Built In cooler

[Salty19]

I was considering the idea of a built in custom cooler on my 19.   There seems to be tons of space in the cockpit lockers for such an endeavor. 
The idea here is to be able to leave the cooler in place with block ice and install a drain to the bilge with onoff valve on said drain.  And just as importantly, maintain easy access to the cooler without leaving the helm.    This way I can leave cold drinks and some food  in the boat and just swap out block ice as needed.

Initial thoughts was build a "box" out of balsa wood to the same shape as the cockpit lockers, but smaller overall to accomodate insulation/foam.

Then surround the wood on both sides by foam panels epoxied to the wood.  Build a cover with the same approach.  Cover everything in fiberglass and gelcoat to make the cooler look "built in". Then drill a hole in the lower side of the coolerand use fittings to run a drain to the bilge. Final step perhaps semi or permenantly attach to the inner hull-semi attached sounds better to me (a permenant modification is tough to undo). 

Has anyone done this that can share pics and experience?    I won't be starting this anytime soon so plenty of time to discuss options...

With all this said, I am open to just buying a 5 day cooler that fits and go from there.  However I have not found one that remotely fits and provides enough capacity for say 12 sodas and 4 sandwiches that is a true 5 day design.

Comments and feedback welcomed and appreciated.

[NateD]

I saw something recently about rebuilding a built in ice box, but I can't seem to find it now. I also remember hearing about someone who had cut a cooler in half, removed a couple of inches from the mid-section, then sealed it back up (3M 4000) to fit in a specific place.

Ok, found the links, here is the thread I was thinking of: http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance/59631-build-custom-ice-chest.html

Pictures of a custom built-in: http://picasaweb.google.com/RikHallPhotos/T28IceBoxConstruction#


The custom thing seems like a lot of work, but if you like projects I would say go for it. I did read somewhere else that someone was laying up fiberglass over foam and the epoxy dissolved the foam and turned the whole thing into mush. So make sure your epoxy and foam are compatible if you go the custom route.

[Salty19]

Thanks, Nate.  Why I didn't consider the cut and patch method is beyond me (I'm usually quick to come up with such ideas).
And that may just work...hmmm

Great links.   Thanks for forwarding them on.   The idea about using a garbage can with foam surround looks interesting.  I have several potential containers laying around (cat litter plastic buckets-two could be welded together to form a nice size cooler).

I kind of laughed about the melting foam thing.  We all have made such blunders and I appreciate you mentioning it before a project is destroyed!

[wordnut]

Your idea sounds interesting, but I think you are right to make sure it is reversible. Speaking as a person in the market for a boat, the next guy may not see the beauty in your work or the genius behind your idea.

[nies]

Salty, I have tried to make a silk purse out of a sows ear....having spent time and money on trying to re-invent the wheel......when all I had to do was make the wheel fit the use......keep looking for a box that will come close to filling the space and modify around it....just a idea....Phil  

[kickingbug1]

 i have to be with nies on this one. although i applaud your ambition to fabricate a built in look cooler thats a hell of a lot of work. i would investigate all the various supply stores and find one that is close. for me i would want something i could pull out to empty and clean. i know all this from the guy who made his own furler. whatever you come up with i know will look first class. like my grandpa always said "its in the details"

[kahpho]

[edited] I did read somewhere else that someone was laying up fiberglass over foam and the epoxy dissolved the foam and turned the whole thing into mush. So make sure your epoxy and foam are compatible if you go the custom route.

My brother built an outrigger for his canoe using Styrofoam. He painted it with Elmer's glue before laying on the 'glass. Worked great! One of those tricks to keep in the closet until needed.

mel

[Craig Weis]

A block of ice, plus the cooler, plus the food and beverages...you'll be heavy on one side.
I have been thinking about removing that carpeted block of foam under the cockpit sole but some support, say a 6mm aluminum subfloor with legs down the side of the hull is needed to prevent the cockpit sole from flexing and developing those unsightly but not structural hairline cracks.
Here is a built in cooler on a Hunter 25 footer. Not impressed.skip.

[nies]

Salty, go to Google and punch in "ice box", I am sure one of the sources have a box close to your need. Our family still calls the refrig. a ice box, I can still remember as a kid chasing the ice man down the the street for a piece of ice on a hot summers day.......a orange ice box on the site that may fit your needs.....Phil

[Salty19]

Thanks for the info, gents.    Indeed cleaning if it's semi-permanent is an issue.  My plan would be to use a baking soda/water solution and wipe it out each week.  Will be at the boat 2 or 3 times each week. 

Part of the reason why I want to build it myself is to get some experience with fiberglassing as I have none. 

I can probably dig around and find something that will work with no or little dinking around with it.  That would certainly be easier, but I do enjoy the satisfaction of doing something myself.  I suspect that with the compund curves in the hull of the CP19 cockpit lockers, a generic square/rectangular cooler just is not going to be user friendly without adding risers and levelers to it anyway. I don't want it to fall over, ever.  It needs to be high at one end sitting on a near vertical curve, low at the other to sit up straight. Thus why perhaps custom may be a better result (albeit at the expense of some time in the garage).

