[C38] Ice Box

[Tom T.]

Our 38 is kept in Florida. We converted our ice box to a refrigerator but we also insulated the box inside and out.

We first cut an access port on the forward bulkhead of the sail locker so we could glue 1" metalized foam board to the back and engine sides of the ice box.  We hand packed insulation on the outboard side of the ice box and used a stick to pack insulation under the ice box.  We ran a conduit under the ice box so we could continue to run and service wires and plumbing if needed.  We glued 2" foam to the bottom of the teak top lids and coated the foam with epoxy to make them more durable.

We were still not satisfied with the thermal efficiency of our insulation so I then cut 2" foam panels to line the sides of the inside of the box.  We figured we have a larger box than we will ever use so by insulating the inside we greatly improved the insulation and made the cooled area smaller reducing demand on the refrigerator.  The inside panels are fit for a snug press fit and are removable leaving no trace when removed.

We put a 2" foam panel on the bottom lift out tray so the bottom of the ice box is no longer directly refrigerated and we now put extra provisions like water and soft drinks there where they will partially cool before we bring them up to the upper level for use.

Our refrigerator is now so insulated we can run the refrigerator on battery alone for several days and everything stays cold without killing the batteries.

Tom Troncalli
Renata #95
St. Pete, Fla
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