• Welcome to Jetboaters.net!

    We are delighted you have found your way to the best Jet Boaters Forum on the internet! Please consider Signing Up so that you can enjoy all the features and offers on the forum. We have members with boats from all the major manufacturers including Yamaha, Seadoo, Scarab and Chaparral. We don't email you SPAM, and the site is totally non-commercial. So what's to lose? IT IS FREE!

    Membership allows you to ask questions (no matter how mundane), meet up with other jet boaters, see full images (not just thumbnails), browse the member map and qualifies you for members only discounts offered by vendors who run specials for our members only! (It also gets rid of this banner!)

    free hit counter

Anybody used their in-floor storage as a giant cooler?

Bennie

Jetboaters Captain
Messages
1,550
Reaction score
1,468
Points
222
Location
Loxley, AL
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2015
Boat Model
Limited S
Boat Length
24
Our ss has a big locker in the center of the boat but it's not a ski locker. Dunno what you would call it. We use for a cooler sometimes but agree that you really need some good insulation in there! We made a little box that fits in there of some of that metal sided attic insulation that I had leftover fron doing some under the hatch stuff.
It works well, and we just let it drain whenever it melts. My wife actually uses a bunch of those freezer packs with the blue gel. Even has some that are like 12" x 12" x 4" that really do well for a day trip.
I also want to use it for a fish well or ice to put fish on, but gotta get time to fish!
Now THAT'S a mod I'd like to see!! Making that center storage unit a live well - nice
 

Speedling

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
5,099
Reaction score
4,288
Points
432
Location
Cedar Lake, IN
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2008
Boat Model
SS
Boat Length
21
Have also used it for a 5 gallon gas can holder. Not that it's recommended but I did it.
 

Bruce

Jetboaters Fleet Admiral 1*
Staff member
Administrator
Messages
13,326
Reaction score
13,421
Points
857
Location
Royal, AR
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2007
Boat Model
SX
Boat Length
23
Where does one find a one of those? How much $$$? I want one!
I paid a little under $600 shipped. Here is a better deal on EBay for $533 shipped.

This is my install thread. The install was easy aside from cutting a ginormous hole in the boat while wondering how well it would work. I did a lot of research and some bench testing before the installation.

The fridge is definitely our favorite mod. We had our first outing on Sunday. I loaded the fridge with a variety of drinks including some adult beverages that would be sufficient for multiple outings. Then Rana came along with sandwiches, veggies and her own choice of drink. She was able to place her load on top of the drinks. Then she commented about how much it held.
 
Last edited:

Pete Wright

Active Member
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Points
40
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2001
Boat Model
LS
Boat Length
19
It was me that used the floor locker as a cooler in both my old LS2000's. I lined it with foil backed Styrofoam, then iced em and stocked em. I had considered using the floor in my AR but haven't tried it yet. You would have to leave the plug in the bottom of the locker IN. My 192 actually lets water into that space from the bilge when the plug is out, so I leave mine in to keep it dry. I never use it as a storage space because my boards are tower mounted. You could ice and stock it, then when its empty and melted pull the plug to drain. May give this a shot myself. My ls was pretty tough on ice the times I used it, but the area was much smaller and the lid was pretty flimsy. I remember it feeling VERY cold to the feet, so the cold was escaping through the lid. It worked though! Here's a pic of the old LS mod.
I put an great fit ice chest there and had custom floor corners made for a safe fit.
 

zelone

Jetboaters Commander
Messages
299
Reaction score
161
Points
177
Location
Croydon, PA
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2010
Boat Model
Limited S
Boat Length
24
I did that on my old 212SS, but on the 242, I installed a large Igloo soft cooler in the designated cooler spot, made the seat hinge and added a cooler bilge pump. I also built a floor leveling deck so the cooler fits nicely under that seat. No more lifting to empty, just flick a switch.
 

d_coyne1984

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
1,015
Reaction score
965
Points
252
Location
Chanhassen, MN
Boat Make
Other
Year
2020
Boat Model
Other
Boat Length
21
I did that on my old 212SS, but on the 242, I installed a large Igloo soft cooler in the designated cooler spot, made the seat hinge and added a cooler bilge pump. I also built a floor leveling deck so the cooler fits nicely under that seat. No more lifting to empty, just flick a switch.
Any photos of that install. The bilge pump is a nice touch!
 

