How to keep ice from melting in cockpit coolers?

[artdogwd]

I can't keep the ice from melting way to fast,what can I do to make the ice last longer without refridgeration?

 

[Kermit]

Yeti coolers really do seem to work as advertised. Problem is you have to sell your boat to afford one!

 

[Jim Seamans]

I find that block ice will last longer than cube.

Make you own block ice in milk cartons or suitable container.

 

[kito]

We keep our big cooler in the cabin out of the sun and have a small soft side cooler we keep outside. When it's empty, we just go down for a refill. Doesn't clutter up the cockpit as much and the soft side is easier on your toes if hit.

 

[Ron20324]

Make sure the cooler does not get hit by the sun. Put as much ice in as you can. Do not stand there with the lid open, looking in while deciding what you want to get out. Do not put anything in it that has not already been cooled- warm items just serve to melt the ice that much quicker. A cooler okay for a picnic just won't cut it for boating use. Pre-freeze as many food and drink items as you can.

Make ice larger than 'cubes'. Small cubes cool things quicker and better (and are good in drinks) but as the cubes move up to block size, they last longer. Find some sturdy containers to make blocks of different sizes and see which ones last however long you'll be out.

I have some of the instrument rear covers that are heavy plastic, and tapered, which allows the ice to pop right out. I also use the cheapo containers that salads or cut fruit comes in at the store. In either case, fill the container half way to avoid the freezing ice from splitting the container, then top it off when frozen.

 

[Rick I]

Come up to Canada.

 

[Gunni]

Drink English beer.

 

[Dan Hill]

If your talking about a built in ice chest with a drain. Make sure you plug it as cold air drops. I also keep a kitchen towel on top of the lid. Gallon plastic milk jugs make great block ice and are reusable.

 

[JRacer]

Mix in some dry ice with the wet ice but be careful to keep the dry ice separated from the product to be cooled or it will freeze it. I generally put some dry ice in a separate plastic bag and then bury it in the wet ice as a layer of separation from the food/drink. If you want more of a separation, paper grocery bags work well as they have some insulation value. I've used the dry/wet combination on camping trips and kept things cold for a week.

 

[caguy]

I use a reusable blue ice it last for a couple of days. The one I have perfectly fits the bottom of the cooler. I throw block ice in the galley ice box for longer stays. I also throw in a bag of ice cubes for drinks.

 

[jigray3]

You could use a soft sided cooler that will slip inside the existing cooler to provide additional insulation. The Fishing Cooler made AO, available at West Marine is particularly nice. Find one that will slip inside your box. The advantage is easy to fill, go, and drop-in, disadvantage is you lose a little storage room.