Yacht Club Trailer Rust

[DiamondDave952]

Took delivery of a 2021 22 SSBX and a Yacht Club trailer back in April from my dealer. Trailer has been sitting in my driveway since April and last weekend, I noticed rust on the trailer. I am new to boating and don't think this is normal given it's only been a few months. I am concerned what the trailer will look like in a few years. Is this something I need to take up with Yacht Club or my Bennington dealer? Thanks for reading the post and your comments.

 

[Jack M]

I would speak to who ever you bought the trailer from

 

[lakeliving]

This is why I went the galvanized route. Aside from some bolts rusting my frame looks like it did when I got it in 2014

 

[scottkp]

I had a similar issue in one spot on my trailer where there was no powder coating. Contacted the company I purchased it through and they replaced it no questions asked. Granted, it took nearly 6 months to get a new one, but I couldn't be happier with the customer service I received. It was not a Yacht Club trailer but I would certainly hope that Yacht Club would do the same for you.

 

[DaveyJ]

I have a trailer that was less than a year old (now 5) when the majority of the welds were rusted. I complained and the manufacturer (not Yacht Club) said it was my fault because they believed I pulled it in the winter and got salt on it (which I hadn't). My thought was they didn't prep the welds correctly before powder coating. The dealer I bought the trailer from helped me out when the manufacturer told me to pound sand. The trailer pulls awesome but the quality of the finish and bunks would make me shy away from their products in the future. Good luck with Yacht Club!

 

[CLDave]

No problems with my Yacht club trailers - had one for my 2011 RCW that sat outside 100% of the time (no rust or problems), and now have a new one for my R25.

Superficial rust is very treatable - I'd recommend getting some POR-15 paint and just touching those spots up. Definitely do something though - untreated it'll keep on rusting and get ugly / dangerous with time.

 

[Vikingstaff]

Painted trailers always have this potential. Do you know when the dealer received it? What conditions it sat in prior to you buying it? How long it sat outside between manufacturing to your driveway? Was it transported on any roads with rubble, debris, gravel, etc. by you or anyone else? Every ding of something on a painted trailer has the chance of chipping paint and exposing metal; which then will begin to rust super fast if left sitting outside.

That said, you certainly expect more when it is brand new. Contacting Yacht Club will hopefully be helpful. I have a Yacht Club trailer for my PWC, so I’d love to hear back from you on what they do/say in case I have issues someday.

* In full disclosure I bought my PWC trailer 1 year used (a 2020) from a trade in at our dealerships. It has 2 very small rust spots similar to this, but I am storing it indoors, and plan to touch those up with some rustoleum paint sometime soon. I also knew about them when I bought it used, so no curveball on my end like on yours.

That said, some gold old fashioned black rustoleum paint will take care of your problem now, and keep it from getting worse.

 

[BigKahuna]

I had a Yacht Club trailer for 12 yrs. and loved it! I waxed the crap out of it at least twice a year from the start and had no trouble with rust. I had friends laugh at me saying .....Who waxes their trailer?!? ME!!! It paid off! I have a galvanized trailer now. I'd wax it if I could!

 

[CapKaz]

Unfortunately steel has a tendency to rust. Unless a steel metal structure is sealed such as powder coating, ect. Most are just painted and will ( sorry this is just how it works) rust. Galvanized or aluminum will be the only fix if rust is a problem. Rattle can of paint will work wonders.