Trailer washdown setup
I mentioned, in another thread a while ago, that I was going to build a setup to wash down the boat trailer without getting down on my knees with a hose EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. 
I've always been very particular, but it gets to be a lot of work when you are going out every day pulling pots. It took a bit longer than planned, but I've been using it for a while now, and it works well. I have the garden retic on a bore, which is good water, so I use that for pressure and volume for the wash underneath. It is buried in the driveway, 25mm pvc feeding those big stainless Raindrop sprinklers. Overhead, I'm just running three ordinary sprinklers on 12mm poly, from the garden hose, mounted on the carport. I have an inline fitting to inject saltaway or vinegar in to the feed for that.
So I reverse in until the utes' front wheels are up on the kerb. this puts the bottom sprinklers under the transom and the top sprinklers right over the rocket launcher. turn it all on, reverse in slowly until I hit the stops. Then the sides get a quick hose down, as well as the deck and outboard. job done. I've done a short video of it in action on Youtube--looks like it does a better job than you are likely to do with a hose.
Blackgold
Posts: 68
Date Joined: 11/06/15
Trailer washdown
Hi looks like a well thought out wash down But when you launch your boat the trailer should be washed down then as it is sitting maybe for 2 hrs when pulling pots or mayebe 8 hrs when out fishing it has the salt already having the effect on the galvinzing and building up the salt layer so in my views it is not a waste of time but not having the greatest of effect my views only anybody else have a view ?
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Sorry, can't agree
You honestly reckon the few hours, likely 8 or 10 at the most, of the trailer sitting at the ramp does as much damage as if you had left it unwashed, at home, for weeks or months? Really doesn't add up. You only need to look at a trailer , unwashed from new after 12 months, vs an equivilent trailer which is just washed at home after the same period, and you'll see your argument is tenuous at best, IMO.
little johnny
Posts: 5359
Date Joined: 04/12/11
Few people
Are starting to use black Polly tube zippy tied to trailer with hose connection near hitch.and micro sprinklers . Anything worth a shot.
black gen
Posts: 762
Date Joined: 13/04/11
That's what we have setup
That's what we have setup LJ
we have connections at the front and back to get inside all tubes and also outside, sprayers on the brakes and the underside of the boat
just let it run and are guaranteed to get it clean with minimal effort
couple hundred bucks worth and a few hours of work
well worth the effort
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
I looked at doing that, dismissed the idea.
I couldn't see any way you could wash the entire trailer, well, with fixed sprayers. on poly. You can concentrate on areas like the brakes and springs, but you just can't get all of it really well. And, as I avoided getting a trailer with any tubing in the parts that get wet ( drawbar only) I don't need to wash anything internally. And you can't get the top of that tubing , internally, right along it's length--the water will run along the bottom, the inside tops stay salty, unfortunately. I guess you could run your spray set up for a while, then touch up the rest with a hand-held nose.
Of course, if you only have town water, you probably can't run three big sprinklers off it effectively, just don't have the pressure. I'm lucky to have really good bore water.
bsir
Posts: 574
Date Joined: 24/04/11
Vinegar
why the vinegar? I’ve never heard of that?
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Saltaway alternative
Lots of discussion on it on the US forums, some swear it does just as good a job as saltaway at a fraction of the cost. i certainly haven't seen any visible salt left after using it, but, if you wash down well enough with fresh water, you won't see salt anyway, I guess
Some have used it to remove salt deposits from within motors cooling passages with great success.
Terry
Posts: 458
Date Joined: 04/12/05
Lanolin
I sprayed all external parts of the trailer with Lanolin, and where I could get to the inside of the tubing parts as well. Trailer stunk like an old sheep for a while but saved it from eventual destruction Which started internally where I couldnt get to with the Lanolin. Something to consider maybe for boaties.
Good washdown setup you have got by the way.
Tom M
Posts: 661
Date Joined: 22/09/15
If it works for you great,
If it works for you great, clever set up.
I tried Denso tape once found salt water does find a way to get in and that it was undetected rusting away without knowing. Never used it again.
Tom M
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Yes, the downside of Denso.
Great for wrapping exposed electrical connections, hydraulic fittings, etc, but you'd better not leave any way for the water to get in , or else. I knew a guy who tried to stop his boat trailer springs rusting with it.
he sorta didn't get that the flexing of the springs would let water in, and just sit there. Worse than leaving them exposed and never hosing them down.
dodgy
Posts: 4577
Date Joined: 01/02/10
Yep. I've got a denso
Yep. I've got a denso wrapped trailer I picked up to repair. Nothing left under the denso. Axles are the only thing stopping it from collapsing in on itself.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
Houlty
Posts: 43
Date Joined: 11/12/11
I had the pipe system
I had the poly pipe running down the side tubes with garden hose connectors. I pulled them out as i found salt was sitting in the poly pipe.
Quality of steel and galvanising/powdercoating i think are the biggest factor to long lasting boat trailers.
I seen a new Dunbier steel Loader Pro series at OR this morning. Looked awesome might have to find out how much they cost.
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18026
Date Joined: 11/03/08
looks like a good setup
looks like a good setup there. however it would be better over grass to water at the same time
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Yeah, but I can't do that.
but it does run down into the garden. I'll concrete that driveway, one of these days....
eziliving
Posts: 875
Date Joined: 30/12/09
Ranmar that look great.
Ranmar that look great. Something I would like to rig up for underneath the boat. Top bit I don't mind hosing down with a beer in my hand. The only problem I have is the concrete is already installed.
Get busy living, or get busy dying!
aaasnapper
Posts: 218
Date Joined: 15/01/10
Nice
Nice set up and well done for thinking out of the box.
My thinking on galv. trailers is even with thorough wash downs we all fighting the inevitable rust. Lifespan of boat trailer in salt water 10 to 15 years max.
null
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Yes, you just keep them alive as long as possible.
Given my useage, I am not a fan of ali trailers, as I do some shocking roads, and all the larger alis all seem to be torsion suspension, which is just not up to that useage. As well as the aluminium frames themselves. Great for sticking to the bitumen. At least you can , quite likely, re-gal with channel and angle built trailers, mostly a waste of time with RHS/SHS construction.
Swompa
Posts: 3882
Date Joined: 14/10/12
After spending a month
After spending a month re-building my trailer, I spend a hell of a lot more time washing it in spots I found rust.
The Pappas trailer design is a piece of snot with lots of hard to get to spots that just attract salt water though, truth be told, the comments above about running reticulation, will only clean bits and pieces and you really need to jam hoses right up in the nooks and cranny's.