

If anything, I wanted a longer trailer. Just when I was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to find a good replacement, an ad appeared for a 1985 Calkins from under another Catalina 22. I almost bought a 1979 EZ Loader that was set up for a 20′ Ranger sailboat but I hesitated because it was several feet shorter than the Trail Rite.

The cost of the additional welding that would be necessary to make the trailer safe made me pause and consider replacing it entirely with another used trailer in better condition for about the same cost. You can read about the unfinished project in a separate post. I planned to replace the worst of it but part way through the project, I discovered hidden damage that tipped the scale against keeping it. It was the original 1981 Trail Rite well-designed, simple and strong, but it had extensive rust damage from salt water launches.

When we purchased Summer Dance, the trailer was my biggest concern.
