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Buying a boat is thrilling! When we’re boat shopping, we’re obsessed with finding the perfect boat, and all the great adventures we’re going to have with it. Often times, purchasing a boat trailer is an afterthought. We also tend to be more than willing to spend our hard-earned dollars on a boat, then end up trying to skimp on the trailer. Bad idea! If you want the most from your boat, buy a high-quality trailer. It’s a dual-purpose piece of equipment that provides a convenient way to store your boat, and also allows you take your boat on the road to explore new waters.
To help you choose the right boat trailer, here is our list of the best boat trailers for 2022 and a few helpful tips for buying one:
2022 Best Boat Trailers
The best boat trailers for 2022 come from the best manufacturers. That’s why we’re focusing on quality manufacturers that produce premium lines. Once you know who’s making the best trailers out there, you can familiarize yourself with what they have to offer and determine what best meets your needs. Remember, you’re not just buying a boat trailer, you’re buying the knowhow, quality and customer service behind it.
The Rolls Axle trailers are legendary among boaters. Rolls Axle manufacturers every single part of their trailers themselves. You can’t find better quality assurance than that. We should mention that the optional aluminum wheels are the only part that they don’t manufacture themselves. They’re also the only company that makes a 100% aluminum boat trailer, and they guarantee their aluminum springs for life. In addition to quality trailers that last, the company is known for great customer service - extremely responsive and friendly.
Seasoned boaters will argue that Load Rite makes the best trailers on the market. They’re also known for their wide variety of trailers to meet any boater’s needs - 28 different designs. Everything the company makes is made from galvanized steel. And their patented I-beam frame means additional security and support. They offer trailers in sizes to accommodate almost any size boat – even larger boats up to 18,000 lbs. and a maximum of 36 feet.
Every Loadmaster trailer is built to order and they are all high quality, custom built. Loadmaster works “one-on-one with you to design a trailer that suits both your boat’s specifications and your needs.” They build trailers for boats ranging from 16 feet to 50 feet in length that are easy to load, easy to tow, good looking and impervious to bowing, flexing or rusting. It’s also nice to know that it’s a family owned and operated business. And they take pride in designing each trailer to accurately support your boat’s hull based on the boat manufacturer’s specifications, as well as your towing and boating lifestyle.
With over ten patents, EZ Loader has been one of the leading innovators and manufacturers of boat trailers since 1953, and they’re big. With three manufacturing facilities and fourteen distribution centers in North America, getting just what you need, when you need it, shouldn’t be a problem. They pride themselves in being the one-stop shop for any type of recreational boat trailers – both adjustable and custom. With so much to choose from they have trailers for every boat, every budget, and every body of water.
King Trailers are the workhorses of boat trailers and built for the long haul. Their focus is optimized saltwater corrosion resistance and durability. They also offer a boatload of built-in and advanced special features, so you get your money’s worth. This means that their standard trailers come with the features that “dealers are confident to offer and customers are happy to own.”
Magic Tilt is another family-owned and operated business that builds excellent boat trailers. Since 1953, they have excelled at building aluminum and galvanized steel trailers designed for salt water applications. Well known and trusted, they ship nation-wide and internationally. Over the past several years, they have worked to design a line of fully welded custom trailers. Plus, their boat trailers are known to launch and load as smooth as silk.
Helpful tips for buying a boat trailer
Pick the trailer for your type of boating
When looking at trailers, narrow your search based on the environment you’ll be operating it in. For instance, if you mostly launch in salt water, a galvanized steel frame is better at handling this. If fresh water is your destination, aluminum trailer frames are often best, since they’re lightweight but strong. You’ll find that there are many types of trailers, each designed for a specific type of boating.
Know your weight
When considering the weight capacity you’ll require, you need to factor in more than the weight of the boat. Your final number needs to be the total weight of the boat, motor and all your gear. Once you’ve determined that number, it should be the mid-range of trailer’s carrying capacity.
Bigger wheels are better
Opt for larger diameter tires and wheels. The reason is that larger tires rotate fewer times per mile, producing less heat and wear on the treads. Plus, the wheel bearings will last quite a bit longer since they’ll rotate fewer times per mile.
Go for a drive-on trailer
Look for trailers with “drive-on” capabilities. They allow you to drive your boat right onto the trailer, close enough to the winch that you only need to winch the boat up a few inches.
Choose quality lights
You don’t want lights that are unpredictable or short out easily. That’s why you need to look for trailer lights that are protected and sealed against water.
Trailer maintenance musts
No matter what trailer you decide to buy, or what it’s made of, you’ll need to maintain it properly if you want it to last. Here are a few simple steps sure to extend the life of your trailer and enhance its performance:
1. Thoroughly rinse off your trailer with fresh water after every use. It’s also a good idea to periodically wash it with soap and water.
2. Stay on top of scratches. Simply keep a can of color-matched paint or cold galvanizing spray on hand. When you notice a chip, scratch or rust spot, coat over it as soon as you see it.
3. Lights on trailers are susceptible to corrosion. Stave it off by applying dielectric grease to the sockets of any incandescent light fixtures.
4. Protect your tires from prolonged exposure to direct sunlight that can degrade them. Just use dedicated tire covers or even pieces of tarp cut down to size.
5. Grease it up. The shafts and roller assemblies of roller trailers should be greased at least once a year to keep everything moving smoothly.
The bottom line
A high-quality boat trailer can last for many, many seasons if it’s well maintained. We know boaters with reliable trailers over 40 years old. That’s why it’s so important that you choose a quality manufacturer. We hope our list of 2022’s best boat trailers has put you on the right course. Go out there and find the right trailer for your needs; it will open up new roads for you and your boat.
Written by: Jo Montgomery