Front cooler

[Harry]

Picked up a 150 quart cooler today at Sam's club. Bought some SS hold downs and mounted them in the front deck to hold it in place.
It's a rather big, but the smaller coolers where just as deep, just not as wide.
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e223/aclineman/Cooler.jpg

[Fillet1]

Looks good! I could fit in that thing!

[Willie]

Harry, it does look good, looks like it will make a nice footrest and added seat also. Question, is it tied down to the floor also. It may bounce a lot if not. Just a thought from one whos been there.

[Harry]

Actually Willie,
If you look at the picture you can see I mounted a Stainless steel hold down (1 one each side) to the front deck and attached a small bungee cord at the handles to hold it tight to the front deck.

Yeah the cooler is a 150 Qt. rubbermaid from Sam's for 60 bucks. I was in West Marine after I bought it, and they had an Igloo 150 Qt for over 200 bucks !!!!

[Willie]

now I see it

[rob198dlv]

After looking at this picture I kinda wish I stuck with the standard console and fuel tank. I upgraded to teh Deluxe console to fit the 27 gallon tank and do not have the room in front to put a cooler there. I like your setup.

[Fillet1]

Rob - if you need the extra fuel to get where you are going then you made the right choice. I have the standard console and felt its a bit small. After fishing it this weekend, its fine.

I have an Igloo 78 qt mounted in the same place as Harry.

[Willie]

Harry, were did you p/u the SS tie downs. Would west marine or bworld have them? I want to mount the cooler up on the front deck, double as a seat to fish from also. Any thoughts?

[Harry]

Got mine at west marine in Somers point.

They were in the sailing dept. I got the last two, and they not real fast to restock stuff, so if your planning on getting them here anytime soon, I'd check another store first.

[Loki]

I know I am jumping into this post way late, but I am wondering about the USCG plate. Will they issue a ticket if it's not completely visable? I want to do same thing, but not at the risk of being harassed. Or is that "harryassed" :P

[Harry]

Never heard of such a law.

Maybe if it was permanetly covered???? The cooler just needs to be slid back to see it.

Maybe if you had a hard *** board your boat, they could bust your balls... ::)

[Loki]

Hey Harry, what are the two silver looking things next to the front hatches? They look like the "plugs" for the lights on my boat.


Loki

[Harry]

Angled rod holders I installed. Yes they have caps (covers) like the Nav lights ;)

[chumhead]

I have that same cooler, and now have a new idea of how to hold it down! Thanks. I really don't think the capacity plate would be an issue since it is easily accessed by moving the cooler, or they could give you a ticket if you had a beach towel hanging over it.

I thought it was as big a cooler as I would ever need until I started fishing offshore, its amazing how fast a cooler shrinks when you're trying to fold a long cobia or king mackeral into it, lol.....not that I'm complaining. Thinking about getting one of those "Fish Bag" coolers just for the longer fish.

chumhead

[Loki]

Thanks for the clarification chumhead. I just bought a 120qt igloo for $49.00 and wont worry about borrowing Harry's great idea. Seems like I have alot of great ideas to borrow from this site now!


Loki

[Dave]

How's this for a late entry... just joined the other day so I'm slowly reading the old posts.

I gotta have an insulated fish box - the bigger the better and a portable box is just the ticket and a whole lot cheaper, not to mention the time it took me to build an insulated box into my last boat.

Harry, I really like the BIG cooler up front and that one looks especially good as I see it has (what looks like) drink holder built into each corner. For my box, I was going to figure a way to mount hold down cleats to the deck, but because I can't get under the deck to mount nuts to bolts, I thought I’d try #12 screws and use a dollop or two of 5200 to hold them tight - never thought about mounting them to the front deck like you did - excellent idea and problem solver.

Now that it's been a few months, how's the cooler working out? Would you do anything different now that you've had much of the season to use it mounted up front?

Thanks

[Harry]

The only thing I'd do different is get the next sized smaller cooler. I didn't want permanet "toe jammer mounts" on the floor and mounting to the bulkhead of the front deck works out perfect.....

[Willie]

Ye .....smaller...... cause Harry doesn't catch any big ones..;D.. did I say that out loud 001 011...........kidding aside, the size of the cooler depends on what your after, you can adjust the cooler size for the fishing trip if needed....Harry's set up works and no toe stubbing.....My 17' mod v does not have any hatches on the top of the front deck so I use a similar set up to mount a cooler up there and can use it as a seat for fishing also..... have also bungied my crab traps there so they are out of the way...Willie... 010 012

[hsiman15]

Harry- I like how you've set up the cooler.

