Built in fridge box ...

[Refueler]

The fridge box works really well ... but is located such that I have to climb up or onto the undercockpit bunk to retrieve anything from it. Its deep also.

Standing at bottom of hatchway steps ... the kitchenette has the two sinks to port side by side transverse, then the cooker ahead. The fridge box is under the underdeck storage lockers outboard of the sinks..

Trying to figure out how to easily retrieve items ... thought about plastic baskets with tall handles ... nope. Maybe just carrier bags with their handles hooked to a rod at top ?

The fridge has a lift off section of worktop - vertical access.

???? Ideas ?? (It cannot be moved !)

 

[fredrussell]

I have a less than ideally situated fridge in my 31ft boat. I bought an Alpicool 30 litre fridge and mounted it in a more useful spot. Plus point of this is that I can use one as fridge and one as freezer, should I have the need. I haven’t yet!

 

[geem]

I have a less than ideally situated fridge in my 31ft boat. I bought an Alpicool 30 litre fridge and mounted it in a more useful spot. Plus point of this is that I can use one as fridge and one as freezer, should I have the need. I haven’t yet!

We have a built in fridge that is made and fitted in 2012. It's about 100 litres with a stainless internal liner. Inside the fridge is a 10 litres freezer. The fridge is deep. It works well but fruit and veg got easily squashed under the weight of beer!
We installed a 42 litre portable compressor fridge as our 'warm' fridge. We keep veg n fruit in it. We set it warmer than the main fridge. We also made an insulated jacket for it of 12mm closed cell foam in a acrylic canvass cover.

 

[Refueler]

Appreciate posts .... basically how I plan to use mine ... along with the Vevor protable.

But my main question is how to put stuff in that can be easily lifted out without acrobatics or being Twizzle ?? (Anyone remember Twizzle ?)

 

[rogerthebodger]

Post some pics so we can see the problems

 

[Refueler]

Post some pics so we can see the problems

I was sure I had some ... but apparently not. Will do next time on board ...

Have to visit tomorrow to test fit my 3D printed compass covers..... as well as cont my electrics forays.

 

[William_H]

Hi nigel. I hope you are pleased with new boat. For your problem I would be thinking a bag made of old sail cloth exact size of inside of fridge box with handles so you can lift the entire contents up to a reachable level. Then drop back again. ol'will

 

[Refueler]

Hi nigel. I hope you are pleased with new boat. For your problem I would be thinking a bag made of old sail cloth exact size of inside of fridge box with handles so you can lift the entire contents up to a reachable level. Then drop back again. ol'will

That's how I'm thinking .... but maybe plastic ... just in case 'cloth' gets stuck to the cooling element in there ... ??

Handles of the bags held by a rod at top - so handles don't disappear into the depths !!

 

[Refueler]

OK .. photos ...

Entering cabin ... galley to port, (nav station to stbd).

OK .,, as you see the two sinks create a 'peninsular' and you can stand in the 'recess' of the cooker.

The distance from edge to start of fridge box is 65cm ......... that's quite a reach to then expect putting hand down into !!

Box is 51cm deep, in a curved hull V to the bottom ... max width at top 35cm, with a 19cm actual opening

Being such a V at bottom - means I cannot just stack containers as they would lose so much volume in the bottom section. Back to carrier bags I think ... or those 'string shopping bags' ??
Thinking that simple self-adhesive plastic coathangers stuck to underside of 'lid' could hold the handles of the bags ??

 

[Refueler]

mmmm I wonder if 3D printing V shaped baskets ???

 

[rogerthebodger]

A through that crossed my mne is a shaped plastics crate made for right garden mesh then fits in the cavity. so it can he lifted up .

The front of the crate can then be hinged at the front hinge at the bottom to allow easy access once lifted up

If you wish to be cleaver use a TV lifting mechanism to lift the plastic crate up.

You could also hinge the lid at the hull side so it opens when the rising crate comes up.

May be OTT

You could 3D print the crate and hinged front cover

As you have front access shelves could be included for different size containers.

My freezer is in a similar position but is bigger nd ease o access with a flat bottom ass the compressors are under the freezer

 

[Refueler]

My compressor is against the hull insulation under the outboard sink. Pretty daft installation actually ... maybe one day will modify.

Hinged ? Cannot see how that can help TBH ...

What I would like is V shaped containers with long handles that can sit in bottom. Then more conventional containers sit on top of those ... just means upper containers will always have to lift out to access lower v's

Another thing I plan to do ... make ply boards to cover the sinks when not in use.

 

[fredrussell]

mmmm I wonder if 3D printing V shaped baskets ???

I reckon that’s your answer.

I would make a mock up of cool box and lid at home and see if I could work out a way that your printed baskets were somehow lifted up as you opened the lid. Be a fun project I reckon.

I built a sliding shelf for my Alpicool fridge - it slides back into a redundant space under chart table when not in use.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Think of the V shaped container where the vertical front hinges downwards towards the sinks You will then have access along the side that is closed to you by the sink and cooker which would be easer than from the top once lifted up.

 

[Refueler]

Think of the V shaped container where the vertical front hinges downwards towards the sinks You will then have access along the side that is closed to you by the sink and cooker which would be easer than from the top once lifted up.

There is only one way to access that box ... from the top. It has no side or other access at all. Sorry just having trouble trying to visualise your idea ...

 

[rogerthebodger]

Think of a v shaped crate that hull side curved the for and aft sider a curved triangle point at bottom and the sinf side a straight vertical. box

Once this is lifted up the only access is at the top which will be close to the deck head.

If the vertical straight front is hinged down this will allow access from the sink side

 

[Refueler]

Think of a v shaped crate that hull side curved the for and aft sider a curved triangle point at bottom and the sinf side a straight vertical. box

Once this is lifted up the only access is at the top which will be close to the deck head.

If the vertical straight front is hinged down this will allow access from the sink side

OK ... got it now ...

mmmm food for thought ...

 

[Refueler]

While pondering solutions such as the 'hinged V' baskets .... I have ordered a bunch of different coloured 'string shopping bags' ... which will at least work while deciding final solution ...

I was hoping that I was not only one with such to solve ...

 

[geem]

We had a similar issue with the shape of our fridge. We put a horizontal shelf across the fridge about 6" off the bottom. The shelf is not full length. If you design the shelf correctly you should be able to slide it across to access beer in the very bottom section. The raise floor arrangement will allow you to use baskets for storage

 

[Refueler]

We had a similar issue with the shape of our fridge. We put a horizontal shelf across the fridge about 6" off the bottom. The shelf is not full length. If you design the shelf correctly you should be able to slide it across to access beer in the very bottom section. The raise floor arrangement will allow you to use baskets for storage

Another thought I had was to use a 'grid' or mesh set at a level up from bottom. Being a mesh - allows air to circulate ...

mmm if the mesh is only part length .... mmmm