Adding a refrigerator to Chaparral cuddy

[Raypex]

I'm in the market for a newer/bigger cuddy. Lots of research has led me to the Chaparral 265 SSI in the 2002 range. I've found some contenders in my price range under $30K. I have seen them with a fridge in the cuddy and without. One in particular that I am looking at has a microwave and a storage drawer underneath. My wife says that if we could swap out the micro / drawer for a fridge it would help convince her to buy. A quick look at boat refrigerators suggests that I should be able to do this for under $1000. Other 265's i've found with refrigerators are thousands more and much farther away. The boat already has shore power and I am a carpenter with experience at cabinet making and laminate work. I think the physical install should be within my skills. What I am not sure of is the 12v draw. Since the boat was not originally equipped with a fridge, am I creating a problem? Is a dual battery system going to support a fridge? Is there anything else I am overlooking? Has this been done? Can this be done?
Thank you all for such a great site.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Batteries only support the fridge for a short time....
Originally equipped makes no difference.... On a HOT day the fridge will completely drain a group 31 (big) deep cycle battery in just over 24 hrs BUT if you want your batts to last you never let them get below 50%

Soo that means that if you plan a day and a half on the hook you are looking at 3 big batts (plus a starting battery)... Add TV, lights, radio, etc and the requirements go up..... Obviously a 60* day is easier to handle than 100*.

I have 3 deep cycles and a starting batt in my boat and also have a genny.

The house batts (deep cycles for the cabin) will get next to no charging from the engines unless you are going long distance (hundreds of dollars in fuel)

A built in marine generator is a game changer and adds the possibility of air conditioning.

For me a genny is almost a must have for overnighting but they are pricey.

Avoid the temptation to use an air cooled genny on a boat. It can be done but IMHO without water cooled exhaust the risk of co in the cabin is too high.

 

[Raypex]

Thanks for the reply. This is mostly a day boat and the only time we spend multiple days on a boat are in a marina, plugged in with a few hours out playing, cruising, and anchoring to swim or lunch.. The fridge would be a convenience to minimize coolers and bags of ice. I don't think a generator would even be possible in such a small cuddy, nor would I want the added expense. The fridge would never be required to run for more than a few hours while anchored to play or hang out. Would the batteries become depleated from such demand? A big day out might be 90 minutes cruise from Charlevoix to Boyne City, tie to dock for a few hours of shopping or lunch, then a return trip. Maybe add in an hour at anchor somewhere with the radio on along the way. Does Chaparral's factory set up with a fridge include a third battery or a bigger alternator?
Thanks

 

[smokeonthewater]

You don't need a bigger alternator.... No clue what chapperal would do and it doesn't really matter.... For a couple hours 1 good deep cycle house batt in addition to your start batt would suffice but personally I would run at least 2 for a bit of extra reserve.

 

[ssobol]

Do you really need a fridge? I have a fridge on my boat and other than to see if it actually worked I have never used it. We go out for 2 or 3 days at a time and find a cooler is more than sufficient, plus you can load it beforehand and transfer the whole thing to the boat in one go. The space a fridge takes up, the power requirements, and the amount of actual cooled volume you get almost doesn't make it worthwhile unless you are travelling for a long time and really need to keep some things cold.

If my boat hadn't come with a fridge I really doubt that I would have thought about installing one. The additional storage space would be nice.

 

[JoLin]

Think about when/how you're gong to use it. If you're talking about a day on the hook, a cooler works well. Weekends on the hook? You'll still want a good cooler for most of your needs. What you can do is pre-cool the fridage and any food you're going to bring. Pack the freezer portion of the fridge with those ice packs like Kool-It. That'll help a lot and you'll be able to turn the fridge down or off.

A fridge is great for stays where you have dockside power available and we use ours extensively. If you onlt plan to use it on those occasions, you can go with a dorm-size 110V refrigerator. You can also use it with an inverter if you plan onl occasional use away from the dock. The inverter setup is less efficient than a true 12/110 volt model, but it's a heckuva lot cheaper.