I was wondering, what size console do you have? It looks like there is enough leg/feet room for someone to sit on the console seat facing the bow... is that true? How many inches would you say is between the seat and cooler you have?

Also, since you have experience with Eds, would you happen to know what size console they pre-rig their 218DLVs with? Thanks!

[Harry]

Sure you can face front no problem. I think it's the large console and I think that's what Ed also use's on the 218.

I would guess there is 20" +/- between the front console seat and the cooler. I mounted it and took those pictures a while back. Only had the cooler in there once while fishing. Mostly did it for the striper run, which has yet to happen. Soon I hope 008 008 008

Most of my summer fish fit in the livewell no problem.

[Dave]

Harry's right. I just took delivery of a 218 DLV (Pre-rig) from Ed's and it has the Large Console - not to be confused with the "XLarge". IMO, the Large console couldn't be any smaller :) At first I thought the 218 came with the bigger console until I carefully looked into the difference. I actually wanted the smaller one (the one I got) because I'm more interested in greater floor space. The only thing I changed on my pre-rig was to swap the 18 gal tank for a 27 gal. Oh yeah, I also had them drop their add-on fuel/water filter - 200.00 is way too much for that (simple to install) option.

I'm working on a low budget raised counter to put just above my standing head level, to mount electronics on. My aim is to have it convenient to view the GPS, Sounder, Compass and free up the (rather small) console top so I can use it for other purposes, like to hold a pad to write on, etc. I'm now considering a bimini top until I can save the cash for a T-Top. This raised counter would have to come down when/if I get a T-Top but it's no big deal to patch holes in the fiberglass console and finish them off with gelcoat to make it look just like the holes never existed.

[hsiman15]

1stSgt- thanks for the info. Do you have it powered with a 140hp? or 115hp? A few months ago I was leaning towards a 198, but now I'm debating over a 218...
check your private messages... thanks!

[Loki]

Hsiman15, I also have a 218dlv powered by a 115 suzi, I'm right at 40mph WOT, sometimes a few more, sometimes a few less, depending on conditions.

[Fillet1]

I have a 78 qt igloo where Harry has his cooler. I mounted two single aluminum rod holders on the face of the deck and the cooler sits in between and straps to the holders.

In this pic you can see one of the the holders and they have a small bungee on them. I use that to strap in the cooler. I also use a piece of that non slip mat under the cooler to keep it in place.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/Fillet1/sidelight.jpg

[Dave]

Hsiman15

I have a 140. Wherever you buy, I think the relatively little added cost for the extra 2' of length (actually 1', 10") is well worth the upcharge.

As Loki states, the 115 will work fine on a 218 but I'm sure I would not be happy with anything less, for instance the 90, as some dealers will package the 218.

FWIW, Ed's current pricing lists the PreRig 218 DLV with 140 Suz for 500.00 more than their 198 with a 90 Suz. BUT, check that price with a call to Ed's before you take for gospel the prices on their web site - sometimes prices change before the web gurus can make the change on the internet.

[Familymanof5]

Just remember "There is no replacement for displacement"


Bigger is Better

TOM

[brokebeach5011]

I'm late but here is what I did a while back.Added a pvc standoff between my rod holders and cooler.I just run a strap around it.

[brokebeach5011]

Another pic.

[redneckredfishr]

I'm late but here is what I did a while back.Added a pvc standoff between my rod holders and cooler.I just run a strap around it.


Nice job, Brokebeach5011. It looks like a custom job.

Will

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

5011, That is one cool creation. 013 012 012 012 012 012

[cheez]

I like the cooler tie down idea. Real clean and way better than the toe stubber corner mounts I was about to buy. Thanks for the idea. The rod holder tie down idea is a great one too. I will borrow one of them as I have a 150 qt just like that one. I need it for the big blue cats we catch. 013

[SpurHunter]

I really like that idea, gonna use that for my boat too. 018

[Chatham Scott]

After looking at this picture I kinda wish I stuck with the standard console and fuel tank. I upgraded to teh Deluxe console to fit the 27 gallon tank and do not have the room in front to put a cooler there. I like your setup.


I thought the standard console (at least for the 19DLV) could accomodate the 18 or 27 gallon, but you had to go for bigger console for gas tank bigger than 27

[Dave]

Chatham Scott, the large and X-Large console will handle the 27 gal tank. If you get the Lg console, the 27 gal tank will fill up the entire area under the console, whereas with the X-Lg, the 27 gal tank can be moved forward to free up much of the area to the rear of the console, as several of the members have done.

Dave