Ice Cooler Storage

T

True Story

New member
Hi Folks,

I have been struggling with storing my ice cooler. While the space between the tanks is a convenient location for storing a small cooler, I find myself wanting to bring a much larger cooler when salmon fishing. Of course, I always think I am going to catch the "big" fish thats to large for the small cooler so consequently, I bring the larger cooler, place it in the already small cockpit and fumble around it. Pam dosen't appreciate my dragging fish through the cabin if I place the cooler in the berth.

I noticed the one picture in Slow-n-Easy's album shows a large cooler set on the aft bulkhead of the cockpit of the their 22' cruiser, apparently connected in some fashion to a custom made rail.

This appears to be a great idea. Placement of a large cooler in this location if properly supported on the bottom(not sure how to do this either), could help mitigate the effect of taking a large wave over the transom. It would also be a handy waist high surface for cutting bait or any other tasks requiring a flat surface.

The down side is that the rail must be expensive and you can't visually check from the cabin if the engines are taking water.

I'd apprectiate any comments or suggestions the rest of you might have. I'd sure like to get this figured out.

Thanks, Tim
 
Hey Tim,

Another option you might want to look at - Canyon Products insulated fish bags.

These can hold a ton of fish, take up far less room than a cooler, and can be placed in, or hung off the motor well. I'm planning on trying one out next season - I've read good things about them.
 
Tim -

On the 22TyBoo I fashioned up a cheap, simple and quick means of setting the big ice box in and above the splash well. I used a length of 3/4" tubing with bimini lug fittings on the ends. On the sides of the splash well I attached bimini anchors that mated with the rod ends. On the rod was a piece of lexan for a shelf, and it hinged on the rod and the other (foremost) side of it sat on the front of the splashwell (on rubber pads). Pull two pins, and it was out of there. If I needed access to the splashwell, I just took the ice box off and pivoted the shelf up. The whole thing cost less than ten bucks, and when it was not in place, the only thing extra on the boat were the two plastic anchors.

I'm up at my dad's right now, when I get home maybe I can explain it a little better.
 
Tim - I have a 152 qt cooler on my '81 Angler, and I built a shelf in front of the transom well that puts the cooler up off the floor, with the top at a comfortable counter height. What really helps (ergonomically speaking) is having toe-kick space under the cooler, like your kitchen counters do, which eliminates the stumble factor because you're not constantly stubbing your toes on the cooler.

Jim
 
I reread my post about the icebox shelf, and it is explained pretty good as it is.

I forgot to dig the contraption out when I hauled the boat to Dusty. I suppose I could find it if he wanted the thing. It is kinda dorky looking when installed but not in use, though.
 
Dusty sho do want the thing. Just throw it in the back of the new towmobile! Good idea, like all of your others.

Sure wish I felt a little better so I could go down and work on the 22...

Dusty
 
Dusty -

I wish you felt good enough to go down and work on the TyBoo25!

Actually, I just wish, for you, that you felt better.

OK - I'll get that dorky thing to you. Don't make fun of it.
 
Thanks for the advice Fellers. Mike, any chance of you taking a picture of your rack before you give it to Dusty? I have a good idea of what it looks like and I think it's a great idea. Kind of curious how you attached the cooler to the rack. I was thinking that I could attach four-4"x1/4" or so SS bolts (studs) through the lexan, essentially at each corner of the cooler, drill holes in the cooler (strategically placed so as to not create a sieve!) and set the cooler on top of the studs? What do you think?

I looked at the Canyon insulated fish bags Jim. Looks like a great product. I'm going to try to find a local dealer so I can take a peak at them.

Tim
 
Tim -

The thing is kinda ugly, so I don't know about a picture. I had a handful of bimini rail fittings for some reason, and used them to slap it together in a hurry. The plastic sheet is held to the tube with plastic bimini clips (the type with a hole thru one side and a clevis on the other end).

Before we went to Sequim, I was fixing to build a different version, but I didn't have enough material nor time to fetch it. I was going to use that famous plastic lumber, having a few 1x2's on edge for the icebox to sit on, and a 1x4 at the front and back to hold the slats together and keep the icebox from sliding off. I would have used the same SS tubing to hang it, and the same fittings as before on the tube. I just used rope thru the handles to secure the box to the rack.

Here's a quick sketch of what I was thinking:

sketch.sized.jpg


Keep in mind that this is a single-prupose contraption, and not something that would be useful for a table or anything. I like to keep the motor well open when fishing, and only put the rack in for boaterhoming. Pulling the pins that held it to the permaently installed clips got it out of there in a jiffy.
 
