It’s a natural impulse to protect our boats when they sit idle through the winter. We may not have the same affection for the trailers they rest on, but they also need attention while they wait for spring. Their tires, especially, benefit from protection from outdoor exposure.

1Photographs by the author

Any jack can lift a trailer carrying a small boat, but some jacks are not well suited to the work. A bottle jack (left) has a small base that’s prone to tipping. A floor jack (center) is more stable but doesn’t lend itself to being blocked up to get its arm within reach of the trailer, and the pivoting motion of the lifting arm makes the bearing pad prone to slipping out of place. The farm jack (right) has an exceptional range of adjustment and can quickly be set to contact a trailer frame before lifting begins. The upper clamp jaw can be removed to provide more clearance between the jack and the load.

Boat trailer tires don’t typically wear out. They don’t get anywhere near the same miles as a car or truck, and the time they spend out on the road doesn’t shorten their life, but rather, prolongs it: While on the road, a tire flexes, distributing the oils and other chemical compounds that are mixed into its rubber to keep it flexible and to protect it from ozone and ultraviolet light.

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