A personal watercraft is small enough that people underestimate the trailer, and it is usually the trailer that causes the trouble — a bent frame from a rough ramp, seized bearings after a season in salt, or a hull that has been sitting on the wrong support for two years and has the marks to show it.
We stock a single-axle aluminum jet ski trailer ready to ship, and build doubles and special configurations to order. This page covers what actually matters when choosing one.
Aluminum or galvanized steel
Steel trailers are cheaper up front and heavier. Galvanizing protects them well until the coating is scratched or drilled, and then corrosion starts working from that point outward — which, on a trailer that gets dunked in water by design, it eventually will.
Aluminum does not rust. It is lighter, which matters more on a PWC trailer than on a boat trailer because you frequently move these by hand. It costs more to build. In salt water the decision is straightforward; in fresh water it comes down to how long you intend to keep it.
Single or double
A single carries one machine, is easy to move by hand, and fits in a normal garage. A double carries two side by side, tows more stably at speed, and is the obvious choice for a household with more than one ski — but it is wider, heavier, and needs more room to store and maneuver.
Buying a double “just in case” is a common regret when the second ski never materializes. Buy for what you actually own.
Bunks and hull support
This is where cheap trailers fail their owners. A PWC hull needs support along its running surface, carpeted and correctly positioned, so the load spreads rather than concentrating on two narrow strips.
A hull left for months on badly positioned bunks develops permanent deformation. It does not undo itself, and it costs you performance and resale. Check bunk position against the hull, not against the trailer.
Launching and loading
Look for a bow stop that actually locates the machine, a winch stand at a workable height, and a frame low enough that you are not fighting the ski up onto it. Fenders should be positioned so you can step where you naturally step. These sound like small details until you are doing it alone at a busy ramp.
Capacity, brakes and the legal side
Match the trailer's rated capacity to the machine's dry weight plus fuel, plus anything you leave aboard, and leave margin rather than buying to the limit. Check your state's threshold for trailer brakes, confirm your coupler matches your ball — 1-7/8 in, 2 in and 2-5/16 in are not interchangeable — and verify capacity against the certified label on the trailer itself rather than a brochure.
Our trailer capacity guide covers GVWR, GAWR, payload and tongue weight in full. The same arithmetic applies at PWC scale.
Maintenance that actually matters
- Bearings. The single most common failure. Hot hubs meeting cold water is what kills them; repack on schedule and check temperature on long tows.
- Rinse after salt. Every time, including the frame and the lights, not just the hull.
- Lights and wiring. Submersion is hard on connections. Inspect before long trips.
- Tires. Trailer tires usually age out before they wear out. Check dates, not just tread.
- Straps. Replace when they fray. They are the cheapest part of the rig.
Our stock single-axle trailer
The Black Series aluminum jet ski trailer is a single-axle build with a 6061-T6 aluminum frame, a rubber-ride torsion axle, 1,500 lb GVWR with a 1,220–1,240 lb payload, ST175/80R13 load range C radials, and a 2 in coupler. That covers every current single personal watercraft with margin to spare, and it doubles as a trailer for our jon and utility boats up to 14 ft. Delivery in the United States is free.
Built to order
For doubles, commercial specifications, or anything unusual, we build to order. Tell us the make, model and dry weight of the ski, whether you need single or double, and whether it will see salt water, and we will quote a build with the capacity and support geometry to match.
See the jet ski trailer · Request a quote · See our boat trailers