Corrosion of Painted Steel Boat Trailers in Saltwater Use

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Author Topic:   Corrosion of Painted Steel Boat Trailers in Saltwater Use

pglein posted 05-14-2010 03:51 PM ET (US)
This is why you don't use a painted steel trailer in saltwater: http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad71/nwMariner/rusted%20trailer/ DSCN2104.jpg
http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad71/nwMariner/rusted%20trailer/ DSCN2105.jpg
http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad71/nwMariner/rusted%20trailer/ DSCN2106.jpg
As you can see from the pictures, this trailer failed in the frame rails immediately above where the suspension attaches. Chances are, it was thoroughly rusted on the inside of the rail for the whole length. There is no reason for it to rust in this location any more than anywhere else along the length. The reason it failed there is because that's where it encountered the most stress, not because it had the most corrosion. You can see rust spots in other areas as well. Since the trailer is painted on the exterior, and not on the inside of the rail, this means that the corrosion started on the inside and went through. This means that the frame rails are almost completely rust, and therefore have virtually zero structural integrity.
Ungalvanized trailers should NEVER be used for moving boats that will be used heavily in saltwater.
David Pendleton posted 05-14-2010 04:07 PM ET (US)
Yikes. I've never seen anything like that.
tom976 posted 05-14-2010 04:32 PM ET (US)
But... But... But... WHY?!?!?!!?
The paint looks so nice and shiney on the outside...
It must have been user error... :)
Buckda posted 05-14-2010 04:55 PM ET (US)
I bet that was an "interesting" moment on the highway...
sapple posted 05-14-2010 04:56 PM ET (US)
How can I tell if my trailer is galvanized or not?
Buckda posted 05-14-2010 04:57 PM ET (US)
@ Sapple:
It will be ugly.
David Pendleton posted 05-14-2010 05:06 PM ET (US)
Hey, my trailer is beautiful!
@sapple, it won't be painted, and will look like this after 9 seasons (in freshwater). Newer galvanization is a bit more "shiny."
http://home.comcast.net/~davepen/images/other/dsc00464.jpg
dgoodhue posted 05-14-2010 05:27 PM ET (US)
I had a truck frame that rusted from the inside out. I look at it 4 month earlier and it looked nearly perfect on a lift (it was boxed so I couldn't see inside). Ironically I had talked to my dad how I notice a lot of these truck had broken frames in the want ads. Next time on the lift I had a huge 1 foot crack on both sides and the frame and it was really thin walled.
WT posted 05-14-2010 06:44 PM ET (US)
Can't it be fixed with a few more coats of turquoise paint?
sapple posted 05-14-2010 07:00 PM ET (US)
Is it possible to tell if a trailer is galvanized by its appearance? Is this a galvanized trailer?
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc264/sapple2/Misc%20stuff/IMG_0899. jpg
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc264/sapple2/Misc%20stuff/IMG_0898. jpg
pglein posted 05-14-2010 07:08 PM ET (US)
Yes, sapple, that is a galvanized trailer.
pglein posted 05-14-2010 07:13 PM ET (US)
I should clarify my initial statement. It is okay to use a painted steel trailer to haul a boat that is used in salt water. It is NOT a good idea to regularly dunk that trailer in salt water unless you can completely dunk it in fresh water shortly after every use. Rinsing is not sufficient, as it does not remove all the salt from inside boxed members. A "C" frame trailer would probably be ok, so long as it was very thoroughly rinsed from every direction after use.
Galvanized trailers should be rinsed after use as well, but will generally last much longer regardless.
frontier posted 05-14-2010 07:23 PM ET (US)
Peter is so right. As far as I know, most painted trailers are not coated on the inside of the frame pieces. Just a chemical bath to get rid of contaminants, then baked-on powder coat finish on the outside.
In the galvanizing process, the major components are hot dipped. So inside and out is coated.
Up here in the PNW, the nicest looking new painted trailers can start looking bad within months of saltwater use.Locally made King trailers are called the 'Saltwater Trailer' for good reason : "galvanized to a thickness well in excess of industry standards". Just about looks slopped on. We've been using them for years - not the prettiest at the boat show, but they look REAL pretty after 5 or 10 years.
Sherman Mohnike posted 05-14-2010 08:45 PM ET (US)
My open channel trailer is 43 years old and used 95% in saltwater and rinsed well as soon after use as reasonable. The key to any of these old trailers is that they can have no overlapping surfaces which trap water. Spring shackles attaching points on my trailer were a problem until I had them welded directly to the frame. I spray it with Rustoleum paint once a year and that's about it.
I wonder what a 43-year-old galvanized trailer that is used in saltwater would look like.
