Refrigerator / Freezer Upgrade

The box for the refrigerator and freezer compartments is very large, and the back wall is inaccessible without climbing into the box itself. During commissioning, we added a Frigoboat keel-cooled system, and we have been extremely happy with it. This system circulates the refrigerant to a heat exchanger plate attached to the hull and in contact with seawater. There are no fans with this system, so it is very quiet, and the heat does not build up in the compartment where the compressor is mounted.

Our goal has been to keep the freezer side of the split box at about 0 degrees and the refrigerator side at about 40 degrees. The evaporator plate is mounted in the freezer compartment. The refrigerator side is cooled entirely by spillover from the freezer side. We concluded after operating for a couple of seasons that the box insulation was insufficient, requiring the compressor to run more often. Many other Island Packet owners have experienced the same in many different models. It is my understanding that the manufacturing process on newer models has been changed to minimize the incidence of voids in the insulation. We found a site, www.rparts.com, that sells components for refrigeration systems, including box construction materials. Since the box was oversized, we decided we could add insulation to the interior without a significant loss of space. We also did not want to remove or alter the countertop in any way. This meant working within the box, which would prove very challenging. We ordered 1-inch-thick vacuum panels, which were custom-made to our specifications. The box is an irregular shape, so all panels have some angles. They also had to be sized to fit through the access opening. The vacuum panels must be handled carefully and well-protected, as any puncture will greatly reduce their effectiveness. The panels have an R-value = 28. To protect the panels and provide a new interior surface, we ordered sheets of protruded fiberglass. We then cut pieces to form a new interior. Construction then involved gluing the vacuum panels in place using insulation foam, and then gluing the fiberglass sheet over the panels, and finally using an epoxy putty to seal all joints. The insulated divider between the freezer and refrigerator compartments was removed, cut down on each side to the new dimensions, and then refitted. While it was out, we added an electric spillover fan, which is controlled by its own thermostat.

One last upgrade was to add an electronic module to control the compressor. The objective is to run the compressor at the slowest possible speed. It is more efficient to run it slower for longer periods of time. Depending on the demands, this module adjusts the compressor speed to achieve this objective as much as possible. It also has a manual override that can be used to cool faster, such as when restocking.

After one season with the upgrade, we are very happy with the result. We probably did not need the spillover fan, and subsequently, we added a butterfly value to adjust (slow down) the air flow. Once cooled down, we usually close the butterfly valve almost completely.

Survival

Our first and most important step toward survival is preparation, planning, and giving full consideration to the weather and conditions. That aside, there are always the unknown factors or circumstances. For this, we have our survival equipment and plans. These we view much like insurance. We need it, but we hope we never have to use it. Also, like insurance, this equipment provides peace of mind to have it available.

EPIRB – this device is registered with the FCC. If we activate it, it will send a signal that reports our position from an internal GPS and identifies us as the sender. In all likelihood, either our son Daniel or our daughter Pamela will be contacted, as they registered as our contacts. Once they confirm we are, in fact, at sea, a search team will be deployed to our reported location. Given the swiftness of the potential recovery by activating the EPIRB, we consider this a very important piece of equipment.

Life Raft – We have a Winslow 4-person model 40SLO, which weighs about 41 pounds. We had it vacuum-packed so it can last for 3 years before inspection and repacking, rather than the normal annual inspection. Some supplies packed inside the raft are dated and are then replaced during inspection.

Ditch Bag – this bag is stowed just under the companionway so that it can be easily grabbed from the cockpit, but is actually stored inside the cabin. The bag includes essentials for survival and recovery. It includes the EPIRB, distress signals, the first-aid kit, additional food and water, and important papers, among other items. A handheld GPS and VHF radio are nearby and would be put in the bag if possible.

There are a couple of ways to stow a life raft. Some are stowed in a canister mounted on the deck or the stern rail. We seriously considered mounting a canister on the cabin roof, but in the end rejected the idea. The canister benefits from not consuming valuable storage space, but it must be securely attached to reduce the risk of being washed overboard, and it subjects the raft to more of the weather, such as the hot sun. We decided on the other available option: stowing it in a protected space, which in our case is a cockpit locker. This has the advantage of protecting the raft from the elements and also being readily available from the cockpit. The major disadvantage is giving up prime storage space. As a compromise, we constructed a shelf for the life raft, which is hinged to fold up out of the way when working in the locker and also is on a slide so the life raft can be moved directly under the locker lid, ready to be lifted and deployed.