kept up, and open channel trailers such as the MFI or Shorelandr's are great inexpensive trailers, but they too have severe limitations. Because the coating on them sheds off with time and use, and MUST be kept up to keep them in tip top condition. There is no way to inspect inside the channel of the tubing in these trailers, let alone actually spray them if they start to show rust. And as in most things, rust starts from underneath and is farther along than you think it is by the time you see it. Either way, your original post in this thread was asking about an aluminum trailer, and that is the best option in a salt water trailer. Hopefully, you will get a long service life from that EZ Loader as it is virtually new!

 

[JetPowered]

@txav8r , you have a solid read on the situation. We'll spend our time for the foreseeable future on inland lakes and rivers since I made a conscious decision to get a boat with a painted trailer. I think we'll find a friend with a bay boat to tackle the salt or just rent.