Sherm
contender posted 05-14-2010 09:31 PM ET (US)
My trailer is 35 years old and galvanized, I-Beam channel and only used in salt water. I only dunk the trailer up to the axle (do not dunk the hubs)to launch the boat. When I got the trailer, before [its first], use I launch the boat in my yard and flipped the trailer. I then sprayed all the nuts and bolts, rollers, supports, axle, and springs with LPS-3. I gave three coats to the axle and springs, letting it set up between coats. I then covered the axle and springs with a lite coat of grease. I still have the same axle and springs that came with the trailer. I did get rid of the rubber rollers in the mid 80's and replaced them with the Stolz rollers. I just replaced the rear bunks with a longer one to give the boat a little more support. The galvanzized has turn into a dark navy grey color, but no rust. 35 years old and still going stronge.
sapple posted 05-14-2010 09:45 PM ET (US)
pglein, thanks for responding. I will sleep a little bit easier tonight.
Tohsgib posted 05-15-2010 10:00 AM ET (US)
I have a 30 year old Cox under my 13' and she looks like new for the most part. You can actually stand on the fenders as well.
pglein posted 05-15-2010 01:32 PM ET (US)
Contender,
How do you get your boat on the trailer without dunking the hubs?
contender posted 05-15-2010 02:22 PM ET (US)
The trailer I have is an old 1975 Horizon (went out of business in the early 90's due to the cost of their trailers, and float on's took off, at the time they were the Cadillac of galvanized trailers) it is a break away type trailer. It also depends on the type of ramp you have. If you are at a shallow ramp you are forced to back your vehicle further down the ramp and may have to sink the hubs. With the trailer I have when I launch the boat the the boat starts to roll off the trailer(due to the angle of the ramp) with a small push after it gets about 1/2 way the trailer breaks and then the angle basically launches the boat off the trailer. The boat starts to float right away as soon as the transom hits the water. I'm also fortunate to have deeper ramps in the area. And as Tohsgib stated I also can stand on my trailer fenders, they are really stronge.
I have a float on type trailer for my larger boat and I basically have to sink the entire trailer to lauch the boat. I think what has happen is that over the years everyone has got away from roller trailers due to the cost and longer to launch and retive your boat. With a float on type you just float the boat off and on quick and easy, and they are a cheaper trailer to build/sell.
protek9543 posted 05-16-2010 05:12 AM ET (US)
A painted trailer is NOT galvanized.
10000 Lakes posted 05-16-2010 08:24 AM ET (US)
Can I show off my trailer too?
Joking. Does anyone have experience long term with aluminum trailers in saltwater? I would be interested in hearing about durability with exception to axles and hubs.
pglein posted 05-17-2010 11:40 AM ET (US)
Contender,
Even with the old roller trailers, I don't recall people actually trying to winch the boat up onto the trailer while it was mostly out of the water. I always backed mine in and floated the boat on 75% of the way and winched it the last few feet, same as I do with my bunk trailer now.
contender posted 05-17-2010 12:58 PM ET (US)
pglien: you are correct I have seen the same thing, And I will bet you their brakes do not last very long after being dunked in salt water... Like I said a lot depends on the angle of the ramp, I know if I tow my boat down to the keys I will probably have to dunk the hubs,(the ramps in the keys are all shallow and you have to back down farther). The ramps that I use (Ft Lauderdale area) are/were constructed in deep water or they were dug out. There are other things that make a lauch easy, trailer must be set up correctly, rollers move freely, and know what you are doing. Once my boat is down on the ramp, when I unhook the winch line I can just push the boat (16'7'' Whaler) off the trailer with one hand. Retreving the boat or puting it on the trailer I do not seem to have a problem either. Pglien maybe it's just the way I learned, I have been launching my boats since I was 12(mom would drive us to the ramp) and have been doing it the same way since (I'm 57 now). But I can tell you this, I never have had any problems with any of my wheel bearings, springs, or axles on any of my boat trailers...take care
DeeVee posted 05-17-2010 10:21 PM ET (US)
My Outrage 22 needs plenty of water to get it off the trailer. Before I added keel rollers, it was nearly impossible to get off the trailer unless I was at one of the more developed launch ramps, with plenty of incline. Now it unloads and loads nicely. I have to bury the axles, though, launching or retrieving. Retrieving, I float the boat approximately halfway onto the trailer, and then use the remote control electric winch to complete the retrieve process.
The smaller Whalers I have owned were always launched and retrieved with the intention to not wet the hubs with salt water. I never experienced a bearing failure with those boats (13' Sport, 15' Striper, 16' Sakonnet).