Skip, under the sole is out for me.  I want it to be easy to access when singlehandling. However that location is absolutely begging to have some sort of a custom layup to create storage space there. I am eagering anticipating your writeup when you've decided and completed your storage project!

As for balance, I figured the 54lb outboard on the port side would help offset the weight of a cooler (and battery next to it) on starboard.  I bet the weight between the two sides will be pretty close.    Battery 34 lbs ( a rough guess-probably no higher than this)+ block ice 8.3lbs (1 gal jug)+cooler appx 10lbs+drinks 10lb +food 2 lb=64.3lbs.   10lb. difference.  I would put lifejackets, fenders, extra lines and a small lunch tray  to port which should make the two sides darn near equal.    Am I off base on this?

[kchunk]

Salty, sounds like you've got your mind made up...and I like the idea of customizing too. If I may suggest, maybe try using depron or EPP foam sheet rather than balsa. It will be way easier to make intricate curves and angles, you only need a razor knife to work with it, it has enough rigidity to hold it's shape while flexible enough to bend into almost any shape, and you  hot glue it to keep it together. These foam sheets have gained a lot of popularity amongst RC airplane hobbyists, both kit builders and scratch builders. It's truly great stuff!

The only thing I can think of is it's compatibility with fiberglass polyester or epoxy resins. I'm pretty sure most epoxy resins are safe to use because the airplane guys use epoxy, however, I'd be sure to test it or research it before you go designing your cooler.

If the foam is compatible it will make an excellent core material for your cooler rather than balsa!

--Greg

[nies]

Salty, good luck on your project, just remember keep it simple, as my wife says, "Simple is best, that's why I married you"....Phil

[Nicolina]

Nies, compliments to your wife!

Sorry to be late to this discussion, but I would have thought that a removable is box is preferable because one can load it on land and drop ready-to-go in the boat. Such an ice box could be customized to fit perfectly into any locker or other space, so that it won't move about. I'd also be careful with installing a permanent drainage system for the box on a boat that has neither a strong bilge pump nor any existing through-hulls.

Again, I'd follow Nies' wife (not in marriage necessarily, but in contemplating boat customization).

[Salty19]

I've decided to not build in an icebox but rather seek out a 5 day cooler that will fit. My main reason behind this is time..frankly I just have way too many projects to dive into fiberglassing right now.  And I do realize after 20 years of primitive camping that coolers can get pretty darn nasty necessitating regular cleaning.  That would be much more difficult if it was permanent. So temporary but firm mounting it is.

I'm looking at a 30qt Igloo 5 day cooler, but need to take better measurements before I buy it.
I have some ideas how to further insulate it to hopefully make it last 7 days in all but the hottest of weather.
Basically use firewall slurry, emergency blanket and EPP foam on the outside.

This cooler would not get loaded on land.  It will stay in the boat at a slip and will get refilled from a smaller handheld cooler and cleaned on the boat. 

My plan for the drain is to place a small container in the bilge to catch runoff which can be dumped weekly.  However since I'll be using block ice in it's own tray (not draining into the body of the cooler), the runoff should be minimal (condensation only).  That drain would not be permanent as indeed that does sound like trouble down the road.

I should have the cooler done in about a month...I'll post some pics and details for others once completed.

[Salty19]

Update on the cooler.   

After much consideration as well as careful measuring and calculations, I don't think the "main" cooler belongs in the cockpit lockers.  Big problem is the lid on the cooler will not open all the way under the hatch!  It would be fairly difficult to use it, requring some contortions to get in there.  A real small cooler will work OK, but I wanted at least 30 liters of cooler space with long lived cooling power.  The means the outside dimensions are significantly larger than the inside dimensions.   Anything in that range was just too big to work well in the locker without A LOT of custom fiberglass work.  Another problem is stabilizing the cooler while underway without permanent modifications. I'm leary of doing that for reasons already mentioned.

So the solution I came up with is not custom, nor is it special in any way.  I bought the Yeti Tundra 35 liter cooler (a 7 day, ultra-tough model) and encapsulated it in mylar film (an emergency blanket in the camping dept), attached with spray adhesive.   This will extend the cooling power by maybe a day.   To finish it off, rigging tape will be neatly wrapped around it (to do this weekend) to hide the mylar.  Finally, a Sunbrella marine fabric cover in aquamarine will be custom made (by the admiral) to match the teal fabric cushions and existing aquamarine sail covers.  EPP foam will be bonded to the cover.  Between the mylar film, rigging tape, EPP, and sunbrella, I'm hoping to turn it into an 8 or 9 day cooler.

Yeti sells small drain adapters for garden hoses.  A 5' hose will be fitted to a bucket in the bilge. I don't expect a lot of water here as I'll be using block ice, but certainly when it comes to cleaning/dissinfecting the drain will be more than handy.

Mounting location will be under the removable bow cushions, aft of the compression post (on a CP19).  Probably where a lot of other folks locate them.  It just fits barely.

Additionally the admiral is making sunbrella winch covers, a new tiller cover, an outboard cover, and a bow shade/awning which wil match the existing sailcover.  She'll be all pretty when it's done and making themselves will save a lot of dough.   If we still have time I'll make a boom tent for shade while at the dock but doubt that will happen this year.