Assessing the condition of my trailer

[DoubleUpDisaster]

I picked up a 2014 G21 this summer. The boat was clearly really well cared for, but the trailer is a totally different story. It's pretty rough for six years old - there's bubbling paint and rust all over the place, and the brakes are completely inoperative. The tires are original, dated 2013.

2014 Boatmate G21 Trailer

First, the brakes. You can see the big rusty ring around the master cylinder cap. I cleaned the loose debris up as well as I could before opening the master cylinder, which I found totally empty. I didn't have the ability to address it right then, so I got the boat home and it's now made its way into storage. I'm trying to get a bead on what I'm going to need to fix these properly in the spring. I don't think the brakes have worked in a long time, so I'm assuming the master cylinder and shock absorber are shot. I plan to pull the actuator apart in the spring and replace them both. Taking the condition of the rest of the trailer into consideration, should I be thinking about brake lines and calipers as well?

Second, I'd like to figure out what to do about the rust. The boat will live on a lift, and I hope to only tow a couple of miles to/from the lake at the beginning and end of each season. The trailer will live outside during the summer. Showroom perfect isn't my goal, but I do want to make it presentable and protect the steel from the elements if it's worth doing. How bad is this? My primary concern is what it might look like inside the framerails. Am I going to bolt a thousand dollars worth of brake parts and tires onto this thing, then pay somebody a bunch of cash to clean up the frame just to have it fall apart on me in three or four years?

[shag]

I would definitely replace the tires (anything past 6 years is too old for me, some folks don't even wait that long). I would almost say it looks like that trailer may have been dunked into salt or brackish a few times. That said, I have heard/seen some older boat mate trailers that must've not received good rustproofing and had some early surface rust that progressed a bit. Take that back of your knuckle and tap all along the frame tubes - you should get a nice 'ding' all the way. If you get more of a duller sound, especially around the spots you show, it may mean it needs a little more attention to assess. I would say if that is surface rust only, you are probably at least 1k to have them sanded, primed and painted. If surface only, yo may be able to do it your self if its not that bad. (if this trailer has seen salt use, you may have more problems down the road, personal experience).
Brakes don't look too bad in the pics, double check with boatman, but should be DOT 3 fluid. add fluid and see if you can get them to work, may need to bleed the system. Does the piston on the brake master (in the trailer reciever move freely or too easily? Does it move at all (aka siezed)? Did you feel a 'clunk' or lurch when braking? And clean those wheels up lol.. Good luck!
And this isn't meant to criticize anyone's trailer upkeep, it's a pain to do all the maintenance, just an opinion on the condition.

[DoubleUpDisaster]

Thanks for the response, shag. I’ve been around boats a long time, but this is the first I can call my own, so I’m trying to learn as much as I possibly can. The trailer condition was surprising because the bilge, running gear, engine mounts, rudder linkages, etc. are all immaculate, and I bought it in MN. I was so excited to dig into the boat that I pretty much overlooked the trailer - rookie move. Either way, thanks for the advice. I have a body shop I trust - is there any reason I might be better off finding a trailer guy to clean it up? What, if anything, can be done if I find corrosion inside the frame tubing? Sell it? Can’t imagine the market is huge for a rusty G21 trailer.

As far as the brakes go, the actuator slides back and forth when I pull the trailer, so it’s not frozen up. I didn’t think to check how hard (or rather, easy) it is to move by hand, but I suppose with no brake fluid in the system that will tell me the condition of the shock, correct? I believe very stiff is what I want, right? If it’s stiff I’ll see if I can get the brakes to work with just a fill and bleed before I go tearing the tongue apart. The biggest challenge there (hopefully) will be making sure I get any debris out of the master cylinder that I may have knocked in there.

[81nautique]

I have a 2012 Boatmate and I lost all brake fluid. Found a rusted brakeline inside the frame rail, it was rusted right through. Realized that when the boat is sitting in storage water can sit in the frame rail and the brake line sits right in water. I now raise the front of the trailer a bit to drain after use.

Not sure what I'd do with that trailer because it's rusting on the inside of the frame too. A good inspection is needed and after that if the frame isn't too bad I would pull it apart, sandblast and do a full resto before it gets worse. On my 2012 I've already replaced the brake lines, the entire actuator, both fenders and repaired rust . I would not buy another Boatmate unless they do something with their rust proofing/paint.

[JGordon210T]

DoubleUpDisaster When you can get the boat off of the trailer for an extended period of time, go over every square inch of the trailer and write every issue down. Have it inspected front to back. Build a list and see what everything will add up to be. With the amount of rust that is showing already, its safe to say youll be in the 3-4K range for a rebuild. Tires, Actuator (if you decide to replace it), and maybe a couple calipers if they are seized will be close to 2K with tax before you address the rust repairs. You may be better off finding an older used Ram-Lin or ordering a new trailer for it. I personally would stay far away from Boatmate. I just sold mine that was still under warranty and they were not covering issues. They are under a massive back log of new trailer sales and it seems as if they care more about that than servicing their current owners. They look great but loading/pulling/longevity wise they are garbage.

[distinguishedmotorsports]

that trailer looks like it has seen salt water many times and not got a wash down. eeek