Choosing the Best Boat Trailer in New Zealand: A Comprehensive Guide
Are you looking for a replacement boat trailer in New Zealand?
Choosing a high-quality boat trailer for your boat is essential for maintaining its longevity, particularly if you often enjoy boating in salt water. This involves considering the material benefits, design innovation, and specific needs of your boat.
To help you make the right choice, we'll delve into the advantages of aluminium boat trailers and introduce Futura Trailers' award-winning anodized aluminium boat trailers, which are designed for longevity, ease of use, and aesthetic appeal.

Why Invest in Aluminium Boat Trailers?
Choosing a high-quality trailer makes retrieving your boat much easier, as there's no need to rent a dry stack berth to store and launch your boat. However, investing in a model made specifically from aluminium offers several benefits of its own compared to other types.
Firstly, aluminium trailers are renowned for their lightweight, yet durable construction, which makes them ideal for carrying weighty loads. Aluminium also has strong anti-corrosion properties for marine applications, ensuring longevity in the water while requiring minimal maintenance.
Unlike galvanised steel, aluminium does not rust, which is crucial for saltwater exposure. Anodisation further enhances this by thickening the protective layer, offering better resistance against environmental elements.
Aluminium trailers are also easier to manoeuvre and less taxing on the tow vehicle, leading to fuel savings and reduced wear and tear.
Choosing the Right Aluminium Boat Trailer
Along with choosing a sturdy material, purchasing the right trailer for your boat requires an understanding of its size and weight, as well as the trailer's towing compatibility.
Your choice should also depend on its load capacity, the dimensions that best fit your boat, and the following factors:
Size
To find the right size trailer to handle your boat's capacity, first measure the length. You should also take the weight into account, which includes the engine, water and fuel weight, and gear you'll carry too, as well as the new frame weight.
All of our heavy-duty, yet lightweight trailers have a gross vehicle weight rating, which refers to the maximum capacity the trailer can handle. This makes choosing the right size simple – just add 15% to the weight you've measured.
Axles
Knowing the size and weight can also help you choose a trailer with the right axle amount. Axles are shafts that transfer the weight and drive to the wheels to ensure even distribution, which helps make balanced loading easier.
A one-axle trailer is best for smaller boats that weigh up to 1.4 tonnes and measure 6m, while a model with 2 or more axles makes for easier and safer driving when travelling.
Look for brakes too, especially when it comes to safely controlling multi-axle trailers, which are a requirement in New Zealand for capacities over 2500 kg.
Tongue Weight
As well as the total weight, you'll also need to consider how heavy the front of the trailer is in relation to the boat. Choose trailers with a tongue weight that's between 5 and 10% of the total weight to keep your boat secure and prevent it from swaying as you're travelling.
Support Systems
Loading your boat up ready to set sail can often be one of the most challenging parts of the process, especially on a rocky beach with a low-gradient boat ramp. That's where support systems on boat trailers, such as rollers and bunks, come in.
While bunks are generally the cheaper option, they require deep water for optimal launching, along with a level ramp surface. Trailers with wobble rollers can launch your boat at shallow depths or even right off the bank, although you should be careful not to unhook the safety chain or winch line until the boat is completely stable in the water.
Lighting
When it comes to visibility, selecting a trailer with a good lighting system is key. Compared to traditional incandescent lights, LED bulbs are much more efficient and brighter for both day and nighttime towing.
With Futura boat trailers, the recessed LED tail lights are built into the trailer to keep them safely out of harm's way, whether you're on the road or the water.
Accessories
Along with the features of the trailer itself, you'll also need to make sure you're loaded up with the right accessories for easy loading, safety, and in case of an emergency breakdown.
Some of the main trailer accessories that we'd recommend include:
Spare Wheel Kit
Keep your trailer rolling at all times with a spare wheel kit that will allow you to change wheels at a moment's notice.

