In a number of different postings, I have read about coolers on the H23. What are most people using for these? Where do you store it? I've been looking around for the "right" cooler for my 87 H23. It looks like I could put a fairly large one in the cabin between the step and the cockpit but that doesn't appear to give much clearance for opening the lids of most of them.
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R. Wheeler
Horizion Coolers
We use the soft sided coolers sold by Horizion. 2-24 can cooler fit between the cabin step and cockpit easily and you can unzip them to retrieve items from the cooler without moving the step. I have tried several others, but this seems to be the best solution that I have found. The coolers are fairly expensive, but they seem to retain ice and keep items cold longer than any of the other brands. We normally purchase as boat shows. If you need an address, contact me directly and I will attempt to supply one. rwheel@ix.netcom.com
We use the soft sided coolers sold by Horizion. 2-24 can cooler fit between the cabin step and cockpit easily and you can unzip them to retrieve items from the cooler without moving the step. I have tried several others, but this seems to be the best solution that I have found. The coolers are fairly expensive, but they seem to retain ice and keep items cold longer than any of the other brands. We normally purchase as boat shows. If you need an address, contact me directly and I will attempt to supply one. rwheel@ix.netcom.com
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keith smoot
big cooler
Get the biggest cooler hard side(Coleman or similar), put it under the step. Remove the step during food fixing times. You can then slide the cooler out to open the non-hinged lid. Been doing this for five years now, no complaints from the galley slave. Keith Smoot S/V Gwaihir 1987 H-23
Get the biggest cooler hard side(Coleman or similar), put it under the step. Remove the step during food fixing times. You can then slide the cooler out to open the non-hinged lid. Been doing this for five years now, no complaints from the galley slave. Keith Smoot S/V Gwaihir 1987 H-23
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Jon Bastien
Coleman 54-Qt
On our H23, we use a Coleman 54-Quart cooler, and place it where the companionway step normally rests- I remove the step when the cooler is aboard and use the cooler as a step. This provides a HUGE surface to step on, and the cooler is the perfect size to span the cabin floor; It is also insulated well enough to keep ice for three days in the Florida summertime. Good luck... --Jon Bastien H23 '2 Sheets to the Wind' H25 'Adagio'
On our H23, we use a Coleman 54-Quart cooler, and place it where the companionway step normally rests- I remove the step when the cooler is aboard and use the cooler as a step. This provides a HUGE surface to step on, and the cooler is the perfect size to span the cabin floor; It is also insulated well enough to keep ice for three days in the Florida summertime. Good luck... --Jon Bastien H23 '2 Sheets to the Wind' H25 'Adagio'
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Jim Kolstoe
48 qt fits well
My wife and I concluded that 48qts was about as big a cooler as we could comfortably stow in the space just aft of the cabin step. Yes, you have to move the step and pull the cooler forward to get into it, but it isn't that big a deal. Stored, its out of the way and you don't have to worry about damaging it. Pulled out, its an extra work surface while preparing meals. BTW, my wife had the neat idea of putting a carpet scrap under the cooler. Its easier to pull out and push back in and adds some insulating value. Jim Kolstoe,h23 Kara's Boo
My wife and I concluded that 48qts was about as big a cooler as we could comfortably stow in the space just aft of the cabin step. Yes, you have to move the step and pull the cooler forward to get into it, but it isn't that big a deal. Stored, its out of the way and you don't have to worry about damaging it. Pulled out, its an extra work surface while preparing meals. BTW, my wife had the neat idea of putting a carpet scrap under the cooler. Its easier to pull out and push back in and adds some insulating value. Jim Kolstoe,h23 Kara's Boo
Any large hard cooler will work
I think mine is a 48 qt Coleman, and it just fits under the companionway step. I like Jon's approach too, but I'm too heavy to use the lid as a step. To get a drink, I just slide the cooler forward and open the lid. Measure the distance between the cabin sole and the underside of the step and then buy the largest cooler that will fit. I can keep ice for three days during the hot Florida summer if I don't open the cooler too much. Peter S/V Raven
I think mine is a 48 qt Coleman, and it just fits under the companionway step. I like Jon's approach too, but I'm too heavy to use the lid as a step. To get a drink, I just slide the cooler forward and open the lid. Measure the distance between the cabin sole and the underside of the step and then buy the largest cooler that will fit. I can keep ice for three days during the hot Florida summer if I don't open the cooler too much. Peter S/V Raven
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Jon Bastien
Peter- Too heavy?
...The 54-qt cooler (Coleman Poly-lite 54) has held up under the weight of 200+ pounds of crew member stepping on the lid. And yes, it's a plastic body- Apparently the insulation in the lid provides just enough support... I find that it's more comfortable if you place a towel on the lid when closed, though- The plastic gets warm in the sun. Also worth noting, we use an inflatable air mattress (Queen size- Perfect fit) when we utilize the main cabin berth. THe cooler makes a great support for that, too... The space you use for your coolers houses a bag of life jackets on my H23, and the crew's shoes end up in the space between the cooler and the life jackets. Keeps 'em out of the way. --Jon Bastien H23 '2 Sheets to the Wind' H25 'Adagio'
...The 54-qt cooler (Coleman Poly-lite 54) has held up under the weight of 200+ pounds of crew member stepping on the lid. And yes, it's a plastic body- Apparently the insulation in the lid provides just enough support... I find that it's more comfortable if you place a towel on the lid when closed, though- The plastic gets warm in the sun. Also worth noting, we use an inflatable air mattress (Queen size- Perfect fit) when we utilize the main cabin berth. THe cooler makes a great support for that, too... The space you use for your coolers houses a bag of life jackets on my H23, and the crew's shoes end up in the space between the cooler and the life jackets. Keeps 'em out of the way. --Jon Bastien H23 '2 Sheets to the Wind' H25 'Adagio'
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Joe Matos
get the step out of the way...
What I do is that I don't use the step, I place the cooler where the step should be and it serves both functions..., the cooler fits neatly.. Don't try this with a styrofoam cooler...
What I do is that I don't use the step, I place the cooler where the step should be and it serves both functions..., the cooler fits neatly.. Don't try this with a styrofoam cooler...
Jon - when you need crew over 250 lb, call me
If you look in the sailing dictionary under "rail meat" you will see my smiling face. That's why I don't trust my weight to the cooler lid. I already killed a couple of styrofoam ones by mistake when they slid out from under the step. Peter S/V Raven
If you look in the sailing dictionary under "rail meat" you will see my smiling face. That's why I don't trust my weight to the cooler lid. I already killed a couple of styrofoam ones by mistake when they slid out from under the step. Peter S/V Raven
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