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Pulling the load
The Importance of Trailer Maintenance

By Andrej Vlahcevic

Whether exploring new waters or frequenting old favorites, trailering is a large part of catamaran sailing. And yet while we can spend hours working on our boats, washing and waxing hulls, checking and adjusting rigging, or fixing broken parts, we often tend to ignore the trailer.

Trailers play an unglamorous but vital role in our enjoyment of catamaran sailing. Should something go wrong with the trailer, and you are not properly prepared to deal with it, it can really ruin your whole day. Most of us carry extra shackles, rudder pins, rudders, shrouds, ring-dings and sail repair tape to respond to boat problems, but trailer problems?

While I grew up around and have trailered boats much of my life, it took several seized bearings and a recent mishap to finally drive home the importance of viewing your trip to the water in the same way you would view your sail: Plan ahead, do preventive maintenance, and be prepared (in case something fails, because one day, it will).

I had been looking to purchase a Hobie 16 for sometime and finally found one that fit my specifications. It was a 1982 (#67526) with yellow hulls and multi- colored sails. The owner lived on the water and kept the boat set up most of the year, so he didn’t use the trailer a great deal.

I went over the boat, careful to look for signs of mistreatment, wear or neglect:

  • The hulls showed some wear, but were structurally sound. Check.

  • The mast looked straight. Check.

  • The frame seemed a bit loose, but new rivets and a good re-lacing could fix that. Check

  • One tiller and the tiller crossbar were a bit bent, but I knew a good machine shop… Again, Check.

    • And so it went. While the boat needed a little attention (I can go overboard with these things), it checked out and we closed the deal. Time to get it home. I loaded the boat on the trailer and set out on the 60 mile drive.

    Fifteen miles down the road I heard it. A rhythmic thumping that you feel in the pit of your stomach, even before you hear it. A flat tire on the trailer. I pulled over. No problem - I knew that the owner had given me a spare with the boat, I would just put it on.

    I pulled the jack and lug wrench out of my Jeep, and set to work. The first problem; the lug wrench was the wrong size (you mean they make lug nuts in different sizes?). In addition, the car jack would not fit under the axle. To top it all off, my jack had a special adapter made to fit my car, not under a trailer axle. Great! Now what?

    I drove about two miles to a gas station, leaving most of the tread from my flat tire scattered on the roadway, only to find the gas station had long been converted into convenience mart (Ah - progress!). The closest thing they had to a lug wrench was a can of Liquid Wrench.

    Fortunately, they did have a phone. I made a sheepish call to the former owner, who graciously agreed to come to my rescue, bringing along a lug wrench and a jack. We changed the tire and I went home.

    All in all, it turned out to be a non-event. However, it did show me that trailers require the same attention as boats. Fortunately, for those of us that enjoy working on and sailing our boats more than working on our trailers, maintenance on trailers is far easier.

    Hear are some tips that may help you keep a trailer mishap from ruining your sailing outing.
  • Buy a spare tire. Keep it in your trailer box or attach it to your trailer with a mounting kit.

  • Purchase a lug wrench that fits the lug nuts on your trailer, not your car. A compact folding universal wrench can be purchased at any auto parts store. Keep it in your trailer box.

  • Buy a collapsible scissors jack. Also keep it in your box.

  • Install bearing buddies on your hubs. Even though cat trailers may not get dunked as often as other boat trailers, small trailer wheels spin much more rapidly than the wheels on your car, putting more wear on the bearings. Bearing buddies use pressure to keep bearing grease on your bearings. Some brands also have an indicator to let you know when its time to add more grease. They are easy to install, but make sure you get the right size to fit your hubs. Top them off at least once a year to keep bearings rolling smoothly.

  • Never put Armor-All or other “protectants” on trailer tires. For trailers that sit in the sun, it will actually do more damage than good to the rubber side walls of your tires.

  • Periodically check your lights and wiring. It is not only illegal to drive without functioning lights, it is dangerous. Replace burnt bulbs and broken lenses. Light sanding and a can of WD-40 can improve the contacts on older wiring. Most marine centers carry replacement wiring kits if needed.

  • Inspect and lubricate the trailer hitch. Make sure it will lock down on the hitch ball securely.

  • Keep a safety kit in the car or trailer. Include flares, a warning triangle, duct tape (the fix-all) some spare tools, and a flashlight.

    • I am sure that there are many other tips that can assure you of a safe haul to your favorite site. Hopefully, these will help keep your trailer as a means to an end, not an end to your day.

    Andrej Vlahcevic
    vlahcev@erols.com

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