The 10 Best Boat Trailers
Special Honors
West Coast Trailers Pinnacle Series This model's chassis is constructed entirely of welded and painted aluminum, which outperforms galvanized steel frames in terms of corrosion resistance in salt and fresh water environments. The manufacturer customizes its bunk brackets to fit individual hulls. westcoasttrailers.com
Editor's Notes
April 08, 2020:
Removed the Cor Racks SUP Carrier, the Yakima Rack and Roll, and the Malone MicroSport because of availability issues.
Added the Malone MicroSport XT, the Yakima Rack and Roll, and the CE Smith 48810.
Galvanized steel trailers like the Malone MegaSport will perform well in fresh water contexts. The galvanization process deposits a layer of zinc over the bare steel that acts like a sacrificial medium that corrodes before the base metal. While it does provide some protection against salt water, the chlorides do react with the zinc and speed up the breakdown process. Models like the West Coast Trailers Pinnacle Series are both made of aluminum - which has excellent anti-corrosion properties in itself - and also painted, which only extends the durability of the trailer. When shopping for a boat trailer, one thing you should take note of is how much of the load-bearing structure relies on bolted unions as opposed to welded unions since welded unions will make for an overall stronger trailer.
If you plan on using your trailer on the road, make sure that it is DOT compliant and rated for use on highways.