Re: Coolers

Bill Combs (ttursine@gnt.net)
Fri, 30 Jul 1999 22:35:00 -0500


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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> I would like to pull the companionway stairs out of the cabin on long
> trips, and slide an appropriate sized cooler in that space in my P-19.
> Question is, what is the biggest sized cooler I can fit in there? Any use
> in looking at those "powered" jobbies?

This is my normal arrangement. I've had several different brands of
cooler in there and have had no trouble fitting various 48-52 quart
models. The incumbent has plywood screwed & 5200'ed to the lid, with
non-skid strips on the plywood. I have two of the ever-useful 15",
black rubber bungies running from the handles back to padeyes mounted
on the pan (vertical portion, just behind your knees but all the way
to the back of the space under the cockpit) to keep the cooler from
moving. Makes an ideal cabin step; you can throw the ladder away. Also
a bunch easier for Dog to navigate. She doesn't climb ladders well.

Two disadvantages: (1) slight intrusion into leg room when seated and
(2) unless you choose the cooler carefully, stepping on the top causes
it to expel a small amount of the cooled air, which marginally
shortens ice life.

I've got a (DC/AC/propane) powered cooler in the van, with vague
intentions to wedge it into the boat for next offshore excursion but
haven't even tried it for size yet.

Regards,

Bill Combs
WWP 19 #439 (Aug 1987)
"Ursa Minor"
Fort Walton Beach FL
ttursine@gnt.net