Anyone using a flatbed trailer? (Salt)

[Vumad]

I have a galvanized jet ski trailer. Standard dual setup for 3 stand ups (2 and a B1).

I was thinking about going to a flatbed utility style. But it would see salt. I can't see a reason why it would be an issue to use a flat bed aluminum trailer? Might need to replace the axle with a galvanized one?

Other option would be to put some wood decking on my ski trailer I have currently.

If not obvious, it would be to get more use out of the trailer. I have a hitch hauler and a bed so I rarely use the trailer. A utility trailer would be a lot more practical.

Thoughts?

 

[Sparkplug]

Currently converting a shore lander single. To flat deck. With pockets I can plug rails into for my ski.

Flat deck allows much more utility. Can load a motorcycle. Small boat. Raft. Canoe. Kayak. Mower. I can beach my ski on it. I can prop 2 chair on it and hang out in the water.

I will use old carpet from home depot for the top. They give away sections often. When it gets nasty I'll tear it off and staple down new stuff. 105 degree summers here will dry it put before I get home from the launch.

I have 3 trailers. None of them are what I want so I decided to finally make it. How badass would it be to cantilever one and do some 16 inch coil overs and be able to boon your trailer behind your truck. Guess only guys who tow offroad like me think about that eh.

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[fx1mark]

I wash my trailer off just like I do my jet ski after I ride in salt. Never had a problem.

 

[Big Kahuna]

If you rinse trailer off after every use you should be fine. Treat the hub area just like you do your engine bay. Spray it down!

 

[Scorn800]

A couple in my crew use a flatbed deck aluminum snowmobile trailer, and have 3 ski's on it.
It becomes a PIA if they take all 3 skis off as it floats when trying to load them back on.
Usually 1 person has to stand on trailer to weight it down than load the 1 ski in middle than it's fine to load other 2.

 

[fx1mark]

A couple in my crew use a flatbed deck aluminum snowmobile trailer, and have 3 ski's on it.
It becomes a PIA if they take all 3 skis off as it floats when trying to load them back on.
Usually 1 person has to stand on trailer to weight it down than load the 1 ski in middle than it's fine to load other 2.

I'm curious as to what makes it float. I have never seen a trailer that floats. Is the the wood? Tires?

 

[Vumad]

Currently converting a shore lander single. To flat deck. With pockets I can plug rails into for my ski.

Flat deck allows much more utility. Can load a motorcycle. Small boat. Raft. Canoe. Kayak. Mower. I can beach my ski on it. I can prop 2 chair on it and hang out in the water.

I will use old carpet from home depot for the top. They give away sections often. When it gets nasty I'll tear it off and staple down new stuff. 105 degree summers here will dry it put before I get home from the launch.

I have 3 trailers. None of them are what I want so I decided to finally make it. How badass would it be to cantilever one and do some 16 inch coil overs and be able to boon your trailer behind your truck. Guess only guys who tow offroad like me think about that eh.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

Exactly. Can you post a picture of what you come up with?

If you rinse trailer off after every use you should be fine. Treat the hub area just like you do your engine bay. Spray it down!

I agree, but I haven't seen any stand up skis on flat beds. I wasn't sure if there was some reason I might be missing other than cost.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

I'm curious as to what makes it float. I have never seen a trailer that floats. Is the the wood? Tires?

The tires make it float its all about weight versus flotation, if it has the 205/65/10 tires on it I have seen them float steel single trailers before, it makes loading and unloading a b!tch .

 

[Scorn800]

I'm curious as to what makes it float. I have never seen a trailer that floats. Is the the wood? Tires?

I think it's a combo of both.
The trailer is very light aluminum and it's about 10ft wide with 3/4 plywood decking and the small wide tires.
You watch as they back in and it just starts to float up

 

[Big Kahuna]

I run 13" tires on my double trailer. I had it built in 94. Depending on how I have had it configured, I have had it floating before a few times!!!!!!

With an Alum flat deck, I can easily see it floating of the alum deck is solid. Think of a Barge on the river. You would wonder how do they float!. But it is about water displacement. The ones I have seen have sold sides that turn up a few inches. This is basically making it act the same way a barge works. They are flat bottomed, with sides.

 

[Vumad]

Aluminum trailers are also probably square tubing and have rubber caps on the end of the tubes while galvanized trailers are often I-beam design. The Aluminum trailer frames probably hold a lot air themselves.

 

[fx1mark]

I have both aluminum and galvanized trailers with square tubing and they both are open with the wiring running inside.