Trailer repairs

Rumour has it that trailers are neglected.

Websites and magazine articles give lots of detail on the care and maintenance of trailers (see Cleaning,  here),  but who actually does this?

The LS likes trailers.

His car is a smallish hatchback which can carry some equipment:  camping gear;  peripatetic presentation materials;  Christmas presents;  you know the kind of thing.

For bulkier things (trips to the tip;  timber from the merchant) a trailer solves most problems.

The trailer under the Sandweaver was clean and tidy at first inspection,  but,  as detailed here,  had a few problems.

After the first shakedown cruise the scale of the trailer's problems became clearer.   Most of them were beyond the skills of the LS (Actually,  they were likely to be hard work;  outside the ethos of Lazy Sailing.).

Some years ago the baby son had bought a big oak log from a timber merchant in Essex.   He planned to rive it into staves for a chair,  but first it needed to be moved from Essex to Cambridge.

By trailer,  obviously.

The trailer was hired from Anglian Trailers,  near Bury St Edmunds who were meticulous about the lad's driving licence:  they weren't sure that it qualified him to tow such a big trailer.   He has subsequently taken a trailer course,  and is now fully qualified.   But on the day,  his Dad drove the car and trailer.

The hirer was less meticulous about trailer maintenance (despite advertising trailer servicing and maintenance on their website!) and it had to be taken into the workshop for the lights to be repaired.

So the LS 'phoned Anglian Trailers and explained his problems.   They were very kind,  very chatty,  very free with advice and totally unhelpful.

Snipe Trailers were even less helpful.

TrailerTek offered only straightforward servicing.

For some years the LS had offered Inland Waterways Helmsman courses.

The manager of Jones' Boatyard,  at St Ives,  had seen the value of this and had often referred his clients to the LS for own-boat tuition.   Margaret suggested that he might know of a trailer workshop.

He did:  F S Trailers in Huntingdon.   Paul was very cheerful,  with a 'can-do' attitude:  "bring it over and we'll take a look".

So the LS took it over,  and Paul took a look:  "the bearings are shot,  and the stub axle might be bent;  leave it with us and we'll quote for those,  the new tyres,  the breakback mechanism and new mudguards".

The LS expected this to cost a bit.  It did.   Less than £250.00,  within a week!
He picked it up on his way to Thrapston and it towed like a dream.
He took it home late that evening:  it towed as though it wasn't there.

He now knows that he has a trailer he can trust and,  with luck,  he can go sailing this season.