Mike- Over the past year or so, I've often noticed you refer to PVC or "plastic lumber" from Home Depot on many of your projects. When I have looked for such an item at the stores down here in California, All I've found was white plastic mouldings of a variety of shapes that would have to be milled down to a square shape for most projects. Is this the material which you are using, or is there something else either I'm not seeing down here in our stores? Do you have a manufacturer's name, item title, product code, or UPC number? Thanks for helping clarify this matter! Joe.
 
Yep, Joe, I love it. I only use the stuff from old-growth plastic trees, though.

Here is a link to a site that I believe Lynn Marie Tim found for us a while back. You can click around in it and find all the sizes available. They even have a dealer locator. I don't think this is the same brand name as I have been finding at Home Depot, but it looks to be identical material. It isn't real strong like wood, but for anything non-structural it works great.

I found the stuff in the outdoor molding section at HD. The sign above the racks said it was Never Rot. I don't know if that is a brand name or a sales pitch. My favorite sizes are 5/8" square, 1 x 2, 1 x 4, and 1 x 8. They also had some siding boards that were 5/16" thick by 5 1/2" wide that were embossed on one side. Great stuff for boat projects. Cost is in between standard lumber and oak. The best feature for me, besides the durability, is that it is the same color (white) all the way through, so no finishing or refinishing is needed. It cuts and planes like wood, holds screws well, and glues well. You can use PVC cement for seamless bonds, if you want.

Better get some quick, before the price goes up. The plastic forrests are dwindling fast!
 
Mike- I'll arm myself with a printout of your previous message and head to HD pronto! (I'm there almost every day anyway.)

The other "Brand" doesn't have any dealers closer than 90 miles of me here, but there are many over on the California coast and all over Oregon. I'll let you and others know what I find out about availability in Northern California. Perhaps a competitive product is in control of the market here.

I've made tons of projects over the years out of white PVC pipe and fittings already. Kind of gives you a giant erector set of parts to choose from for design. Thanks! Joe.
 
Hi Tim,

I have been using a Canyon soft fish bag for the last 4 years and they work slick and take a minimum amount of space.
Mine is about 30" deep by 47" long and it will hold a bunch of fish. They have a drain at the bottom of the bag on one end, heavy duty zipper top and a skookum web strap on either end at the top corners of the bag. I have a rod holder
side mount base on the inner transom bulkhead on both sides spaced to coincide with the bag straps. I run the straps down thru the top of the mount bases and secure them with a short 1" plastic dowel thru the strap eye. This allows the bottom of the bag to just contact the floor of the cockpit (which helps support the weight when the bag is heavy with fish). I've had up to 30 nice silvers in the bag which is a real load. The bag is still holding up great and have had no problems with it. They are a well insulated bag and I like 'em! Worth checking out and seeing if they might fill your needs. For sure, they take up a minimum of cockpit space. I had a couple of pictures of mine somewhere. I'll see if I can get them scanned and post them.
 
P.S. I ordered my Canyon bag directly from the factory and the service was good. Screwy deal in a way. I got turned on to the bags when I bought my C-Dory from a fellow in Olympia, WA. Even though he sold me his 22 CD, I couldn't talk him into parting with his Canyon soft cooler, so the first thing I did after bringing the boat home was order my own from Canyon.

Good luck!
 
That is a good recommendation on the fish bags. I looked at their site and read what you said 2nd-Byte. Looks like Bill is sold and he is a pretty good judge of stuff too, so that works for me. Just adds more to my Christmas list... Laurie thinks I am :roll:(nuts) anyway.
Jim
 
Hmmm..... Now you got me thinking. Thats got to be a stout bag to hold that many silvers. I bought all of the "STUFF" to build the "Tyboo Cooler Rack" this morning and will proceed. Got a little pricey when I decided to go stainless. But those bags...... I was wondering what to do for Halibut. Not going to fit too many (or none) in a 100 qt. cooler, but those bags....... 30" x 47", plenty big for a handfull of them chicken butts or even tuna if I every get a chance. Thanks for the input.

Tim
 
Yep, the Canyon bags are pretty cool. (no pun intended)
They handle the small halibut with no problem. For the most part with the mid to larger halibut I bleed them and tie 'em off to a side cleat on a stringer until I get ready to come in when I move them into the cockpit.

Incidently, 30 silvers in a bag my size is really too many........it really was pushing the envelope. I thought I might have screwed the bag up with that big a load, but it came through with flying colors.
 
Really Jim........ you're wife thinks you are nuts? Hmmm, I think you have keyed on a rather common affliction suffered by almost all C-Brats. Perhaps it is a requisite to membership. For sure, being a little crazy is OK. Geez, just look around at your fellow Brats. You gotta love it!
 
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