Re: Paint vs Galvanized
The cold galvanizing stuff works very well. Here in San Diego, if the dealers make any modifications to the galvanized trailers, they use it to repair the area where the galvanizing was compromised. We had a boat trailer at work where this was done - by the time I retired, it had been used (lightly, I should point out) for four years, strictly in salt water, and there was no rust evident in the repaired areas (there actually were a few rust spots on other parts of the trailer where road debris had chipped away at the galvanizing).
I think surface preparation is as important with the cold galvanizing compound as with regular paint. About 20 years ago I made a bracket to support a fence post at a site where I do volunteer work. Bracket was forged from mild 1/4 inch mild steel bar. Then I preped it with some of the stuff you'd use for re-painting an auto body (wire brush, cleaner, etcher, as I recall). Then the cold galvanizing. I was by there a few months ago and the bracket is still there, sitting in the open, no trace of rust.
