Ice Cream on a Boat!

While we work closer to the day of cutting the dock lines and cruising off to our dream, we are slowly but surely checking off our boat projects.  Most of us who have boats always have a project, and always will.  Our Catalina 380 has a decent size refrigerator, but a tiny freezer unit.  We have a large icebox we used to store "stuff". (All the stuff you thought you would use on the boat when you made the down size to the boat, but never did.   The stuff which was given away or placed on the if you want it take it table at the marina.
The project is an Engel ice boxy conversion kit..  The kit says it will bring down a 50 quart area down below zero.  The ice box was a little larger than 50 quarts, so with some modifications, we have a pretty decent size freezer for a boat.  The unit is super simple to install and runs on 110 or 12 volt and detects which power it has.  Initial power up pulls about 5 amps but drops down to about 3 amps wyhen on DC.  With some insulation and fiberglass work on the lid, freezer temperature while empty got down to minus 7 degrees. Have to say one of the easiest projects I have done on the boat.  We did make a run to the grocery store got a large roast, bag of chicken breast, frozen veggies, couple bags of ice we saved from the ice maker and it has frozen everything hard.
  

Installing the L shaped cold plate.  This process only took about 15 minutes, a couple of choice adult words because I keep dropping the tiny screws.

The cold plate is installed.  The next step was to drill a 2.5 inch mouse hole to run the copper tubing and thermostat wire to the compressor.  I used expandable foam to seal the mouse hole.  The copper tubing is precharged with freon.  Care has to be taken not to kink the tubing while running it to the compressor.  The instructions actually provide some really good tips on bending the tubing.  Any mistakes will only delay and add cost to the project.   

  

Carefully pulling everything through the mouse hole to the compressor.  This took the longest amount of time.

 
This is the salon settee where I placed the compressor.  The instructions suggested an area with good ventilation.  I added a large vent to the front of the settee, drilled two 3 inch holes through the back of the sink cabinet.  I then placed another large vent on the door of the sink cabinet.  This allows for adequate crossflow ventilation.  

 The compressor itself is small and quite when it runs.  The space under the settee provides ample air flow and room to run the copper tubing and wires.  The 12 volt supply is a dedicated line with a switch on the power panel.  The 110 is tied into the 110 V for the port side outlets. 
  

                        

Frozen Rock Hard! Now let's get some ICE CREAM!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Going to the Circus City! Sarasota Flordia

Image
We finally got away from the Gulfport FL/St. Pete area and headed to Sarasota FL. **** We cannot say thank you enough to Bob and Ellen in Gulfport who helped us so much, and provided such great hospitality. They even introduced us to some other boat folks too. ****  We ended up at the Sarasota Mooring Field that is managed by  Marina Jacks.   We opted for a mooring ball at $25.00 per day vs $2.75 per foot.  That for us would be $104.50 per day!  It is a short ride in via dinghy to the marina.  For the $25.00 I get the same amenities, showers, shuttle service, restaurants etc.  The bathrooms are nice, each have an individual private bathroom with shower.  I am glad some of those mega yachts can afford to pay for all this for us to enjoy. The only down side is there are numerous dinghys at the dinghy dock that have been left there by the mooring field peeps.  Some it would appear for a long time by the growth on them.  They really need to manage this better. The marina is right in the mi
Read more

Last week in Tarpon Springs.

Image
Tarpon Springs was such a fun place to have stayed during our adventure.  Our extended stay was caused by a Low Pressure system that was coming from East to West across Florida. Causing winds or suppose to cause winds up to 40 mph.  We were in such a protected place, and with the TS forming in Mexico that turned into Hurricane Nate we decided to stay put for a while. The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church was amazing with all the stained glass, paintings on the ceiling and the Icons around the church.  There was a staff member there that answered questions for us about the church and services.  I found it interesting they still use the same service since the 4th century.  They also sing the entire service.  We also leanred that St. Nicholas also being Santa Claus is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker, and the Patron Saint of Sailors.  It was time to venture out further and see more local attractions so we jumped aboard the Clearwater   Jolly Trolley which runs from Tar
Read more

The Lines have been Cut! #Cruisinglife

Image
Imagine has actually cut the lines!  We have made the jump! Living the Life! #Cruisinglife, #liveaboard, #USVI and all the other hashtags and catch phrases there is. Carol and I have worked hard to get to this next adventure in our life. The friends we have made in Texas are friendships that will last a lifetime.  We will truly miss their company, but the friendship will live on while we share our adventures with them.   Imagine found a weather window between Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma to move to Florida. There are some alternate routes built into if ole Irma decides to change paths and mess things up.  We take weather seriously, but you have to move on so you plan for what you know, and what you do not know.  Guess what?  We used one of our plans to stop to wait out upcoming weather.  The wind switched more E to NE  which is the way we were going.  The wind picked up to 23 kts max with sustained in the high teens.  The waves were 4-6 ft with a few that would get a bit bi
Read more