"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
d parker wrote:
Aluminium is dangerous in salt environments and heavy loads. Fine for a
mast. But there is no way I would tow a 1 ton boat on one of those
trailers things. It stresses under extreme loads and will give way
without warning. Imagine a trailer giving up on the freeway. How many
people would you like to kill?

One may be ok to tow an inflatable. But forget it for a serious sal****er
boat.

DP


Absolutely, completely erroneous and absurd.

Similar to your response perhaps.

DP

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...


I tow a three ton boat on an aluminum trailer. I wouldn't have a
galvanized trailer under any circumstances. Where do these myths
originate?

I don't know. I see many heavy, expensive boats being hauled on aluminum
trailers. My 15,500lb fifth wheel RV has, (guess what?) an aluminum
frame.

Eisboch

And how often do you dunk this 15,500lb urban killer in the sea water?


DP

"d parker" wrote in message
...

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...

"d parker" wrote in message
...
Aluminium is dangerous in salt environments and heavy loads. Fine for a
mast. But there is no way I would tow a 1 ton boat on one of those
trailers things. It stresses under extreme loads and will give way
without warning. Imagine a trailer giving up on the freeway. How many
people would you like to kill?

One may be ok to tow an inflatable. But forget it for a serious
sal****er boat.

DP

Nonsense. Properly designed and manufactured an aluminum trailer is
every bit as strong or stronger than a galvanized steel trailer and it
won't rust.

Eisboch

Yes.. ever seen a stress fracture give way on a gal trailer? No? didn't
think so. Stress fractures in Alloy will snap open at whim. Particularly,
as I mentioned, ones created in a salt water environment. They are
insidious and not always visible as they may occur inside the frame or
even at the welds.

Rust on the other hand is usually visible and leaves tell tale signs of
its existence by way of well know stains leeching through the protective
surface.

I know aluminium is strong. Its a great product. Just not in trailers
designed for heavy loads. If that were the case every semi trailer rig on
the road would be alloy to initiate fuel savings and assist with easier
breaking and accelerating. But no, they are steel- they aren't even put in
and out of salt water.

DP



Any metal will yield if bent beyond its modulus yield point. It is basic
mechanical engineering. In the case of semi trailer rigs, designed to haul
50 tons or so, aluminum is not practical, (although it is certainly possible
to design for) so high tensile strength steel is used. But for boat
trailers there is nothing wrong with aluminum when properly designed for the
intended load. If aluminum scares you, take a look at some of the new
aluminum trailer hitches for your towing receiver. Rated at over 10,000 lb
capacity, they are stronger than a conventional steel hitch. You would
freak, I suspect.

Eisboch

On Tue, 27 Dec 2005 15:03:41 +1100, "d parker"
wrote:

Who are you, the local "Yes" man? And your reasons for disagreeing are?

===============================================

Yes.

I happen to be the owner of a very fine aluminum trailer and a 5,000
lb boat, both of which have successfully traveled several thousand
miles after having been used in nothing but salt water.

Any problem with that?

Can you cite any examples of aluminum trailer trashing or is this all
theoretical conjecture on your part?

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 27 Dec 2005 15:03:41 +1100, "d parker"
wrote:

Who are you, the local "Yes" man? And your reasons for disagreeing are?

===============================================

Yes.

I happen to be the owner of a very fine aluminum trailer and a 5,000
lb boat, both of which have successfully traveled several thousand
miles after having been used in nothing but salt water.

Any problem with that?

Can you cite any examples of aluminum trailer trashing or is this all
theoretical conjecture on your part?



I could take you down the road and show you one.. It was designed as to
carry a J24 and spent most of its life in the boatyard, parked next to
Etchells and other J's etc. Though it did do several interstate runs to
title events I am told. It has sever cracks in four places ( they are the
visible ones) and it is totally unroadworthy. It is going to require a
totally new draw bar as well as several new sections to repair it. Had they
not been found the trailer may have killed someone. Gal trailers on the
other hand always have telltale signs of problems highlighted by rust. Alloy
ones DON'T!.


DP

On Wed, 28 Dec 2005 10:03:03 +1100, "d parker"
wrote:

Gal trailers on the
other hand always have telltale signs of problems highlighted by rust. Alloy
ones DON'T!.

==========================================

It must have taken years of careful analysis on your part to conclude
that aluminum trailers do not rust.

Good work, there may be a Nobel prize awaiting here.

On Tue, 27 Dec 2005 22:04:21 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Wed, 28 Dec 2005 10:03:03 +1100, "d parker"
wrote:

Gal trailers on the
other hand always have telltale signs of problems highlighted by rust. Alloy
ones DON'T!.

==========================================

It must have taken years of careful analysis on your part to conclude
that aluminum trailers do not rust.

Good work, there may be a Nobel prize awaiting here.


That was unfair. Aluminum alloys do suffer from stress corrosion.
You need a penetration agent and UV light to scan for small cracks.
Still, an aluminum trailer can give very good service in salt or
fresh.

Brian Whatcott Altus OK