Gary's (
@travlin-easy ) recommendation that I should have refrigeration in
my thread on heading south has me looking at these. The boat is a '87 O'day 35, which has two good sized ice boxes in the galley.
I could buy a Adler Barbour, Norcold, Frigoboat or Sea Frost unit in, and convert one, or both, icebox to a refrigerator, for between $1000 and $2500 plus installation. One issue is deciding between systems that are air cooled, water cooled, and keel cooled. Another issue is how to install a refrigeration system so that it is not only functional and reliable but also serviceable.
I love my boat, but over the last seven years I've put as much money into it as I spent on the boat in the first place. If I were to sell, she's only worth about what I paid for her. Adding a refrigeration system, with no possibility of recouping the investment just doesn't seem to make sense.
So, I'm wondering if there is any experience on SailNet with the Norcold (Portable Refrigerator Freezer)
, Isotherm (Travel Box)
, EdgeStar (FP)
or Dometic (CoolFreeze)
units.
These units range in price from <$500 to ~$1000, and they will work on the next boat, or camper, or truck. If so, could you share your thoughts on this versus a built in? I see that
@MarkofSeaLife has the Dometic CF-25, anyone else?
Assuming that space were not an issue does it make sense to purchase one big unit, or two smaller units?
My thought is to pillage some of the rear quarter-berth, which I only use as a garage, and install some form of fastening system so that the unit(s) would not slide around.
Thanks!