Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

If I am keeping my pontoon in a slip, and keeping the trailer basically in an open field, what should I do to best keep that trailer? Tarp below and over it? Anything I should spray on the wheels and tires? Any thoughts one way or another?

Just wondering--

Just park it.

Make sure your tires aren't sitting on ground/earth/soil. We've parked farm trailers outside for years and had no probs as long as the tires weren't touching the ground. Parked the tires on some loose bricks or flat rocks. You also might want to stick the electrical end into a ziplock baggie to keep it dry/unexposed to the rain.

Aren't slips great? No launch, just go! Tho I'll be studying the forum for ideas on how to clean the pontoons when we pull it out for the year.

In North Texas, you might get a lot of sun - which is the enemy of tire rubber. You might want to cover 'em.

Yup! Cover the tires to prevent tire cracking and rot.

Appreciate the reply's folks,
I haven't done it yet but am considering it and a friend is about to buy a Toon and plans to slip his so I knew I would get good answers here.

[ColoradoNativeResponse]You dimwitted texican! You better goober that whole darned thing up with cosmoline, then wrap it in a layer of 50 mil visqueen, then alternate the cosmoline and visqueen for two more layers. Next, truss it up with barbed wire, and bury it in the pasture.[/ColoradoNativeResponse]

Good thing I'm not a Colorado Native, huh?

It's really best if you'd put the trailer up on jack stands, and take the tires home with you.

First, it's for security reasons. You can also keep the tires out of the sun, which destroys tires.

Bamaman wrote:It's really best if you'd put the trailer up on jack stands, and take the tires home with you. First, it's for security reasons. You can also keep the tires out of the sun, which destroys tires.

Right on the money. People are stealing stuff left and right out of pastures/fields. If not for themselves, then to sell. And this was even before the "economic downturn." Our trailers were next to our barn, access to property difficult with gated entrance and electrobraid fencing. And we had BIG Rhodesian Ridgebacks roaming the farm.

landlockedsailor wrote:And we had BIG Rhodesian Ridgebacks roaming the farm.

I see large swedish farmboy-looking guys with South African accents, just hanging out with large caliber handguns, and supressed shoulder-weapons. Then I recall that a Rhodesian Ridgeback is some kind of dog...

Bamaman wrote:It's really best if you'd put the trailer up on jack stands, and take the tires home with you.

First, it's for security reasons. You can also keep the tires out of the sun, which destroys tires.

Bingo we have a winner

lakerunner wrote:

Bamaman wrote:It's really best if you'd put the trailer up on jack stands, and take the tires home with you.

First, it's for security reasons. You can also keep the tires out of the sun, which destroys tires.

Bingo we have a winner

This makes sense, thanks again guys.

steveiam wrote:

lakerunner wrote:

Bamaman wrote:It's really best if you'd put the trailer up on jack stands, and take the tires home with you.

First, it's for security reasons. You can also keep the tires out of the sun, which destroys tires.

Bingo we have a winner

This makes sense, thanks again guys.

You'd think I'd have already done that to my boat, but I don't always follow my own advice. I still plan on taking that 200 mile trip down the Tennessee River from Chattanooga as soon as we get back from Nova Scotia. Then, I'll get my jack stands out.

lakerunner wrote:

Bamaman wrote:It's really best if you'd put the trailer up on jack stands, and take the tires home with you.

First, it's for security reasons. You can also keep the tires out of the sun, which destroys tires.

Bingo we have a winner

Exactly what I do in the winter time. Tires and wheels go in the basement. I trailer the boat everywhere during the summer.