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Cooler placement

brianluckbrianluck Member Posts: 174 ✭✭✭
in General Boating Questions archive
Good day all, new to this forum since rbo went dark so please excuse me if this has been asked hAvent figured this place out yet. I have a 94 rinker fv300 and I'm struggling to find a place to keep my cooler where it won't be in the way, any suggestions?
1994 300fv "General Madness"
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  • TikiHut2TikiHut2 Member Posts: 1,431 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2013
    It's a bit smaller but our 270 was crying/screaming for better cooler placement so I took out the teeny cooler insert at the cockpit sink, cleaned it up inside, trimmed it with some simple tubing and a short piece of pvc tubing on the lower lip and my huge Gott 60qt fits in it like a glove. It's out from being underfoot, centrally located, slides in/out with ease and the short lower lip holds it in place when we're underway. 

    This also solves a huge weight mgmt issue for my rather heavy weekender cooler too. It really needed to be amidship (like most weight)  instead of at the stern, while also keeping it handy, shaded and secure. The void under the sink was an awkwardly huge wasted space and now also holds my shore cords/tools/flares/etc...and most importantly a bottle opener. It's an ideal spot for our situation.

    Hope that helps, Mike

    Oh Yeah, Welcome to the new site!

    image
    2004 FV270, 300hp 5.7 350mag MPI Merc 305hrs, 2:20 Bravo3 OD w.22p props, 12v Lenco tabs, Kohler 5kw genset, A/C, etc.etc...
    Regular weekender, Trailer stored indoors, M/V TikiHut, Sarasota, Fl
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  • Dream_InnDream_Inn Member, Moderator Posts: 7,728 mod

    Geez!  that's been asked several times! ;)

    Actually, it's about time you found us over here!  welcome to the site!

    As far as the cooler, you just need to drink it all!  ok, I usually find somewhere under or around the helm is best, especially once you are anchored. 

    Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express

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  • raybo3raybo3 Administrator Posts: 5,545 admin
    Brianluck welcome to the RBOC.......
    2002 342 Fiesta Vee PC Point Of Pines YC Revere MA. popyc.org     raybo3@live.com
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  • browncbr1browncbr1 Member Posts: 55 ✭✭
    TikiHut2 said:
    It's a bit smaller but our 270 was crying/screaming for better cooler placement so I took out the teeny cooler insert at the cockpit sink, cleaned it up inside, trimmed it with some simple tubing and a short piece of pvc tubing on the lower lip and my huge Gott 60qt fits in it like a glove. It's out from being underfoot, centrally located, slides in/out with ease and the short lower lip holds it in place when we're underway. 

    This also solves a huge weight mgmt issue for my rather heavy weekender cooler too. It really needed to be amidship (like most weight)  instead of at the stern, while also keeping it handy, shaded and secure. The void under the sink was an awkwardly huge wasted space and now also holds my shore cords/tools/flares/etc...and most importantly a bottle opener. It's an ideal spot for our situation.

    Hope that helps, Mike

    Oh Yeah, Welcome to the new site!

    image


    this is a great idea.. i think i will do this with my 270 also, as the tiny cooler this was made for is a joke!

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  • Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Hey Tiki nice reno! I saw something similar on a another brand of boat a few years ago. The guy had priced getting custom doors made for his "new enclosure" and nearly fainted when he got the price so he had a piece of white canvass sewn with a nice french seam all the way around and attached it over the opening with four snap fasteners.  I didn't even know there was storage behind it until he pointed it out. He had a nice little booze locker in there too!
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  • Lifes GoodLifes Good Member Posts: 465 ✭✭✭
    edited May 2013

    This is a fantastic idea! I have a 320 and the space under the helm is like a cave! I don't understand why many boat MANUFACTURERS don't utilize this kind of space to thier selling advantage!

    @ RINKER - You should do this on all your cruisers! It makes so much sense with their integrated signature blender!!!I Want to sell more boats?  Take advantage of the empty space!

    LG

     

    :)>- :)>- :)>- :-bd
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  • TikiHut2TikiHut2 Member Posts: 1,431 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2013
    MT, that's a great idea and would also shade it from our brutal mid day heat. LG stowage and convienience should be a priority. In the 270 the space back at the galley is big to accommodate a frig but we'd never find a frig large or cold enough for long wknds in our serious summer heat so this is an ideal fix.

    As a former mid-sized sail boater where every sq inch is used, and weight distribution has an impact on performance, I'm often amazed at the unused space even in these relatively small cruisers. I suppose cost and haste of mfg are always limiters for details so we tweak. ;)

    As a note, cooler height is important in there so it won't interfere with the trash can in the galley and the 60qt Gott is a perfect fit in a 270 while still being a super insulated design. I thought about rails to slide it on but it moves so easily I opted for simplicity. Glad my simple fix is helping you guys have a better experience on the water.
    Have a great season and may your beer always be on ice.
    Fair winds, Mike
    Post edited by TikiHut2 on
    2004 FV270, 300hp 5.7 350mag MPI Merc 305hrs, 2:20 Bravo3 OD w.22p props, 12v Lenco tabs, Kohler 5kw genset, A/C, etc.etc...
    Regular weekender, Trailer stored indoors, M/V TikiHut, Sarasota, Fl
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