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Bow Cooler


sunscapeJeff

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Anybody ever try to remove it? Seems like I remember somebody saying they did, but I searched the forums and I couldn't find it. We never use it, and I'd like to put some ballast up there someday, or at least have some useable storage.

I know it's glassed in at least at the top at the seat supports/braces, but it seems like it's not glassed to the hull because it feels hollow underneath. I could be wrong though.

Any ideas?

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Interesting idea - seems like it would be fairly easy to remove those "coolers", though what you find when you remove them probably isn't pretty.

What is wrong with using the for storage as-is?

Still would be interesting to hear from someone who's done it - but for now, I'm just using them to store my extra orange life vests and empty ballast sacks

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I guess the major reason I'd want to remove the coolers is so that I can put a ballast sac up there at some point. It'd be nice to have it up there underneath the seats.

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I guess the major reason I'd want to remove the coolers is so that I can put a ballast sac up there at some point. It'd be nice to have it up there underneath the seats.

Find a plug for the bottom and fill it with water.. Biggrin.gif

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I shot (4) cans of expandable foam underneath mine and it keeps ice all day in 100 degree Texas sun.

I was a little afraid I had filled my floor ski locker full of foam, when I first did it, but no problems. Not sure where it all went, though :):blush:

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I guess the major reason I'd want to remove the coolers is so that I can put a ballast sac up there at some point. It'd be nice to have it up there underneath the seats.

I wanted to do that too

Problem is I was told they are molded in from the factory.

So now I use the port side to store anchors - safe place to avoid tears and dings to the rest of the boat.

Other side is for rolled up fat sacs - holds 2 500lbers and 2 220lbers plus the sling and a pump.

Good place for them to finish draining.

Have rarely ever used it as a cooler

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I still use mine for food and drinks. It's not isulated at all but it just keeps things clean and orderly. If for some reason I spill something it easy to clean!!

No wonder your beer always shoots everywhere after being opened... ROFL.gif

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Interesting idea - seems like it would be fairly easy to remove those "coolers", though what you find when you remove them probably isn't pretty.

What is wrong with using the for storage as-is?

Still would be interesting to hear from someone who's done it - but for now, I'm just using them to store my extra orange life vests and empty ballast sacks

I'll bet those recently purchased lead bars will fit nicely in there... Whistling.gif Did ya pickem up from J-Ro's house yet ?

Edited by LS-One
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Brad, for some reason I thought you had integrated ballast in the bow. Is the ski locker ballast the only ballast you have up front?

We tried moving our fly high sac from the walkway (under the bow cushion) to the ski locker, but we noticed a difference in the way the boat handled and the shape of the wake. It might be our imagination, but it seems better when it's in the walkway. That's why I was hoping that I could remove the cooler and put a ballast in there, and put our existing sac in the ski locker. However, everyone likes your wake just fine, so maybe putting ballast in the bow isn't that big of deal.

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Interesting idea - seems like it would be fairly easy to remove those "coolers", though what you find when you remove them probably isn't pretty.

What is wrong with using the for storage as-is?

Still would be interesting to hear from someone who's done it - but for now, I'm just using them to store my extra orange life vests and empty ballast sacks

I'll bet those recently purchased lead bars will fit nicely in there... Whistling.gif Did ya pickem up from J-Ro's house yet ?

Haven't picked them up yet... but they will be headed into those "coolers" Looking forward to more weight in the nose

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Interesting idea - seems like it would be fairly easy to remove those "coolers", though what you find when you remove them probably isn't pretty.

What is wrong with using the for storage as-is?

Still would be interesting to hear from someone who's done it - but for now, I'm just using them to store my extra orange life vests and empty ballast sacks

I'll bet those recently purchased lead bars will fit nicely in there... Whistling.gif Did ya pickem up from J-Ro's house yet ?

Haven't picked them up yet... but they will be headed into those "coolers" Looking forward to more weight in the nose

I wrapped them in indoor-outdoor carpet.

