R5 Onboard Cooler

[FirstStar]

Wondering what R series owners are doing to keep drinks cold. When its just a couple people a small cooler works - more people and more coolers take up to much space. We have tried to make the onboard cooler work but last weekend not much luck. Granted it was 100 degrees but I fed that thing a lot of ice. Feeding it the ice isn't really the problem but it won't keep things cold over night and starting with warm drinks just makes the whole problem worse. Ideas would be appreciated.

[Krob1114]

We fill a large Igloo with ice and enough drinks to last the weekend.
We buy a 20 lb bag of ice at last place before marina.
We load drinks for the day, add 20 lb ice and it usually works for all day.
We leave the Igloo on the dock...it probably on have legs like a Yeti and won't run off.
At the end of the day, any ice and unused drinks go back to the Igloo.
Repeat the next day.

[FirstStar]

So I popped out the subwoofer behind the Captain's seat to get a peak at the underside of the built in "cooler". I got a picture but it doesn't show much. I think there is less than 1" off spray foam on the outside of the cooler walls. There is more insulation in a $10 walmart cooler than is on this thing. The space under there is huge, it goes all the way to the bottom of the boat. I know it would help to add some insulation but don't want to make a mess under there. Also thought about filling the space with fiberglass insulation but don't know how it would react when wet. Anyone have other ideas?

[Krob1114]

So I popped out the subwoofer behind the Captain's seat to get a peak at the underside of the built in "cooler". I got a picture but it doesn't show much. I think there is less than 1" off spray foam on the outside of the cooler walls. There is more insulation in a $10 walmart cooler than is on this thing. The space under there is huge, it goes all the way to the bottom of the boat. I know it would help to add some insulation but don't want to make a mess under there. Also thought about filling the space with fiberglass insulation but don't know how it would react when wet. Anyone have other ideas?

Thanks...I didn't want to take anything apart to look. I was pretty sure of your findings by how much quicker ice melted in that one.

[Big Block Power]

So I popped out the subwoofer behind the Captain's seat to get a peak at the underside of the built in "cooler". I got a picture but it doesn't show much. I think there is less than 1" off spray foam on the outside of the cooler walls. There is more insulation in a $10 walmart cooler than is on this thing. The space under there is huge, it goes all the way to the bottom of the boat. I know it would help to add some insulation but don't want to make a mess under there. Also thought about filling the space with fiberglass insulation but don't know how it would react when wet. Anyone have other ideas?

Thanks...I didn't want to take anything apart to look. I was pretty sure of your findings by how much quicker ice melted in that one.

I guess I would use more spray foam. Wet pink insulation is no good.

[Luv2HuntAR]

On the first full day on the lake with lots of folks and drinks , I’ll throw 5 ea @ 10 lb bags and top-off the onboard ice chests in the morning. On a hot day, I’ll throw in another 2 bags late in the afternoon. As long as I don’t drain the water, I’ll have a little ice left over, and the drinks are still cold the next morning. On day 2, I’ll throw another 5 bags in the chests in the morning, and that will usually last us until the next morning. On my next outing, I’m going to throw a couple of Yeti Ice blocks in the bottom to see if they help. They certainly helped while I was at the beach last week; at the end of each day, I pulled the Yeti Ice with 2” of ice attached to it out of the bottom of my cooler.

[Krob1114]

On the first full day on the lake with lots of folks and drinks , I’ll throw 5 ea @ 10 lb bags and top-off the onboard ice chests in the morning. On a hot day, I’ll throw in another 2 bags late in the afternoon. As long as I don’t drain the water, I’ll have a little ice left over, and the drinks are still cold the next morning. On day 2, I’ll throw another 5 bags in the chests in the morning, and that will usually last us until the next morning. On my next outing, I’m going to throw a couple of Yeti Ice blocks in the bottom to see if they help. They certainly helped while I was at the beach last week; at the end of each day, I pulled the Yeti Ice with 2” of ice attached to it out of the bottom of my cooler.

Are you talking about the smaller cooler behind the helm or the bigger cooler at the co-captain duel seat?

