Do Jet Skis Come With Trailers, or Is It Something Extra to Buy?

If you’re in the market to get a jet ski and don’t live near water, you’ll need a trailer. A trailer is a must-have unless you’re going to pay for other storage options, it’s the only way to get your watercraft in the water.

This brings up the question, are jet skis and their trailers a packaged deal or done separate? And if not, what trailer should you get one?

Will The Jet Ski Dealership throw in the trailer?

If a dealership says they’re throwing in the trailer, then they’re making up the cost somewhere else. The cost of the trailer is not factored into the price.

The trailer is something extra you need to get yourself. There are some outliers like the Sea-Doo LRV as it was an odd shape and needed its own trailer, but they haven’t made LRV’s for a long time. While the Sea-Doo Switch is not a PWC, it’s very similar and sold today, and it does include a trailer.

But overall, the price will not include the trailer.

Here are the reasons jet skis don’t Include The trailer

The biggest reason is cost, as you can see from my current new price list that they tend to be more costly than people realize. The second reason the trailer is not thrown in is that people tend to buy two or more at a time. While selling at a dealership, about every 3rd sale was someone buying two, which would require a double trailer.

You can get trailers that fit one, two, or even four as covered in this post. The third reason they don’t give away the trailer is that each one is different. You can get basic painted trailers that are good enough, or much better aluminum trailers that hold up better to the saltwater.

The last reason is that not everyone needs a trailer. Many owners either live on the water or keep their machine on the water. Trailering can be a pain for some and an extra costs.

Picking Your Own Trailer

Now, the next question you may have is what kind of jet ski trailer should you get? That depends on what you have or going to get. There are literally hundreds of types of trailers out there, and each one to fit a need a customer may have. I’ve created a guide here to help you find the best trailer for your needs.

Trailer Prices Vary In The Thousands

New trailers can vary from under $1,000 up to $10,000 if not more, depending on what you need.

Used trailer prices can be anywhere from free to thousands, depending on what you need and what is available for your jet ski.

I will say that trailers hold their value very well, especially double trailers, so don’t put off on buying one. The better metal, like aluminum, the more expensive the trailer will be but the better it will hold up. But not everyone needs a fancy trailer, a painted steel trailer will work for most on the lake.

Where to buy and who sales jet ski trailers

The dealership will have PWC trailers for sale and often have multiple types for you to pick from. Depending on how close the dealership is to the trailer distribution center, they may even get trailers they don’t have in stock and get it in a few days. You can’t buy directly from the distribution centers, but any dealer can, and those dealers don’t need to be dealers.

Many places that sell trailers can get trailers. Triton sells more than trailers, they have ATV trailers, and most likely the dealer selling ATV trailers can most often get a trailer. The perk of buying from a dealership is that they have the templates to make sure the trailer fits your exact watercraft correctly and the tools to put it on the trailer. If you got the man power, you can move a PWC around on a stand then a new trailer, but you still need to get the bunks and bow stop seated correctly.

Should you get a single or double, and what does that mean?

If you want to get two jet skis, you need to get a double trailer, or trailer one PWC at a time on a single trailer. A common thought process I get from customers is that they want one jet ski now, but a second later, and don’t know if to get the double trailer now or later. I say get the double now, doubles hold their value very well and would be easy to get rid of if you only want one PWC. Also, trailer prices only go up every year. Lastly, it’s fine to tow one waverunner on a double trailer.

Going for the single trailer is fine, there is a market for them, but those doubles sell fast in the used market.

How To Move A jet ski Without A Trailer

Not everyone needs a trailer, and if you can get away by not having it, then avoid a trailer. If you reside by the water or have access to a marina, a trailer is unnecessary.

For servicing needs, your local dealership can collect your craft for a fee. Some marinas also offer drop-off or pick-up services for your customers, either as a membership perk or for a charge. Additionally, some marinas provide repair and basic maintenance services.

There are also the repair shops that will go to people’s homes on the lake and repair your PWC. I’ve also seen family and friends split the cost of a trailer and take turns using it. It’s more work, but very cost-effective. You could also get lucky and find someone who lives on the lake and will let you keep your jet ski at their home. You’ll be amazed at how many people live on the lake and don’t have boats or jet skis, but do have a place to store one.

Avoid DIY & Building Your Own, it’s not worth it!

I’ve had a few people build their own trailers, but I can’t suggest it. Yes, you can buy a cheap kit from Harbor Freight and using wood make something… but don’t. Jet skis have gotten bigger and heavier, and these little trailers can’t support the weight of modern jet skis. It’s also not road legal and long enough, so don’t do it!

You Need These Items For Your Trailer

Watercraft trailers don’t have everything you need, even the dealership can be stingy about giving you needed items. Things like a tongue jack, light adaptor and more as covered in this post are things you need. I can’t stress it enough, the tongue jack (Amazon Link Ad) is a must and makes your life way easier.

Wrap up

You’re not going to find a dealership willing to give a trailer away for free, no matter how much you’ve spent. These trailers cost money, and to give just hand one over for nothing is crazy. You can work out a deal to get a better price on a trailer, but getting one for free is not possible.

I know this can be a shock to hear, as some big boat manufacturers often include the price of the trailer in the MSRP, but it’s not much of a thing for watercraft. Not every person who owns a jet ski will need a trailer, or they may need to fit two jet skis, and along for tight margins, it makes sense for the trailer to not be included in the price.