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Brad, for some reason I thought you had integrated ballast in the bow. Is the ski locker ballast the only ballast you have up front?

We tried moving our fly high sac from the walkway (under the bow cushion) to the ski locker, but we noticed a difference in the way the boat handled and the shape of the wake. It might be our imagination, but it seems better when it's in the walkway. That's why I was hoping that I could remove the cooler and put a ballast in there, and put our existing sac in the ski locker. However, everyone likes your wake just fine, so maybe putting ballast in the bow isn't that big of deal.

No - only bow ballast is sacs - MLS for the front is only ski locker - we always put at least a 200 under the bow fill cushion.

If you wanna tear yours out I'm curious too - I'd love to integrate it and I already have switched plumbling available to run to it

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I was thinking I could use my Dremel tool with a cutting bit to cut the coolers out. I'll have to take a closer look, and maybe a make few exploratory (small) holes, to try to figure out where it's glassed and where it's not before I make any big cuts.

Edited by sunscapeJeff
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That is what I was thinking too... it would most likely need some work in there, once you remove those "coolers", since you'll probably now be looking at the backside (unfinished) hull fiberglass

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I shot (4) cans of expandable foam underneath mine and it keeps ice all day in 100 degree Texas sun.

I was a little afraid I had filled my floor ski locker full of foam, when I first did it, but no problems. Not sure where it all went, though :):blush:

Did you attach a hose to the can to get to the middle & back of the locker ? I have thought about insulating mine with that foam, but assumed it would only get the front edges, etc. I like those as ice chests, but they are truly ice eaters.

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I shot (4) cans of expandable foam underneath mine and it keeps ice all day in 100 degree Texas sun.

I was a little afraid I had filled my floor ski locker full of foam, when I first did it, but no problems. Not sure where it all went, though :):blush:

Did you attach a hose to the can to get to the middle & back of the locker ? I have thought about insulating mine with that foam, but assumed it would only get the front edges, etc. I like those as ice chests, but they are truly ice eaters.

This works much nicer Biggrin.gif

Mad.gif crap- can't upload..

Picture this: Large ice chest, full of ice & drinks, in the shade inside the storage compartment behind the observer seat ;)

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Hey sunscapeJeff I cut the ice chests out of my LSV. They were worthless anyway. No insulation and if you had the bow filler cushion in you had to get everyone out of the bow to get to the drinks.

I drilled some holes in the middle of the coolers with a 1" bit and used a jig saw to get the hole bigger. You have about 1 1/2" to 2" of clearance depending on where your at on the coolers. I used a Drimmel as I got closer to the sides of the ice chests.

After I cut them out I bought some indoor/outdoor carpet the same color as my interior and glued it to the hull. I took my time and it looked factory installed when I finished.(I'm bragging on my job but my friend said it looked good) Biggrin.gif

I installed a fat sack under each seat that I can fill and empty automatically. There are holes under the ice chests that let the water run into the hull, I ran my hoses through them to the pump that I screwed into the hull by the pump in the floor locker.

It's pretty time consuming to cut the ice chests out and put the carpet in, but it was well worth it to me.

I have V drive sacks in the back, side sacks under the seats on the passenger and drivers side, sacks under each seat in the bow,one under the floor in the bow and one we lay in nose. All can be filled or emptied from the driers seat.

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OLDGUY, I'm glad you found my post! So are the ice chests only glassed in at the top, under the seats?

Yes they are only glassed in at the top. I don't regret removing them.

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  • 10 months later...
I have V drive sacks in the back, side sacks under the seats on the passenger and drivers side, sacks under each seat in the bow,one under the floor in the bow and one we lay in nose. All can be filled or emptied from the driers seat.

Wow!! I would love to have a set up like that in my LSV.... Nice... Thumbup.gif

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LSVLance ... I haven't had the courage yet to do mine. Besides, I've just been putting a 350 lb tube sac up there and it works well. If you get the courage to do yours, make sure you take pics and post a knowledge article!

I'll let you be the guinea pig! Biggrin.gif

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