What is the life of a dinghy trailer?
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 27th 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!