A totally "off the wall" idea that has some basis in actual operation.

I forget but seem to think that you'll have a pretty good refrigeration
system on board.

If so, why not have a closed loop heat-exchange system, charged with
food grade glycol (my memory fails me, I can't recall if that is
Ethylene or Propylene Glycol) /water mixture, circulated by a small
pump, and running between your inside freezer section and this cockpit
mounted idea. Circulation rate does not need to be very great, just
sufficient to keep the liquid moving.

If you used heavy wall poly tubing between the two cold spaces you
wouldn't lose toooo much effect along the way. Use copper inside the
two boxes. Having the cockpit box initially filled with ice will greatly
lessen the induced load on the freezer.

We used to use a similar system on some fishing trawlers in NZ many
years ago. Worked well to keep a water slurry cold for long periods.

Brian Cleverly


Glenn Ashmore wrote:

On our recent BVI cruise I started thinking about cockpit drink coolers.
The beneteau 505 has a very poorly insulated cooler in the cockpit
table that is a total waste of ice. RUTU, being derived from a modern
high performance design, has a very wide fairly shallow cockpit. It
will need foot rests to keep braced in the seats on a heel. I am
thinking about building a perminent heavily insulated box down the
center. It could also be used as a seat at anchor when the table is
folded up and the cushion would serve as additional insulation.

Now the question is how to keep it cold. I am thinking that a small
evaporator type system would work. Drinks cool fastest in water so
stocking originally with drinks and ice would provide the water. Once
the ice melts the evaporator would maintain the temperature and the
water would serve as a heat sink.

What I am worried about is that the aluminum evaporator would corrode
rather quickly constantly submerged in water. I am wondering if several
loops of copper tube might make a better evaporator.

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com