Extended Cruising - 26X or M?

[beene]

Thanks FC

I was looking for a good cooler.

I'm going to go pick that up.



G

[Frank C]

Geoff,
Sad to say, it's a seasonal item and I noticed last evening that my local Costco has sold out.

Suggestion: check for them at your local Costco. If not in stock, ask Cust Service desk to check inventory for the "Igloo MaxCold cube cooler - 70 qt size". Their computer shows inventory quantities at all stores in your region. (Costco also carried a monster Igloo MaxCold this season, ~150 qt. I guess a 26M'er might fit that one opposite the head if you wanted "real" capacity.)

P.S. Igloo's wheely Cube is a great solution for the aft-galley seat on a 26X. I guess the M-boat owners might lash it down opposite the head???

[Bill at BOATS 4 SAIL]

I wish someone would make a cooler that would nest right inside of another one of their coolers, for extended cruising.
Like, if the 70 would nest right inside the 150.

[Frank C]

. . . Like, if the 70 would nest right inside the 150.

I'm pretty sure it would nest inside.

That is, the rectangular MaxCold 70 qt. (not the Cube-70) that stows under my dinette seat WILL nest right inside the monster 150 qt MaxCold. Note: the 70 qt. shown here is sitting on a wooden shelf and has lots of space to "slide" within it's current locker, prob. 12" end-to-end, and 7" fore and aft.

Also, the 150, a massive rectangular chest, has a smaller quick access door centered within the bigger cover-door. I suppose that would mean less ice & food in the monster chest since it would be two-thirds occupied by the internal chest ... but better long-term cooling in the small chest.

I never measured it, but I had the impression that a "motivated owner" might just squeeze the MaxCold 150 under the aft dinette seat. It would require major cutting, and then using the cooler's lid as your dinette seat. It would also be a semi-permanent installation so you'd need to rig a bilge pump for draining it. Pending 'successful' measurements, it could amount to a permanent icebox for the 26X.
CAVEAT: it would definitely require removing 90% of the seat's flange shown below,
and would mean your 'seat' would be higher by 3 to 4 inches.

Igloo MaxCold Cooler 5-day 70 qt. (link to Mod)

[beene]

Thanks Frank

I checked local Costco, nil zip nodda, then looked into Bass Pro Outdoorworld, they have what I am looking for, just not as inexpensive as the price you quoted. Oh well, time to pay the man.

I wonder if it will fit where the cooler spot is on the M. I don't really like that spot anyways, too much weight in the wrong spot. I took off once with a full cooler in that spot, in the aft berth, and the boat was totally out of balance. I mean out of control kind of really really bad holly crap what the ###k is wrong kind of thing, if you get my drift.

I prefer to keep the big cooler on the floor, right beside the dinette. It is a bit in the way there, but at least the boat stays balanced and under control while on a plane.

G

[Frank C]

BassPro Cube (60 qt) is not a MaxCold model, but Boatersworld has it @ $69.
IIRC, it's about 19 inches, square. (Bummer, it was definitely $39 at Costco.)

Igloo MaxCold 70 (a 5-day cooler)

[beene]

What about this one.... HERE




Coleman® Ultimate™ Xtreme® Wheeled Cooler - 100 Qt.
Keeps ice up to 5 days in temperatures up to 90°! Designed with extra insulation in the lid and the case for maximum cold retention, the ultimate cooler is perfect for your weekend trips. The hinged lid features several deep beverage holders, and is designed to accommodate 24" elastic cords for additional dry storage. The channel drain makes for easy no-tilt draining. A convenient tow handle and large wheels allow you to easily transport this cooler everywhere. Color: Blue.

[Bill at BOATS 4 SAIL]

What about this one.... HERE

If it's blue, wouldn't the ice melt faster?

[temall00]

If it's blue, wouldn't the ice melt faster?

It probably would, but if you're in a blue Mac, you'll be there sooner...

[James V]

I wish someone would make a cooler that would nest right inside of another one of their coolers, for extended cruising

I just bought one of the smaller personal types and put it inside my large 5 day cooler. It did not keep the ice much longer although my test was in hotter conditions. What it did do was to seperate the ice so I could have Fresh Ice whenver I needed it.

[Frank C]

That Coleman Extreme looks fine, same principle as Igloo's MaxCold.

Either one is vastly better than the older style coolers. The 100 qt size is lots more reasonable than the 150 qt. I referred to. Even so, you won't like lifting that sucker onto the trailered boat, or hefting it down into the cabin. Even for my 70 qt. model, SOP is to provision the boat by using smaller 'transit' coolers.

[Divecoz]

Hi all! New to this forum and have never owned a sailboat before. I have been looking at a 26X or M and was wondering how appropriate this vessel would be for spending a week or two aboard with the family for vacations? Would it need to be heavily modified?

X and M Very similar and yet very different animals . Each has its strong point Strong point is determined by your personal taste and desire. Taste and desire will be effected by Needs and Wants. Honestly all of them may well change after you have the boat you choose in a month or a year or more.

The X is open and the M is sectioned off. Both have their pluses and you will have to figure what you want . The M is easier to access the rear berth but the X Has better capacity for hiding large coolers.

WE love our M its great for us a we have never overnight-ed with more than the 2 of us and 2 grandsons and my 30# pup. We like being able to sail very nicely on just the main sail and our rotating Mast. But there were trade offs to get those. I have made numerous changes and additions and plan this winter to cut out ever storage area on our boat and add drawers and tip out bins for easier access.

Both these boats have a LOT of storage , but how do you get to what you want? I will tell you how each and everyone of us gets to it. First it helps if you have some idea of where its at . Then you move the cushion ( to over there) and lift the cover and sort thru what all else is in that area, to find what you want. Hence the drawers and the tip out bins where drawers just are not a good idea.

Your ideas will change over time as well. I was going to build a 10 day ice cooler inside the aft dinette seat. Want to buy some neat stuff sitting in my garage? We have instead a small dorm fridge freezer that holds drinks and ice for 6 to 8 hours easy. By that time we are back in the slip for the night. At least in this game of chance , you can if you want , see all the cards BEFORE you put your money on the table.

[Jedaro]

We have taken a number of trips of more than one week-the longest 31 days in the 30000 islands of Georgian Bay. We have found Jedaro our 26X to be well outfitted for longer trips. Jedaro is set up in a manner similar to Duane Dunn's Allegro/ We have a cooltron AC/12 volt lashed to the galley seat and a slim cooler lashed at the bottom of the stairs. (We have showed this, mess and all,in the galley mod IKEA FRAMAT Storage system Oct 2004).

When we purchased Jedaro we went through these mod pages and Diane set up HER galley to suit her patterns of meal preparation and cleanup. I was under orders not to 'nickel and dime' the living quarters. As a result both of us are happy and fairly efficient in the day to day living on long trips.

We have a comfortable but not luxurious sailboat for longer trips. I'm sure that based on the hundreds of mods shown on these pages you and your partner can adapt your boat to suit your needs.

Mike and Diane Purdy
Jedaro

[Catigale]

My personal favourite is the 2003-2004 layout with that wide open salon..but Im real comfortable on a 7 day salt water cruise on my 2002

Its more a matter of learning to stow the stuff than the actual layout imho.

I have the big 70 Qt Igloo under the salon seat as above - getting that cooler out of the salon where it was always in the way was big.

[beene]

Wish I had a seat I could put something like that under.

As it is, I have to put it on the floor beside the dinette.



G