Concerning the painted trailers: One of the pre-Whalers I owned was bought with a painted EZ-Loader under it. I noticed the rear end of the frame tubes were corroded some when I bought it. A year or so later, one of the frame rails collapsed at the aft roller assembly.
Being young and having more time than money, I cut off the ends of the frame tubes and ripped down some 4x4 to fit inside the frame tube. I used a sledge hammer to drive the wood into the tubes. I used the trailer for years and sold the boat with the same trailer under it.
Doug Vazquez
wstr75 posted 05-17-2010 10:51 PM ET (US)
The Montauk I bought recently has a Cox galvanized trailer. The trailer in 25 years old and the galvanized coating is weak in places. The structural strength appears to be undiminished but it won't be if the light rust patina in those spots is allowed to progress. I was planning on purchasing a new trailer but the zinc paint references mentioned in this thread have opened my eyes. How effective are the zinc rich paints on an older galvanized trailer? What is involved with applying zinc rich paints? Is it as simple as brushing off the white zinc oxide corrosion and red rust corrosion spots and then liberally spraying-on the zinc rich paint?
Bill in NC
tjxtreme posted 05-17-2010 10:59 PM ET (US)
Contender- Where does one buy LPS-3? I couldn't find it at Wally World or Auto Zone.
Thanks
pglein posted 05-18-2010 12:42 PM ET (US)
Contender, you must have steep ramps indeed. If I backed my trailer down to where the wheels were still high and dry at any of the local ramps, the rear of the trailer would also still be high and dry. I don't care how well lubed the rollers are, there's no way you'd get that boat up on that trailer. And you'd probably hit the keel on the asphault in the process.
contender posted 05-18-2010 08:19 PM ET (US)
wstr75: I would sand blast the area (or sand it, wire brush on a drill motor really good) in question and purchase some cold galvanize spray (about $9 dollars a can) I think you can find it at a Home Depot.
Tjxtreme: LPS 3 comes in a spray can, Its a torquoise in color with red and black writtings with a red cap. They make it in three levels 1,2 and 3. I would think a good hardware store/ marine store will have it (I think West Marine stocks it but they are always more expensive).
pglien: your ramps must be really shallow, when I back my boat down to the trailer hubs the transom is almost in the water, and sometimes it is...

Good luck to all
pglein posted 05-19-2010 03:15 PM ET (US)
Our ramps generally follow the natural slope of the beach, so yes, they are shallow.

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Author	Topic: Corrosion of Painted Steel Boat Trailers in Saltwater Use
pglein	posted 05-14-2010 03:51 PM ET (US) This is why you don't use a painted steel trailer in saltwater: http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad71/nwMariner/rusted%20trailer/ DSCN2104.jpg http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad71/nwMariner/rusted%20trailer/ DSCN2105.jpg http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad71/nwMariner/rusted%20trailer/ DSCN2106.jpg As you can see from the pictures, this trailer failed in the frame rails immediately above where the suspension attaches. Chances are, it was thoroughly rusted on the inside of the rail for the whole length. There is no reason for it to rust in this location any more than anywhere else along the length. The reason it failed there is because that's where it encountered the most stress, not because it had the most corrosion. You can see rust spots in other areas as well. Since the trailer is painted on the exterior, and not on the inside of the rail, this means that the corrosion started on the inside and went through. This means that the frame rails are almost completely rust, and therefore have virtually zero structural integrity. Ungalvanized trailers should NEVER be used for moving boats that will be used heavily in saltwater.
David Pendleton	posted 05-14-2010 04:07 PM ET (US) Yikes. I've never seen anything like that.
tom976	posted 05-14-2010 04:32 PM ET (US) But... But... But... WHY?!?!?!!? The paint looks so nice and shiney on the outside... It must have been user error... :)
Buckda	posted 05-14-2010 04:55 PM ET (US) I bet that was an "interesting" moment on the highway...
sapple	posted 05-14-2010 04:56 PM ET (US) How can I tell if my trailer is galvanized or not?
Buckda	posted 05-14-2010 04:57 PM ET (US) @ Sapple: It will be ugly.
David Pendleton	posted 05-14-2010 05:06 PM ET (US) Hey, my trailer is beautiful! @sapple, it won't be painted, and will look like this after 9 seasons (in freshwater). Newer galvanization is a bit more "shiny." http://home.comcast.net/~davepen/images/other/dsc00464.jpg
dgoodhue	posted 05-14-2010 05:27 PM ET (US) I had a truck frame that rusted from the inside out. I look at it 4 month earlier and it looked nearly perfect on a lift (it was boxed so I couldn't see inside). Ironically I had talked to my dad how I notice a lot of these truck had broken frames in the want ads. Next time on the lift I had a huge 1 foot crack on both sides and the frame and it was really thin walled.
