Is this normal for drum brakes?

[snapshotmd]

I have drum brakes with an Atwood surge brake actuator; I believe it is a 83000 series that pivots rather than slides. Every time I pull the boat out of the water and make a "less than gentle" stop on the way home, the brakes make a loud clicking sound and there is almost no braking power on the trailer. If it is a real hard stop, I could see the bow rise up in the rearview mirror; showing that the actuator is fully actuated, and a lot of people looking my way saying "WTF". By the time I've braked several times, or have driven 10 miles or so, the problem goes away and I have full braking power again. I chocked it up to the drum brakes just being wet. Is this normal?

[Sunny Jim]

When drum brakes get wet they will slip for a period of time because the water acts as a type of lubricant between the brake shoe and the drum.
In a car you can "ride" the brakes and that will heat up the brakes causing the moisture to evaporate. In surge brakes that may not be possible.

[billnorman1]

It's not unusual for drums to rust if not used for a period of time. Rotors too but not as severely. Once the shoes buff that rust off the friction coefficient changes to within the design parameters.

[leonreno]

It maybe you have a master cylinder for disc brakes instead of drum brakes or the diaphragm inside that holds residual pressure for the drum brakes has failed. Also drum brakes are supposed to self adjust in the drum, that could have failed also.

[billnorman1]

It maybe you have a master cylinder for disc brakes instead of drum brakes or the diaphragm inside that holds residual pressure for the drum brakes has failed. Also drum brakes are supposed to self adjust in the drum, that could have failed also.

Self adjust......ha ha ha. That's like Military Intelligence, or Jumbo Shrimp. A great idea that just seldom works as planned.