[Luv2HuntAR]

On the first full day on the lake with lots of folks and drinks , I’ll throw 5 ea @ 10 lb bags and top-off the onboard ice chests in the morning. On a hot day, I’ll throw in another 2 bags late in the afternoon. As long as I don’t drain the water, I’ll have a little ice left over, and the drinks are still cold the next morning. On day 2, I’ll throw another 5 bags in the chests in the morning, and that will usually last us until the next morning. On my next outing, I’m going to throw a couple of Yeti Ice blocks in the bottom to see if they help. They certainly helped while I was at the beach last week; at the end of each day, I pulled the Yeti Ice with 2” of ice attached to it out of the bottom of my cooler.

Are you talking about the smaller cooler behind the helm or the bigger cooler at the co-captain duel seat?

I fill them both.

[Krob1114]

On the first full day on the lake with lots of folks and drinks , I’ll throw 5 ea @ 10 lb bags and top-off the onboard ice chests in the morning. On a hot day, I’ll throw in another 2 bags late in the afternoon. As long as I don’t drain the water, I’ll have a little ice left over, and the drinks are still cold the next morning. On day 2, I’ll throw another 5 bags in the chests in the morning, and that will usually last us until the next morning. On my next outing, I’m going to throw a couple of Yeti Ice blocks in the bottom to see if they help. They certainly helped while I was at the beach last week; at the end of each day, I pulled the Yeti Ice with 2” of ice attached to it out of the bottom of my cooler.

Are you talking about the smaller cooler behind the helm or the bigger cooler at the co-captain duel seat?

I fill them both.

On your boat, is there a noticeable difference between the two ice chests as to how fast the ice melts?

[FirstStar]

I guess I would use more spray foam. Wet pink insulation is no good.

I agree. Spray foam I could get at the home center seems messy. Anyone have thoughts about a method I couldn't mess up?

[Dadof3girls]

Built in cooler under passenger seat seems like it is actually a cooler and the one behind drivers seat is a space that can be used as a cooler but not really insulated. I sometimes used cooler under passenger seat but put a soft cooler inside the other one.

[Luv2HuntAR]

Are you talking about the smaller cooler behind the helm or the bigger cooler at the co-captain duel seat?

I fill them both.

On your boat, is there a noticeable difference between the two ice chests as to how fast the ice melts?

Good question. Had to think about this one. I’m thinking the bigger cooler at the co-captain seat keeps ice a little better.

[Krob1114]

On the first full day on the lake with lots of folks and drinks , I’ll throw 5 ea @ 10 lb bags and top-off the onboard ice chests in the morning. On a hot day, I’ll throw in another 2 bags late in the afternoon. As long as I don’t drain the water, I’ll have a little ice left over, and the drinks are still cold the next morning. On day 2, I’ll throw another 5 bags in the chests in the morning, and that will usually last us until the next morning. On my next outing, I’m going to throw a couple of Yeti Ice blocks in the bottom to see if they help. They certainly helped while I was at the beach last week; at the end of each day, I pulled the Yeti Ice with 2” of ice attached to it out of the bottom of my cooler.

Are you talking about the smaller cooler behind the helm or the bigger cooler at the co-captain duel seat?

I fill them both.

Yes, some say it's a cooler. I think it's more like a wet well. I've seen sales videos from different dealers, some say it's insulated, others say it's not.

[Big Block Power]

I say I've never used a cooler on a boat. We just pack one. Our cooler holds our towels.

[FirstStar]

Are you talking about the smaller cooler behind the helm or the bigger cooler at the co-captain duel seat?

I fill them both.

Yes, some say it's a cooler. I think it's more like a wet well. I've seen sales videos from different dealers, some say it's insulated, others say it's not.

Mine does have some foam insulation, maybe an inch or less. Not sure why they wouldn't have put more. I would spray more if I didn't think it would make a big mess.

When it's just us we normally bring a separate cooler but when we have a full boat there isn't room for all the coolers. I guess I'll just bite the bullet and buy more ice. Small price to pay for such an awesome boat!