WT	posted 05-14-2010 06:44 PM ET (US) Can't it be fixed with a few more coats of turquoise paint?
sapple	posted 05-14-2010 07:00 PM ET (US) Is it possible to tell if a trailer is galvanized by its appearance? Is this a galvanized trailer? http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc264/sapple2/Misc%20stuff/IMG_0899. jpg http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc264/sapple2/Misc%20stuff/IMG_0898. jpg
pglein	posted 05-14-2010 07:08 PM ET (US) Yes, sapple, that is a galvanized trailer.
pglein	posted 05-14-2010 07:13 PM ET (US) I should clarify my initial statement. It is okay to use a painted steel trailer to haul a boat that is used in salt water. It is NOT a good idea to regularly dunk that trailer in salt water unless you can completely dunk it in fresh water shortly after every use. Rinsing is not sufficient, as it does not remove all the salt from inside boxed members. A "C" frame trailer would probably be ok, so long as it was very thoroughly rinsed from every direction after use. Galvanized trailers should be rinsed after use as well, but will generally last much longer regardless.
frontier	posted 05-14-2010 07:23 PM ET (US) Peter is so right. As far as I know, most painted trailers are not coated on the inside of the frame pieces. Just a chemical bath to get rid of contaminants, then baked-on powder coat finish on the outside. In the galvanizing process, the major components are hot dipped. So inside and out is coated. Up here in the PNW, the nicest looking new painted trailers can start looking bad within months of saltwater use.Locally made King trailers are called the 'Saltwater Trailer' for good reason : "galvanized to a thickness well in excess of industry standards". Just about looks slopped on. We've been using them for years - not the prettiest at the boat show, but they look REAL pretty after 5 or 10 years.
Sherman Mohnike	posted 05-14-2010 08:45 PM ET (US) My open channel trailer is 43 years old and used 95% in saltwater and rinsed well as soon after use as reasonable. The key to any of these old trailers is that they can have no overlapping surfaces which trap water. Spring shackles attaching points on my trailer were a problem until I had them welded directly to the frame. I spray it with Rustoleum paint once a year and that's about it. I wonder what a 43-year-old galvanized trailer that is used in saltwater would look like. Sherm
contender	posted 05-14-2010 09:31 PM ET (US) My trailer is 35 years old and galvanized, I-Beam channel and only used in salt water. I only dunk the trailer up to the axle (do not dunk the hubs)to launch the boat. When I got the trailer, before [its first], use I launch the boat in my yard and flipped the trailer. I then sprayed all the nuts and bolts, rollers, supports, axle, and springs with LPS-3. I gave three coats to the axle and springs, letting it set up between coats. I then covered the axle and springs with a lite coat of grease. I still have the same axle and springs that came with the trailer. I did get rid of the rubber rollers in the mid 80's and replaced them with the Stolz rollers. I just replaced the rear bunks with a longer one to give the boat a little more support. The galvanzized has turn into a dark navy grey color, but no rust. 35 years old and still going stronge.
sapple	posted 05-14-2010 09:45 PM ET (US) pglein, thanks for responding. I will sleep a little bit easier tonight.
Tohsgib	posted 05-15-2010 10:00 AM ET (US) I have a 30 year old Cox under my 13' and she looks like new for the most part. You can actually stand on the fenders as well.
pglein	posted 05-15-2010 01:32 PM ET (US) Contender, How do you get your boat on the trailer without dunking the hubs?
contender	posted 05-15-2010 02:22 PM ET (US) The trailer I have is an old 1975 Horizon (went out of business in the early 90's due to the cost of their trailers, and float on's took off, at the time they were the Cadillac of galvanized trailers) it is a break away type trailer. It also depends on the type of ramp you have. If you are at a shallow ramp you are forced to back your vehicle further down the ramp and may have to sink the hubs. With the trailer I have when I launch the boat the the boat starts to roll off the trailer(due to the angle of the ramp) with a small push after it gets about 1/2 way the trailer breaks and then the angle basically launches the boat off the trailer. The boat starts to float right away as soon as the transom hits the water. I'm also fortunate to have deeper ramps in the area. And as Tohsgib stated I also can stand on my trailer fenders, they are really stronge. I have a float on type trailer for my larger boat and I basically have to sink the entire trailer to lauch the boat. I think what has happen is that over the years everyone has got away from roller trailers due to the cost and longer to launch and retive your boat. With a float on type you just float the boat off and on quick and easy, and they are a cheaper trailer to build/sell.
protek9543	posted 05-16-2010 05:12 AM ET (US) A painted trailer is NOT galvanized.
