If you’re new to trailer sailing, you might be unsure about your trailer’s brake system (or lack thereof). If you own an older trailer, the system could be badly corroded from many wet launches and need repair or replacement. If your trailer doesn’t have a brake system, you might be wondering why and if you…
Category: Trailer
How to Replace Trailer Bunk Boards
How strong is a zip-tie? Could one hold the end of a bunk board carrying a 2,200# sailboat for 250 miles at highway speeds, including over a mountain pass? Would you do it with your boat? How about two, one on each end with a rusted bolt in the middle of the bunk? Pretty strong…
Speed Up Trailer Hookups with a Backup Camera
This project isn’t on the boat at all but it can make getting the boat on and off the water faster and easier for the trailer sailor. I’ve used trailers for most of my adult life, so I’m pretty good at backing them up. But getting the hitch ball right under a coupler on the…
DIY Custom Trailer Tongue Extension
The one thing that my new Calkins trailer lacked compared to the old Trail Rite is an extendable tongue, a necessity at some of our local ramps. The only information on the Internet that I could find about adding a tongue extension was a universal aftermarket extension. But the cost was more than I paid for…
Sometimes It’s Better to Replace Your Trailer Than Repair It
When we purchased Summer Dance, the trailer was my biggest concern. It was the original 1981 Trail Rite; well-designed, simple and strong, but it had extensive rust damage from salt water launches. I planned to replace the worst of it but part way through the project, I discovered hidden damage that tipped the scale against…
Trailer Undercarriage Repair Made Easy
When we bought Summer Dance, easily the most dangerous damage to the overall package was the trailer spring hangers. The trailer was a 1981 Trail Rite that had been used to put the boat in the salt water of Puget Sound for 30 years of its life. However, in spite of a paint job that the…
The $tingy Sailor 