GraveYard Shift BS

I always loosely look on craigslist for a good deal or a lucky find on coolers. No need for another but if I fond that unicorn deal then I'm in.

 

How much beer and a bag of ice can 45 qt cooler hold? The outside dimensions look perfect for a seat base.

An 18 pack of beer and qt of rye would be about perfect for 3 guys on a multi day float trip.

 

Ummm... I think you may have a problem. Aluminum sinks

J/K Looks good. First time I welded aluminum it made me sick Found out later it also produces Hydrogen

My meat freezer is set at about -20F, most store bought ice is in the +20sF more than 40F difference. So at first the ice is actually warming my meat up. I use the ice that has been in my deep freeze.

 

Old coolers (left) vs new design (right)

 

Dimensions

Weight: 25.0 lbs
Capacity
36cans
45quarts
40pounds of ice
11.25gallons

 

I've always been suspicious of this. Non of the ice machines have temp gauges, so I always wondered.

If I'm planning ahead, I freeze milk jugs full of water.

 

Not much. That's why I stepped it up to a 65qt.

 

Ive already leak tested it. So, I know I'm good there.

 

True. But after sitting outside in Negative temps and then putting them all in there, it evens out pretty quick. I did throw the bags of ice in my deep freeze when I got back (late November) and still have them. They work great in the RTIC 20 with some beer for the fire out in the yard. Reused them about a half a dozen times now and still full. great $.99 investments haha.

 

This is good info.

I do intend for the cooler to live in the boat. I don't want to lift it out, just pull the drain and let the bilge pump get rid of the water.

 

Kind of like a gun safe... always buy bigger than you need... You'll grow into it

 

I have a soft 40 that I can carry on my shoulder with 40 beers and 20 lbs of ice and still have room for lunch

 

Definitely build a "box" or cover around it then if it'll see direct sunlight. My orca has a wavy warped lid (doesn't effect function, just looks) after I left it on our boat for 4 days...

 

I like the soft coolers, but they won't work. I want to bolt a boat seat onto the top and use it in the boat.

 

Yeah go bigger than you think especially if it's just gonna sit in the boat.

 

These boats are meant for the front fly fisherman to be standing up casting, so I need to keep as much room as possible in front of the seat/cooler base. I'm going to have to go out and put actual eyes on some of these to get a real feel on size and room they take up. I've learned quite a bit tonight, so I thank you guys for that.

 

Productive convo last night time for bed. See y'all tonight

 

Beam Maple night cap kickin in, back in for one more tonight before New England's April snow storm tomorrow.
Still can't understand how you guys spend so much coin on a freakin cooler...

 

Because if you plan on camping more than 2 days its completely worth it. Camped with a guy that had a nice ass yeti cooler, my $50 coleman from walmart kept shit cold, but by the evening of the 2nd day my ice was almost gone while when he opened his it looked like he'd just poured it in. I don't camp for more than a day or 2 as it is, so my coolers work just fine for me. When I plan on overlanding with the family in the future I'll probably invest in something that will keep shit cold for more than a day or two loll

 

I don't really do the whole camping thing, I'd really like to get into it with the family but I like hot showers and spider-free toilets. A cooler for me is mainly used for tailgating where it only has to keep things cold for a few hours.