Trailer aluminum vs steel

[VetteLT193]

[ QUOTE=widowmaker]
Hey Trip,

Don't I remember that your Myco trailer suffered a fracture that had to be repaired/re-welded?[/QUOTE]

yeah, he deleted most of the thread about his burned trip thanks to his welded trailer. The thread documented the exact situation I described where a weld lets loose and you are not boating. funny as hell, thanks for bringing it up. Even funnier is standing behind the product even more dead set

one of my favorite places to go is in Port Canaveral FL... I have spent many a happy hour there. It's a place called Grills and it borders a huge public boat ramp.

I have seen thousands of boats get launched and retrieved there. Many hard core guys running big center consoles (the real Big Salty Offshores) launch there and I can't remember EVER seeing an aluminum welded trailer there. The welded looks better and *sounds* like it would be stronger. That's why they sell. The hard core boater buys what works.

[roadtrip se]

Yes, I figured you guys would find a way to bring up my issue with the MYCO. I had a problem and they resolved it,
completely and to my satisfaction. And seven years later and about 10,000 miles per annum, I'm still pulling the same trailer with zero issues. None. Nada. Period. And please feel free to do a search here on the issues, how they were addressed by MYCO, and my satisfaction afterwards with the efforts of a great company. I didn't delete one word of my experience that I posted here. If anything was deleted, it was from being moderated when the hyenas got out of control.

As for the topic at hand, I am recommending Ralph call Manning, so save the pile-on that always comes up about MYCO on these trailer threads. Manning builds a great aluminumn welded trailer here in Michigan at a fair price.

Vette, we have history, and you know it, so please just ignore my posts, and trying to twist or disprove things I say. You aren't credible, you obviously have a hidden agenda, and you are wasting your time trying to discredit me, so give it up. For the record, when I was referencing "offshore salties" I intended a Donzi ZR, a Cigarette Top Gun, or a Fountain 42; not the locally built center console, that do typically ride on the cheapest, erector-set trailer available.

[Greg Guimond]

The quality of any welded trailer is based 100% on who does the welding at the time it gets fabricated. When you add to this the fact that a repair in any out of the way place with aluminum could become a real challenge I would go bolted every time.

[MOP]

I do not agree with the boats sitting higher on bolted AL trailers, my 22 sits 3-1/2" above the torsion axles and 1"above the back frame rail IE real low.

[mattyboy]

I sure could see the trailer as it floated, off to the side in the current first time I have ever seen two linemen needed to capture an 18 one for the line on the boat and one for the line holding the trailer straight???? Not all rigs require brakes in all states depending on GLW.

[gcarter]

Actually, it doesn't require two sets of brakes to make them sink, but brakes on all axles will definately do the job.

A quick story about Catch22, when he first got his aluminum trailer, it had steel wheels, no brakes, and it didn't float.
Gina gave Jim a set of aluminum wheels and when he had them mounted, the trailer floated.
Later, he added brakes and it sank.
The Minx trailer had brakes on one axle, steel wheels, and it never floated.

[roadtrip se]

Greg, the moving parts, and those that will most likely fail, on any trailer discussed here, steel, bolt-together aluminum, or welded aluminum are the same and available most places. A bad day could be had by anyone with a failed weld on an aluminum or steel trailer, for that matter. Finding a shop to fix either is going to be a challenge, but most can do both. I will take my chances on a failed weld, after 70K pulling a aluminum welded trailer, than losing something in the structure of a bolt-together trailer from a lost piece of hardware, and the resulting damage from the failure. It's a preference.

MOP, if you have a bolt-together trailer that cradles the boat, good for you. Most that I have seen don't, and place the boat high on a set of vertical bunks. Again a preference, but not mine, with the miles I pull.

To the floater comments. This just proves that the trailers are lighter to pull. Where we launch and recover, you typically have to stand on the tonque to reach the winch any way, and the weight settles the trailer into the water. Is it an extra step? Yes? Is it a big deal? Not really.

[Ghost]

They won't float when these become the norm...

6993756.jpg

[gcarter]

I'm not getting into the welded vs. bolted discussion as it's not worth it.
I'm definately in the bolt together camp, but mainly because it's usually cheaper
and easy to repair. If I were able to barter water treatment equipment for a new,
custom welded trailer, I'd definately consider it.
I'd definately not ever conside another steel trailer though.

[Greg Guimond]

Road, the moving parts aren't the primary issue. For me with aluminum a bolt is stronger then a weld and far easier to repair. Just my preference

[roadtrip se]

gcarter said: "If I were able to barter water treatment equipment for a new, custom welded trailer, I'd definately consider it."

Thanks for being intellectually honest George. You have hit on something. This really boils down to the cash and for a lot of folks the value proposition of a bolt-together, aluminum trailer works for them, and I don't fault them for that, but to tear down a welded aluminum as inferior, isn't really fact-based either. It's perception-based.

So let's have a little fun here. The Powerball drawing is tomorrow night. Let's say somone here wins it and they start shopping for big offshore boats to go with their Donzi pride and joy. What would they buy?

[roadtrip se]

For $329K. Looks like a nice ride, but who the heck puts a welded aluminum trailer under a center-console wave crusher? Idiots.

[roadtrip se]

For $235K. Nope, can't fool me, that is a painted welded aluminum trailer under there. It could break a weld at any time! Pass.

[roadtrip se]

for $349K. 700 with NXTs, too. Wow. Dang it, I could lose a weld in some remote area. Nope.

[roadtrip se]

for $325K. Nice ride. Riding on welded aluminum. Shoot. Have to pass again.