Trailer dealbreaker???

[Extremetooth]

I'm looking at buying a secondhand boat. its 4 years old. hull looks nice and engine is perfect. trailer is about 7 years old (looks like 20 years)

The trailer is a shocker!:o rust everywhere and frankly I'm not sure its repairable.
The some of the rollers have dropped and all need replacing.

My question is, if the rollers have been dropped what is the chance this would bend the hull leading to future cracks and a dry rotty death?

if the trailers that bad should I buy the boat?

Cheers

[cormorant]

Every boat will be different depending on how strongly built it is and if it was just stored on the trailer or towed over corrogations like that. Even a well built boat on a badly set up trailer can be damaged. I'd be having a really good look at damage around where the rollers are resting for crazing in the gelcoat etc and look down the hull to check it is straight. Get a mate to put some weight on the hull while you watch to see if is soft and flexible around rollers. If it is 4yo boat determin from the manufacturer if there was any wood used in the stringers , transome and decks or if all composite. Composites don't tend to have water issues .

I'd be wondering how a 4yo boat ended up on a 7 year old trailer? Just how much use has the boat had to have a trailer die like that? Really check the history , rego, boatcode of that boat and motor? Look for tell tale signs that teh boat hasn't been full of fresh rain water while stored as if they didn't care about the boat did they pull teh bungs and store it nose up?

Í would be wary of any boat that doesn't have a very good explainnation for a crap trailer and wonder what other motor , steering maintaiannace hasn't been done. Don't pay a premium for it and I hope it is at a big discount for the hassle of sorting a trailer etc.

[74fpv01]

For me it would depend on the total price. 3 parts make up the boat price.
-hull -motor -trailer
Do some quick research on new/second hand trailers. For the right price it may still be worth buying and replacing the trailer.

Cheers


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[Noelm]

I guess to look at it another, the trailer is the cheapest and easiest piece to replace, depending on how big the boat is, a trailer for (say) a 5m ish boat will cost you around $2,500-3,000, there is a few possibilities why the trailer is like it is, the guy may have traded the boat, but decided the trailer was OK, so kept his old one, the dealer may have had a second hand trailer in stock, and offered it as a 'sweetener" to get the deal, lots of possibles really, but as mentioned, do your home work, and look for some history on the whys!

[Extremetooth]

The boat had a tree fall on it during a cyclone and was totally replaced with brand new hull where the trailer was kept the same.

Thanks cormarant, I'll check weather its composite or not. from what I can tell its been sat on the trailer and not done much travelling. the guy lives next to a boat ramp. its a 7.5 mustang by millenium. new trailer quote are around $12000
You make some good points on maintanance. I get put in a sling at the local fibreglass workshop

thanks for the quick response guys

[Noelm]

whoa, a 7.5M trailer is a big daddy, kind of doubt it would have sustained damage from just sitting on a badly adjusted trailer, but then, you never know.

[cormorant]

ahhhh - next to ramp, deep launch all the time and never washed living next to salt water - yeah i can understand it would be well stuffed by now. If he was deep recovering the boat , ie not winching on then a short travel would not put a heap of stress on a solidly built hull and if you can't see it isn't straight or soft with any crazing neer where rollers are ( rollers probably don't turn anyway).

12k is a lot of trailer and since it may be a deep launch I'd probably go a custom made and go electric over hydraulic stainless brakes and possibly alloy etc etc. so you have minimal maintainance going forward.

Ask the factory manufacurer of the hull what sort of trailer it should have underneath it and how much support the hull needs

[Feral]

I'd be more worried about the lack of trailer maintenance pointing to a similar lack of motor maintenance.

[rosco1974]

bout 12k sounds about right for a new trailer for a 7.5mtr boat...dont think u would get an alloy 1 for anywhere near that unless bought overseas...new trailer under the cat last yr was around 10800 and thats a simple trailer.easily get to 12000 i recon...