My .02

 

[smokeonthewater]

I never use a cooler on my boat.... I see the fridge as priceless... burgers, cheese, sandwiches condiments all end up worthless when soaked with ice water and I find it's just about guaranteed to happen sloshing around in a cooler... then there's having to get ice every day... what a pain..... leave something in the fridge for next weekend? no prob... leave something in the cooler? yuck

 

[Raypex]

Thanks for the input guys. I am struggling with the whole fridge thing. I know fridges in smaller boats like I am interested in use up valuable space and do not accomodate much food / beverage space. One big advantage to a fridge is the ability to keep stuff dry. Over the years, we have grown tired of saturated items inside coolers. It never fails that the zip-locs and tupperware let in water from the melted ice. I agree that having a fridge does not mean I won't need a cooler but it would be nice to have dry cold space as well as the tub of ice water that my cooler becomes after a few days.
Any thoughts on the 12v coolers that are for car trips? I worry they would be more of a drain and less efficient than a marine fridge.

 

[smokeonthewater]

you are spot on about them... plus they only drop the temp x degrees below ambient so in 90* heat your food might be 60*... no bueno

no need to struggle... get the boat without a fridge.... If you decide to add one it's EASY... if you decide to add a dorm fridge it's EASY and you have another option... you can add an icebox... ice that melts drains out so food stays dry but you have to keep feeding it ice and it holds less food but it too is EASY


Instead of sitting at the computer STRUGGLING, sit in the marina with a frosty beverage PONDERING till you decide.

 

[doyall]

...Over the years, we have grown tired of saturated items inside coolers. It never fails that the zip-locs and tupperware let in water from the melted ice. ...

My wife solved the soggy food problem by using her Food Saver (vacuum bag storage gizmo) on everything we do not want wet. Even though it is designed for home use it works like a charm on the boat stuff. No orientation, leakage or any other problems. Have even used it to pack and shrink clothes that we wanted to keep dry and for electronics. If you don't go the fridge route you can always try that.

 

[bobdec]

If your most'ly a day boater and spend a lot ot time relaxing in the slip. And you have electricity available at your slip, you may want to think about just a 120 V AC refrigerator with a small freezer section. Then as smoke mentioned, pack the freezer with ice packs. The packs freeze when docked, and then turn the refrig into an old fashioned 'ice box' (AKA a cooler) when under way. We kept all the adult and kids beverages stocked in the frig. Always had a cool drink whenever we went down to the marina. If needed we carried a small cooler w/ice for mixed drinks and fresh food from home whenever we planned on a day on the water. In fact I used a low cost non marine refrig from a discount store that fit into the space. For the low cost I figured I'd replace it each year if necessary and it lasted the five years I had that boat. With your carpentryskills you should easily figure a way to mount it securly, either with brackets or bands or straps. Any self contained (built in compressor) refrig will also require some air flow, so make sure there are some vents around it if you box it in. Also something to hold a the door shut in rough water. Plus if you go 120 AC make sure you follow approved marine wiring guidelines, its easier if your boat already has shore power circuit protection installed.

 

[MTboatguy]

I spent the money and went with a Yeti cooler for our camping and boating needs, I have a fridge in the RV, but when we are on the boat, the Yeti is great, it will keep ice for up to 5 days, if you plan your intrusions into the cooler. The Yeti is not a cheap cooler, but if you are staying out for a few days, it is worth its weight in gold and the extra benefit, where I live, having bear proof stuff is a requirement, not an option and the cooler is bear proof, tested with grizzlies.

 

[Raypex]

Thank you all for the input. First things first, I have to get the boat! My wife and some close boating friends consider the fridge a must. I am indifferent but outnumbered. I will have to do some final thinking after I get the boat and check fit and options. All of the advice here is greatly appreciated!

 

[JoLin]

Thank you all for the input. First things first, I have to get the boat!

Good plan!