There is nothing unnerving as to climb aboard a sailboat that is not attached to a tow vehicle, and having the front of the trailer lift off the ground. To prevent this, I've installed stabilizer jacks just rear of the axle on either side of the trailer. They provide a rock solid base to stabilize the trailer during mast raising and lowering. They are great for an all purpose jack when you are on the road and have a flat tire. During winter storage, they take the weight off the axle and tires. You can easily stabilize several thousand pounds of sailboat with just a few cranks. A few more and you can lift the wheels off the ground.
Stowed, they are out of the way:
Pull the pin and they swing down ready to stabilize or jack the trailer:
Another view:
I purchased the two Reese Industrial Top Wind with Foot and Mount Plate jacks from Tractor Supply for less than $30 each. They were easy to bolt on to the trailer frame. My only caution is that you locate their mounting so when not in use, the pin is pulled and they can flip out of the way. Keep them oiled and they will last a long time.