Glen

Jetboaters Commander
Messages
515
Reaction score
710
Points
187
Location
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2016
Boat Model
242X E-Series
Boat Length
24
$300 FOR A COOLER!!!! OUCH!
With X's being storage challenged (ballast everywhere), we've been using the space to the left of the 'Admiral's' seat (passenger), to hold our cooler.
Fits perfect, requires no straps to hold it, and is always accessible (and mobile).
We've never needed more cold storage than this, including Bimini '16. It still just a bunch of day trips. Day trip across when only essentials (meats, dairy,...) need to be kept cold, then everything is loaded into condo fridge, and again, just a series of day trips. We refroze some of those reusable blocks nightly, and either made ice in the condo, or bought a bag every other day, so that we had a gallon ziplock (or 2) of ice with us daily, for our 'sun-downers' (or mid-dayers ;-)

This cooler we got at Walmart for $60, and it has never let us down.

I'd like to get the RTIC version, but frankly, if I look at the evidence, it is more out of vanity, then necessity. ($125) https://www.rticcoolers.com/shop/coolers/softpak/RTIC-SoftPak-30-Grey#


FullSizeRender 3.jpg
 

Bill D

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
1,790
Reaction score
2,150
Points
302
Location
Prairieville, LA
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2011
Boat Model
Limited S
Boat Length
24
We have the RTIC 40 and it is great. The trick with them is to catch it when they have a crazy sale. Having seen the Ozark version, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one. They weren't out yet when I bought the RTIC.
 

d_coyne1984

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
1,015
Reaction score
965
Points
252
Location
Chanhassen, MN
Boat Make
Other
Year
2020
Boat Model
Other
Boat Length
21
I would definitely check out the Ozark Trail brand stuff at Walmart. I know what you are thinking: Walmart = crap, but I bought my Ozark trail 32oz mug and it held ice longer than my wife's RTIC in our overnight test. The RTIC accessories all fit my Ozark Trail mug too. It kind of appears that Yetti, RTIC, and Ozark Trail buy there stuff from the same vendor and badge it. The difference is in the markup.
 

Speedling

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
5,099
Reaction score
4,288
Points
432
Location
Cedar Lake, IN
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2008
Boat Model
SS
Boat Length
21
I did that on my old 212SS, but on the 242, I installed a large Igloo soft cooler in the designated cooler spot, made the seat hinge and added a cooler bilge pump. I also built a floor leveling deck so the cooler fits nicely under that seat. No more lifting to empty, just flick a switch.
Really want to see this man!
 

Speedling

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
5,099
Reaction score
4,288
Points
432
Location
Cedar Lake, IN
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2008
Boat Model
SS
Boat Length
21

zelone

Jetboaters Commander
Messages
299
Reaction score
161
Points
177
Location
Croydon, PA
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2010
Boat Model
Limited S
Boat Length
24
I posted about building this hinge setup last summer. It still needs some refinement,but is fully functional.
 

Attachments

zelone

Jetboaters Commander
Messages
299
Reaction score
161
Points
177
Location
Croydon, PA
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2010
Boat Model
Limited S
Boat Length
24
Hinge!
 

Attachments

1rjclark

Jetboaters Commander
Messages
217
Reaction score
134
Points
177
Location
Ca Delta
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2011
Boat Model
AR
Boat Length
21
My 2011 AR 210 has a ski locker w/ drain plug and a cooler w/ drain plug. Or at least that's what I've been using for since I bought the boat. When the temp is 100+ my cooler keeps things cold for 2 days. It's a pretty big "cooler". I get a Costco case of H20, 1/2 case of non alcohol drinks, 12 pack of beer, large Costco bottle of Vodka and cranberry juice, cut fruit, plus hella ice. Works great for me.
 

MrMoose

Jetboaters Admiral
Messages
1,579
Reaction score
2,277
Points
267
Location
Calgary, AB, Canada
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2015
Boat Model
AR
Boat Length
24
@Bruce, its a great spot to put the fish that are too big to fit in the cooler when we're in Bimini.
 
Top