Braking System
These could come in the form of a hydraulic override coupling, or a Hydrastar/ElecBrake Electric Hydraulic wireless system. The rotors and calipers are Stainless Steel and vented, and can be equipped to one axle, or 2 axles depending on the trailer and boat.

Guide Poles
These are able to be equipped on Jet Ski trailers. Guide poles allow for easier retrieval of your jet ski.


Innovative Features of Futura Boat Trailers
A Futura, we're proud to create distinctive trailers with a weld-free construction, which eliminates weak points that could be prone to cracking.
For example, advanced suspension systems in models like the T775 Q4TW-25 offer superior handling and load distribution, which is crucial for transporting heavier boats securely. This contributes to the longevity and reliability of the trailer.
Our boat trailers offer the most features of any model on the market, so read on to find out how they could benefit you.

Revolutionary Design
The Futura trailer has a refined and futuristic design. With features like its low profile, smooth curves, weld-free design and built in tail lights, it looks unlike any other boat trailer on the road and compliments the look of your special craft.
Futura’s thermoplastic rubber rollers ensure safe and easy loading by adapting to the boat's hull shape, preventing damage during transport.
Futura Trailers conduct a test fit of all new boat models to ensure it fits and operates properly. This minimises the risk of accidents, meaning you're less likely to scrape the boat and save yourself from potentially thousands of dollars worth of damage.

Strong Aluminium Construction
As we've mentioned, another huge benefit of investing in a Futura boat trailer is its anodised aluminium frame, drawbar, and chassis.
Together, these features create a durable, low-degradation design that is built for longevity through those fishing and lake trips.
The anodised finish on all Futura trailers not only protects against corrosion but also provides a sleek, professional appearance.Compared with galvanised steel trailers who are prone to rust, anodised aluminium trailers are guaranteed to last the lifetime of your craft.

Lightest In Class
The aluminium construction of the trailer earns the Futura boat trailer the award of being the lightest in its class. The Futura boat trailer tows incredibly easily, while also helping you make significant fuel savings.
Along with easier loading and towing, moving the trailer by hand is also significantly easier when compared to traditional steel trailers, which are considerably more heavy and cumbersome.
Some Highlights from Futura’s Model Range
Unsure of where to start when it comes to selecting high-quality, heavy-duty boat trailers? At Futura, our trailers are built on over 65 years of innovation, meaning that we know what works when it comes to an effortless boat hauling experience.
Find an awesome trailer designed specifically for the size and capacity of your boat within our range:
S475 Boat Trailer
Tailored for smaller boats, this single axle trailer supports a boat weighing up to 600kg and 4 metres long.

S575 Boat Trailer
Perfect for medium-sized watercraft, the single axle S575 trailer is compatible with a boat up to 750kg and 5 metres long.

T675 Boat Trailer
This tandem axle trailer, is great for larger boats, up too 1900kg and 6 - 6.5 metres long.

T775 Boat Trailer
This is a premium, tandem axle model that features hydraulic brakes and stainless steel torsion axle suspension, making it the ideal choice for heavier boats up to 7m long and weighing up to 2800kg.

Maintenance Tips for Aluminium Boat Trailers
Although one of the benefits of choosing a trailer made from anodised aluminium is that it requires less maintenance, there are plenty of small jobs that you can complete to keep your trailer running smoothly.
For instance, maintaining your aluminium trailer should involve regular cleaning, especially after saltwater exposure to ensure longevity.
The anodised surface and weld-free joints reduce maintenance frequency but still require inspection and maintenance. This should include checking for any signs of wear on the rollers, ensuring the brake system is functioning correctly, and verifying that all fasteners are tight.
Conclusion
By providing reliable transport, minimising maintenance concerns, reducing fuel costs, and facilitating efficient loading, choosing the right aluminium boat trailer will considerably enhance your boating experience.
Whether you're a fresh water fisher or simply enjoy a ride on the water, our innovative designs and high-quality materials here at Futura are what sets our models apart in the market. Contact us today to connect with one of our experienced dealers and find the best trailer for your specific boat.