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My Caracal cooler after a hot day in the upper 90s
Our PII on a 108 degree heat index still had ice in the cooler. Its comforting to know youll have cool drinks all day.
The ONLY disappointment I have with my 2013 Eyra is the cooler. Will not keep ice half a day during the summer months. I use the cooler under the front deck step up and it is not very good. I think I am going to cut some Styrofoam and add some insulation to it. Cooler on my 1998 Jaguar was great and co-anglers were always impressed with how well it kept ice.RobertBassCatSC
Coolers do vary in their function based on the space for foam insulation, size and the models with stainless latches and those newer draw latch models. The stainless latches are small heaters that transfer that heat directly into the ice chests. The coolers are not as poor in performance as the latch being a stainless steel heater being an issue inside that cooler. This is why the draw latch was moved to wherever the part could be used. In some boats it issue throughout the cockpit area for symetry in styling. Rod boxes are fine with the round latches, though it keeps the look flowing to use the draw latch throughout that area cosmetically.
Gary, what would move you to take a picture of ice in your boat cooler? . But to your point, my Caracal cooler keeps ice for a long time too. Although I always use frozen bottles of water.
Robert, I have a 2015 Eyra and like you, that has been my only disappointment in the boat so far. This is my first summer with it, and I have tried both coolers, trying to decide which one will hold ice a little longer. The cooler between the seats should do better in theory, due to its location, and the step box being on top of it, which should help keep radiant heat off of the top of the cooler. I like the larger step up on the front deck, that the Eyra and Puma have, but the geometry of the cooler on the Cougar and Caracal are probably better suited for retaining ice, given both designs having the same amount of insulation around them. I will be looking into some type of foam to add to the lid as well.
My Eyra is pretty good with holding ice, better than my old skeeter by far! Although most of my ice is melted after 10 hours of fishing on a hot day on the step up cooler. The cooler between the seats seems to hold ice longer. Filling up both ensures I have plenty of cold drinks for the day. Ive noticed it helps to use the cooler plug as well, keep all that cold water in the cooler.
pre-cool the drinks and the cooler with 10 lbs the night before you go. Wet an old towel and place it on the cooler lid during the day while you fish. This is what I do and it helps tremendously.
Cool your drinks in the fridge before and put a frozen jug or block in the ice chest the night before and youll be good to go on the eyra cooler. The heat comes from the cup holder and the southco latch. My only complaint about the cooler is the dang divider in the middle that cuts down on the size of the cooler tremendously! I hope BCB takes that out before I buy my next one! My cooler under the seat seems to work about the same. I make that my partners cooler in the summer cause the step up cooler isnt quite big enough for a full days drinks for two big dudes in the summer heat. They seem to enjoy having their own cooler so they dont have to get down from the deck to get a drink.Chris CoupelPaulina, La.Chris CoupelPaulina, La.
After reading the post awhile about the “little heaters” as called. I decided to run my own little experiment. I cut a piece of Styrofoam and placed over the ice.did it help? To some degree yes. So I can see where the new draw latches help. Though my p2 holds ice fairly well. Though if one puts ice into a hot cooler naturally it will melt quickly. If I want my drinks to stay cold longer I do as most others do and “Season” the livewell the night before. I work with guys that actually go to great extremes to keep there beverages cool. Even with their high dollar Yeti coolers.2013 PANTERA 2MERCURY 200 PRO XSMINNKOTA 80LB FORTREX25 fury
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