[Dave_E]

Hi All,

On our first cruise last month, we lost the refrigerator water circulation pump and had to hump ice everyday from the grocery store. I replaced the pump and decided to insulate the stock ice box. If anyone has not done this, I can't recommend it enough! I ran the refrigerator for 8 straight days and had to turn it down to the lowest cool setting, because it was below freezing at the farthest point away from the freezer. UNBELIEVABLE difference in operation! I went to Lowes and bought a piece of 1" thick board insulation, styrofoam with silver one side and plastic on the other. Cut pieces to fit (about 90% coverage) and layed them in place and duct taped the seams. Nothing is permanent, it can all be taken out in 2 minutes. You will NOT be disappointed with the results!

Dave

 

[JimsCAL]

Sounds like the original insulation was marginal. When cruising, I typically need ice about every 3-4 days.

 

[rikhall]

Dave is right on - it will make a fantastic difference.

I built a proper ice box for our previous boat, a Tanzer 28. Pictures are here.

Rik

 

[RickWestlake]

That's all, Dave? 1" foam insulation? That's remarkable!

The icebox in my boat seems pretty marginal; I need to buy ice every day. It's be "the right thing" to build a good ice chest if I were going to keep Halcyon, but I'm already thinking of moving up to something big enough to live aboard (though, for now, without having to sell the house to get it - I'm tempted sorely by a Pearson 365).

1-inch silver-side foam insulation, cut to fit and taped in with duct tape. That would be easy ... that's going to be my next project.

Thanks a million!

 

[the_abuse]

i just rebuilt my icebox with 2" silverboard all the way around

 

[Dave_E]

MODS - I should have posted this in the "low bucks" projects. You can move it if you want. Dave