ice ice baby

[Kross]

Your best tip for ice in coolers? Frozen 2-liters? Frozen ice-blocks? Own an ice-machine, or just buy ice everything?



We fill up 3 Polar-Bear 24-pack soft-coolers with ice, every weekend. I started looking at ice-makers, and was shocked at the $1,000+ price tags. So I'm curious, what does everyone do for ice in the coolers? my best tip is I freeze a few 2-liters of water. Each cooler gets a froozen 2-liter, in addtion to the ice.

- Kross

 

[MOA_Chaser]

Hmm, this reminds me. I need to stop at my local Moose lodge and see if they can still help me out.

I'm a member, and a few years ago (when I knew all the people working there) they'd let me fill up plastic shopping bags in the morning for a couple dollar donation. They aren't all that busy during the day, and their commercial machine makes way more than they need.

 

[Kane Martin]

I'm curious about this as well. 20# bag at Kroger is only a couple bucks....but still....

 

[Gym]

I keep several frozen plastic water bottles in the freezer. Throw them in the cooler bag with the beer. As they melt during the day I have some cold water to drink.

 

[Andy S]

I use a couple of Hot 'n' Cold pak's with regular ice in my AO Cooler and everything stays cold all day long. I picked some up at Walmart for about $2 per package.

 

[Bruce]

An onboard refrigerator is half of the price of an ice maker https://jetboaters.net/threads/installing-dometic-waeco-cd-030dcw-refrigerator-in-yamaha-sx230.2630/

 

[Kross]

An onboard refrigerator is half of the price of an ice maker https://jetboaters.net/threads/installing-dometic-waeco-cd-030dcw-refrigerator-in-yamaha-sx230.2630/

Bruce, you and your onboard fridge! I'm jealous. I stumble upon your post every-so-often, think about it, then always shrug it off. Mainly because i HATE the idea of cutting holes in the boat. Hate it. But, maybe I could just put it where the cooler goes now under the starboard side back seat.

- How many 12oz cans will the drawer hold? Typically we go out with 24cans, and a few sandwiches/lunch? Is it still functioning well? No problems?

- Kross

 

[MOA_Chaser]

I see ice makers for under $200... But they are smaller capacity so you have to keep dumping the ice.

 

[Bruce]

- How many 12oz cans will the drawer hold? Typically we go out with 24cans, and a few sandwiches/lunch? Is it still functioning well? No problems?

It will hold more than 30 cans. There are 29 drinks of various sizes but all at least the size of a 12 ounce can in the picture in the install thread. It will cool additional drinks as fast as your home fridge.

There is several inches of additional height above the cans. So you can stack your sandwiches on top of the 30+ cans.

Last year I left it on from the day we installed it until sometime in November with the exception of the three day tow to Fort Lauderdale. We used it to keep food cold for the three day trip. Then I turned it back on in April. We have not had any problems with it. It just works.

The only concern is that it will run the batteries down after four days so I try to keep the boat plugged in. Or I could turn the fridge off but it is so conveinent to have it ready to go.

 

[Bruce]

I see ice makers for under $200... But they are smaller capacity so you have to keep dumping the ice.

I researched the less expensive ice makers and could not find anything with sufficient holding or freezing capacity. I would have needed to transfer ice to our freezer most days of the week.

Before we had the fridge I would take an ice chest to buy bags of ice then store them in our freezer so they were ready to go. The down side was that I had to break the ice up before using it.

 

[waterboy]

I have been using the 0 degree nu ice packs. a bit pricey to get started. I will usually add a bit of ice on top of everything and at the end of the day, I will have a frozen block of ice cubes left in the cooler from the cold nu ice bag.

SHop around, but here's a link. http://www.basspro.com/NuIce-Marine-Series-Cooler-Paks/product/1305071211508/

 

[Speedling]

Cheap blue ice type of of blocks. I use them in my lunch so we have plenty.
they work great.

 

[bronze_10]

I's anyone else disappointed that the name of this thread wasn't ice ice baby? Everytime I read it I get a little sad!.. lol

 

[Bruce]

I have been using the 0 degree nu ice packs. a bit pricey to get started. I will usually add a bit of ice on top of everything and at the end of the day, I will have a frozen block of ice cubes left in the cooler from the cold nu ice bag.

SHop around, but here's a link. http://www.basspro.com/NuIce-Marine-Series-Cooler-Paks/product/1305071211508/

How do you get the packs to -16?

 

[tdonoughue]

We have a refrigerator at home with two ice makers (one in the door; one down in the freezer at the bottom). We also have several of the blue blocks all over the place. And there is one of those industrial ice makers at church that is not used enough.

So, for most outings (e.g. only me and a couple kids) where I have the small AO with us, I just fill it and dump in the ice from the bottom of the fridge. If we have more (4+ people), I bring the medium AO, stuff a couple of blue blocks in the bottom, fill it, and dump the ice on top. If I have a large outing (all day, 4+ people), I bring the big AO, blue blocks and usually just go buy a couple of bags of ice (unless I am going by the church). Then there are all of the combinations/permutations...

However, someday, when I am rich and famous or retired, I am going to blow the $600 on getting @Bruce 's fridge. That is just too cool (sorry--couldn't resist). Problem right now is that we don't use the boat enough to justify it really.

 

[MOA_Chaser]

I'm at Sam's Club right now. They have a Koolatron 24 bottle 12v/110 Corona cooler for $199. No ice required. I couldn't find the amp consumption but it might be a good midrange option between ice and Bruce's fridge. Same as:
Koolatron CORC24 Corona Cruiser
http://www.amazon.com/Koolatron-CORC24-Corona-Cruiser/dp/B00X9F6ON0

 

[Bruce]

I'm at Sam's Club right now. They have a Koolatron 24 bottle 12v/110 Corona cooler for $199. No ice required. I couldn't find the amp consumption but it might be a good midrange option between ice and Bruce's fridge. Same as:
Koolatron CORC24 Corona Cruiser
http://www.amazon.com/Koolatron-CORC24-Corona-Cruiser/dp/B00X9F6ON0

That uses a peltier cooler. It is limited to cooling x degrees below ambient temperature. There are more expensive products that use compressors.

 

[Evil Sports]

 

[tdonoughue]

Yeah, I had one of those cheaper coolers for the car once. I was not impressed. I would have to hear a lot of rave reviews on one in order to try it again...

 

[0627Devildog]

As of now, keep a bunch of frozen water bottles of various sizes and mix in some bag ice every now and then. Plan on getting an ice maker for next season once I finish the bottom floor.