Jump to content

cool boxes


mw
 Share

Recommended Posts

Mark ........Icy tek probably best \ most robust

 

.........Igloo cheaper and good compromise.

 

Look on eBay ...... get the biggest you have room for [ will double as bait table] to keep fish straighter ........until you get a really big bass !!!

 

Don't bother with ice \ ice packs ........ freeze water in plastic milk bottles; keep fish in seawater chilled with a couple of these bottles; you'll hardly be able to pick them up at the end of the day !

 

Alun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi All

 

what is the best cool box and why

 

And places to buy

 

Thanks

 

mark w

Mark

 

The very best are probably Icey Tek boxes, but they are, by a long margin, the most expensive.

 

I have a 242ltr (huge) Igloo Coolbox that I bought off Ebay for about

Edited by TomBettle
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Regarding ice does anybody have a local supplier? or how do others manage to get sufficient ice for these large boxes?

 

I can vouch for Alun J's method. Freeze up half a dozen litre milk cartons to 3/4 full (expansion) and bung these in with a bucket of seawater - it will be too cold to put your hand in after 30 mins.

 

It's what I'll be doing from now on, much less hastle than trying to get crushed if youre not in Weymouth.

 

Or have a word with Simon and get on the waiting list.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are you sure ??? THe temperature is the temp of the freezer !! approx. -18 C

 

Seawater will just have a lower freezing point; its specific heat capacity is little different to fresh water ......... that's the energy it takes to warm\ or energy that comes out as you cool 1 cm3 by 1 C.... approx 1 Calorie or 4.2 Kjoule per litre per degree C.

 

Then there's more energy needed to change state [ melting\freezing] ... Latent heat.

 

 

Summary.......fresh water is easier and doesn't make much difference to temperatures.

 

Alun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

laugh.gif

 

You just can't take the science out of the science teacher.......... wink.gif

 

Anything will do Dan................even the milk for your onboard cuppa.

 

The media used can only be as cold as the appliance used to cool it. A. J. will correct me if I'm wrong ............ but the stored energy is similar across most media that we might use. Those that are claimed to have a lasting cooling effect such as these freezer blocks simply release their stored energy more slowly. They are probably best used for maintaining the temperature of items pre chilled. For short term rapid chilling of warmer items I would use a less dense media such as frozen water. Melts quicker, therefore cools/preserves faster........

 

 

IMHO

 

 

cool.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only reason I would use frozen sea water is if it was in direct contact with the fish. In this case I would not want osmotic uptake of fresh water into the flesh and ruin the fish from water saturation. With sea water the osmotic balance is maintained equal salt in the water and the flesh..... wink.gif

 

cool.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I bought the Coleman version (I think!) at last years Boat show - I haven't used it in anger yet - but it was less than half the price.

 

Says it will keep stuff frozen for up to 5 days same as the Icey Tek - would have preferred the Icey Tek - but just a little too much money at the time.

 

Time will tell whether I got what I paid for!

 

Anyway - I have salvaged all the plastic milk bottles from the wifes re-cycling bin and now put in the freezer ready for next weeks trip to Alderney - hopefully

 

Neal

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If any of you guys want to borrow a cool box i bought a coleman picnic 48 for 5 qui)d at cobbs boat jumble it has a seperate top worm tray ,if i ever catch enough fish to fill it i will have to buy a new deep freeze ( i live in poole )i have six freezer blocks to go as well .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank for the info i may go to the boat jumle on sunday

 

as i might not get my boat until next week now

 

Will see whats about

 

might buy a fridge as well if there cheap

 

will also start keeping milk bottles now

 

mark w

Link to comment
Share on other sites

this gets my vote for the most constructive thread on here for ages!

 

fwiw I have the coleman and it's as good as it advertises.

 

I put a couple of shovel fulls of crushed ice in the box (with the beer and wine on the way over) swap beer for bait as the trip develops and, if fortunate enough to catch something for the table, the exchange is complete.

 

For ice you have to be very nice to Greenslades (and it helps to offer a few quid or buy some produce) ...............

 

I have a freezer aboard Phaeton but, at 36ltr, it's not big enough for fish unless filleted down etc and I don't have enough juice (batteries) to keep it bellow -10 overnight without the engine running. Freezer box full of crushed ice is the best way. Keep the melt water drained off as well.

 

If you can't do this then seawater cooled with big ice blocks is the next best thing

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was thinking of freezing down some bottled water, to use as cooling blocks in the food coolbox. although I do have a 12volt coolbox for food, it may not be big enough for a three day trip.

 

when it thaws we can use it in the kettle. [i still do not fancy using drinking the water out of the main water tank.]

 

Humphrey used to do that when travelling down from London, then used them on the way home for the catch.

He doesn't drink tea/coffee so one was his drinking water for the day.

 

Charlie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With regard to the coleman ice box, I have a 30" long blue one. Out of curiosity I did an experiement last summer when it was in the high 20's outside during the day.

 

I filled the box half full of ice cube, covered the ice with a dry table cloth. Shut lid and left box in garage for 3 days. On the fourth day, I opened the box, drained the water and found with 1/3 of the original ice left. I guess it ain't too bad.

 

However, if you have to keep opening and shutting the lid a dozen times during the day, I don't believe the ice will last more than 2 days (depending on the outside temp of cos).

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Regarding ice does anybody have a local supplier? or how do others manage to get sufficient ice for these large boxes?

 

 

Martin,

 

I recycle large used freezer bags, just fill them with water and put them in the fridge. Once frozen lay in an old plastic sink bowl cover with a tea towel and smash the ice into bits with a small hammer.

 

Safety tip here: - always wear your safety glasses when doing this, or as Alun suggests use frozen plastic bottles instead to avoid the need for all of this!'

 

Gordon

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
tongue.giftongue.gif Fished this weekend with Dave Pitman, two Igloo boxes in the stern. He put a layer of ice in the bottom of both to keep mackerel fresh on Friday. Still frozen when we docked last night. Considering how hot it has been recently I am amazed. Gotta be good value. BB
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We used adams Icy tek in the islands

 

with sea water and frozen water bottles Adam made a slurry that kept beer cold [reserved for the first turbot,and was very welcome] the bait was very fresh perfect for the whole trip and all the eating fish in perfect condition.

 

Think I will have to get one

 

Charlie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have to endorse the Icy-Tek recommendation. My 57 litre "long" ice box still had most of the ice left and all the frozen water bottles still solid after the Alderney 4 day round trip. Mind you it didn't get opened much to put any fish in :>(

 

Prompt service from the suppliers a swell.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...