10000 Lakes	posted 05-16-2010 08:24 AM ET (US) Can I show off my trailer too? Joking. Does anyone have experience long term with aluminum trailers in saltwater? I would be interested in hearing about durability with exception to axles and hubs.
pglein	posted 05-17-2010 11:40 AM ET (US) Contender, Even with the old roller trailers, I don't recall people actually trying to winch the boat up onto the trailer while it was mostly out of the water. I always backed mine in and floated the boat on 75% of the way and winched it the last few feet, same as I do with my bunk trailer now.
contender	posted 05-17-2010 12:58 PM ET (US) pglien: you are correct I have seen the same thing, And I will bet you their brakes do not last very long after being dunked in salt water... Like I said a lot depends on the angle of the ramp, I know if I tow my boat down to the keys I will probably have to dunk the hubs,(the ramps in the keys are all shallow and you have to back down farther). The ramps that I use (Ft Lauderdale area) are/were constructed in deep water or they were dug out. There are other things that make a lauch easy, trailer must be set up correctly, rollers move freely, and know what you are doing. Once my boat is down on the ramp, when I unhook the winch line I can just push the boat (16'7'' Whaler) off the trailer with one hand. Retreving the boat or puting it on the trailer I do not seem to have a problem either. Pglien maybe it's just the way I learned, I have been launching my boats since I was 12(mom would drive us to the ramp) and have been doing it the same way since (I'm 57 now). But I can tell you this, I never have had any problems with any of my wheel bearings, springs, or axles on any of my boat trailers...take care
DeeVee	posted 05-17-2010 10:21 PM ET (US) My Outrage 22 needs plenty of water to get it off the trailer. Before I added keel rollers, it was nearly impossible to get off the trailer unless I was at one of the more developed launch ramps, with plenty of incline. Now it unloads and loads nicely. I have to bury the axles, though, launching or retrieving. Retrieving, I float the boat approximately halfway onto the trailer, and then use the remote control electric winch to complete the retrieve process. The smaller Whalers I have owned were always launched and retrieved with the intention to not wet the hubs with salt water. I never experienced a bearing failure with those boats (13' Sport, 15' Striper, 16' Sakonnet). Concerning the painted trailers: One of the pre-Whalers I owned was bought with a painted EZ-Loader under it. I noticed the rear end of the frame tubes were corroded some when I bought it. A year or so later, one of the frame rails collapsed at the aft roller assembly. Being young and having more time than money, I cut off the ends of the frame tubes and ripped down some 4x4 to fit inside the frame tube. I used a sledge hammer to drive the wood into the tubes. I used the trailer for years and sold the boat with the same trailer under it. Doug Vazquez
wstr75	posted 05-17-2010 10:51 PM ET (US) The Montauk I bought recently has a Cox galvanized trailer. The trailer in 25 years old and the galvanized coating is weak in places. The structural strength appears to be undiminished but it won't be if the light rust patina in those spots is allowed to progress. I was planning on purchasing a new trailer but the zinc paint references mentioned in this thread have opened my eyes. How effective are the zinc rich paints on an older galvanized trailer? What is involved with applying zinc rich paints? Is it as simple as brushing off the white zinc oxide corrosion and red rust corrosion spots and then liberally spraying-on the zinc rich paint? Bill in NC
tjxtreme	posted 05-17-2010 10:59 PM ET (US) Contender- Where does one buy LPS-3? I couldn't find it at Wally World or Auto Zone. Thanks
pglein	posted 05-18-2010 12:42 PM ET (US) Contender, you must have steep ramps indeed. If I backed my trailer down to where the wheels were still high and dry at any of the local ramps, the rear of the trailer would also still be high and dry. I don't care how well lubed the rollers are, there's no way you'd get that boat up on that trailer. And you'd probably hit the keel on the asphault in the process.
contender	posted 05-18-2010 08:19 PM ET (US) wstr75: I would sand blast the area (or sand it, wire brush on a drill motor really good) in question and purchase some cold galvanize spray (about $9 dollars a can) I think you can find it at a Home Depot. Tjxtreme: LPS 3 comes in a spray can, Its a torquoise in color with red and black writtings with a red cap. They make it in three levels 1,2 and 3. I would think a good hardware store/ marine store will have it (I think West Marine stocks it but they are always more expensive). pglien: your ramps must be really shallow, when I back my boat down to the trailer hubs the transom is almost in the water, and sometimes it is... Good luck to all
pglein	posted 05-19-2010 03:15 PM ET (US) Our ramps generally follow the natural slope of the beach, so yes, they are shallow.