I am asked this question very regularly and I have been meaning to do a post on the subject. The first thing to consider is the environment your trailer or trolley is likely to spend most of its life in. The coast with its salt water atmosphere eats into galvanising at an amazing rate, whereas inland fresh water clubs are far less corrosive.

Over the last fifteen years we have found that a well-made aluminium trolley with all the nuts and bolts in stainless steel last far better than the a conventional steel one.

The overall life of the trailer frame is one thing, but tyres, bearings, and suspension are quite another story. These however should be examined at the beginning of the new season and the trailer given a good service, not forgetting the lighting set and the spare wheel.

When we went through the lengthy process of Type Approval the view of the testing team at the VCA  was that most trailers on the road would have a certificate of conformity by 2025. Their idea of the life expectancy of a dinghy road trailer was between 10 and 15 years, that was in 2012.  Their view at that point was that it would be self-policing, no-one would spend 25 to 40k on a racing dinghy and use an illegal trailer. After all, this would invalidate any insurance if there was an accident on the road. In fact it was only after prosecutions in 2021 (basically 9 years later) that thing really changed.

The simple answer to the question is that if you maintain your trailer properly it will last as long as you want it to! This photo is of a trailer supplied to Hobie Cat UK on the 27^th March 1993. It has had the suspension hubs and wheels replaced and should go on for a few more years.

Finally trailers manufactured before 2012 do not need a CoC,  after that all trailers should have one, it is worth checking that yours has!

There is always a bit of a push to complete all outstanding work before Christmas and the new year, and make sure we have adequate stocks to tie us over. Trailer testing is now being booked for January and the last galvanisers collection will be later this week.

At his point I would like to wish all of our customers and suppliers a very good Christmas and a happy healthy new year.

The factory and shop will be closed for a short period from Thursday 11th September  until Monday 22nd Sept.

We apologise for any inconvenience that this might cause.

Very sad to hear that RWO are  no longer in business,  as chandler’s whose shops operated from the 60’s onwards through the golden years of dinghy sailing the RWO brand was very strong.

Their fittings were always well designed, beautifully engineered, and competitively priced and we sold loads and loads of them, and as a company there were a joy to work with, which in the marine trade at that time was unusual.

This is the last remnants of our RWO stock!

This is Matt Thompson who was the busiest person at this years Dinghy Show, he spent the entire two days with a polishing cloth removing hand prints off the varnish deck’s of his beautiful Albacore.

It’s little wonder it won Concours d’Elegance!

In boat maintenance terms it is the most unloved job, but making sure the hull isn’t being damaged by old supports could

save expensive repairs later in the season!

It was -6.5 when I left at 6 0’clock this morning, my first delivery was South Eastern Galvanizing in Essex, and  it was actually positively warm there at -3.  I met my first customer at 8, and then back on the A12, it took 62 miles with the heater on max for me to get sensation back to my feet.

Am I still Living The Dream?       Absolutely!!!

On the weigh bridge!

We are working on the web site so I have spent the day photographing anchors and fenders!

We are in the process of servicing MRX’s from the Harp, this one is now 20 years old and still competitive, it just proves how well Ovington Boats build dinghies!