I sympathize with 'jfint'. I too lost a wheel bearing on my 'new-to-me' Prindle 19 trailer when towing my cat back from the seller's home.

Of course, being my first trailer I didn't know anything about wheel bearings or what to check for. Fortunately for me... the wheel bearing burnt up and imploded JUST 1 block from my home! But (and this is a BIG but - no pun intended) that was AFTER towing the thing over 1,000 MILES from Northern CA to Seattle!!! What are the odds?? The good Lord was definitely looking out for me that time. Immediately afterward I learned everything (I think) I need to know about my trailer wheel bearings. I bought all new hubs, bearings and even wheels at $200+ dollars. Then I tore the old stuff apart and took photos of every step of the rebuild process (which I hope to post online with a tutorial some day).

I think the key for a newbie is: if you don't know anything about wheel bearings and you're going to pick up a new boat... AT LEAST buy a grease gun and fill up the bearing buddies with grease. If the trailer does not have bearing buddies (mine did not) run to the boat store on your way to the seller's home and BUY two bearing buddies and a grease gun. Install them on the spot and squirt your bearings full of grease.

In my case (although I was really upset at the time) I was very, VERY fortunate. The catch 22 is that... most novice boat owners know NOTHING about trailer bearings. The only way most learn is only after one burns up on them tragically.

Sincerely,
-Dan