Making an Esky

[Tunzafun]

I am looking at building a custom ice box to put in the boat to keep fish in. At present My coleman just isn't big enough for the Mackeral and the tails hang out, ice melts, blood splatters, boat gets dirty, wife cracks the shits, I spend hours cleaning boat. I figure a custom built fibreglass long box that slides under the back seat or up the front (Bowrider boat) is the way to go.

What I am having trouble in finding is the insulation foam. Can anyone put me on to a supplier in Brisbane please. It is my intent to build a wooden frame (probably 50mm) line it all with foam, glass it and gelcoat it. A 40mm bung for drainage, a couple of stanless or plastic hinges and a lid thick enough to be sat on or walked on. It can always double as the beer esky on those all to infrequent camping holidays.

If anybody has made something similar and can give me any tips that would also be much appreciated.

Tight lines - Tunzafun ;)

[Fishin_Dan]

Refrigeration companies are probably your best bet.... Have never tried them though...

I've seen a few home-made ones, and some were good, some were shocking. I did see one that was insane though... A guy (truckie) built one into the garden next to his BBQ. You could lie down comfortably in it! :o

[predator]

CORKJOINT (AUST) PTY LTD #
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[DAVE_S]

tunzafun will get on to the uncle he knows of a supplier cant remember the ph no will post it back when i know the stuff you want is the green one this is the best 50mm is ok but 75mm is the best when you build the outer case and inner case make it out of 5mm ply and where the hinges go put timber blocks in for screws and glass it in and out then gelcoat i have one with 50mm insulation it works great but iam going to make one out of 75mm to suit the boat also make shore you have a air tight seal on the lid will post photo of mine when i have ph no

[Volvo]

:)tunzafun, got the money go buy one allready built. Eco cool or one simmilar. They will keep the ice fer yonks and wont break your back trying to put em their side to wash em after each trip..
Bought me a good size mackeral box, eco/ice cool and holds ice better than my big fibreglass one ey..
Cheers

[predator]

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/COLDROOM-ESKY_W0QQitemZ8747701538QQcategoryZ87134QQrdZ1QQcm dZViewItem

might be what you want.... :)

[Tunzafun]

Thanks guys,

Thats a big help. I am compromising the 75mm to 50mm for size and weights sake. Would love to be able to just buy one but there are none that I have seen so far in a size that will fit.

DAVE_S I would appreciate the info from your uncle if you can find it. My email is r.jclark@bigpond.net.au.

Cheers

[1810B]

Ring Bob at colddesign in Dollis Street, Salisbury (I think thats the suburb but you will find Colddesign in the yellowpages under foams/insulation). He makes the stuff and has done for years. Both white and high compression green foam (good stuff) Also has all the glassing supplies. Nice bloke and helpfull.

[bcb20]

Hi Tunzafun,

I understand and know your frustration, I have the same problem. I work in the boat building industry on the goldie. Our supplier is "Techpak Solutions" at Bulimba (07 3395 7376)......You'll need to purchase a sheet (about 8 x 4ft) but they should be able to help you out for exactly this type of foam. We build ice boxes for all of our boat and use their foam for this exact purpose.

Best of luck......

[NeilD]

As 1810 said check out Coldesign. Very helpfull and has resins etc as well as the expanded polyurethane foam and all the rest of the gear. Coopers Plains I think. He will tell you what you need.

[Wild_cat]

Just my 2 cents worth probably already thought of these points, if your building a esky for macks Make the lid with a concave or at least some edges so you can run the knife down the fish without it sliping of the box or blood and fishin stuff going every where in the slop. I also use mine as a kill box so the inside wall may take a few miss guilded shots from the wooden equilizer so the walls are a little thicker. Yep mine is a heavy SOB.

[dfox]

I agree bob's the bloke to see, i got a heap of gear off him last week...foxy
Heres his adress, prices are covered.

[trueblue]

I've got a seriously tough esky that would make most people laugh but it works well. It came with my boat when I bought it.

It is just a big plywood box made out of 7/8" ply, fibreglassed all over to about 1/8" thick glass. Its really heavy, but does keep a box full of nannys / emperors etc from the reef cold!

Mind you, the only time I have had it full I had to put the trim tabs down to get the boat up on the plane!!!!!

[trueblue]

Another thought just came to mind - Game fishing in Hawaii I saw they used cooler bags (yes bags) for big long fish. They were like a zip up cooler bag for marlin / sailfish / tuna / wahoo / mackeral etc.

I haven't seen them over here (and haven't looked either) but they were a really good option for long fish. You just packed ice around the fish and then zipped it up. For fat fish like big tuna, all extra you had to do was to slit the fish belly, roughly clean it, and then pack the belly with ice.

It was an interesting alternative.

[Tunzafun]

Thanks guys,

Lots of good advice and coldies is the go. Will let you know how it turns out. Once I work this site out I will post a picture of the beast (hopefully full of fish).


Tight lines