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Dry Ice

Chris Miller

Sustaining Member
Anybody use dry ice in the ice box or fridge on the boat? We're headed out for a 10 day cruise and I'm thinking it might be a good way to help out the reefer.
My only real concern is the dry ice being so cold that it breaks the ice box bottom. Will a towel or two help?

Any advice appreciated.

Thx.
 

sleather

Sustaining Member
Chilling thoughts

We've used it to ship frozen fish and game. If you wrap it in 3-4 layers of newspaper and masking tape it's usually safe to handle as it doesn't get "wet". The newspaper also slows the off-gassing (melt, so to speak). An added thermal barrier can't hurt when in contact w/a surface, although the best application is "on top of stuff", as cold sinks.

Another thought, if you have room is to use frozen 1/2 or 1 gallon milk/drink containers filled w/ tap water. Solid blocks last longer than bag ice, you have no melt problem AND extra drinking water. Be sure the containers are ~7/8 full and slightly concave before freezing.

Also freeze as many food items as possible.
 

Shadowfax

Member III
I've used it a few times. It does last if you keep it covered up. I found that I was worried that someone might accidentally come in contact with it and burn themselves. That and you couldn't use it in drinks and it was hard to handle made it kind of inconvenient to use. Then I installed refrigeration.

On a long trip without young visitors buried at the bottom of the box should be cool.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I've used it a few times. It does last if you keep it covered up. I found that I was worried that someone might accidentally come in contact with it and burn themselves. That and you couldn't use it in drinks and it was hard to handle made it kind of inconvenient to use. Then I installed refrigeration.
On a long trip without young visitors buried at the bottom of the box should be cool.

What Paul said!
Very similar to our experience, with the added note that it *will* adversely affect the flavor of milk, even inside a sealed carton. :(
It did make the ice last quite a bit longer for us, as well. What with the increasing scarcity of block ice in our cruising area, we also finally installed refrigeration.

Loren
 

Chris Miller

Sustaining Member
We have refridgeration, but the Skipper doesn't like to run the motor long enough to put any charge on the house bank- so I'm hoping that this will help with at least some of the "couple nights on the hook" thing.

Thanks for the insights, much appreciated.
 

treilley

Sustaining Partner
I would not risk the danger of CO2 asfixiation to save a few amps.
 
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Chris Miller

Sustaining Member
I would not risk the danger of CO2 asfixiation to save a few amps.

isn't CO2 heavier than air? which would make it sit at the bottom of the icebox (given that there isn't a circulating fan in it...)? I remember it being used in the cockpit of the 727's I used to jumpseat in...
But, obviously not worth any injury.
 

NateHanson

Sustaining Member
isn't CO2 heavier than air? which would make it sit at the bottom of the icebox (given that there isn't a circulating fan in it...)? I remember it being used in the cockpit of the 727's I used to jumpseat in...
But, obviously not worth any injury.

Yeah it's heavier than air, but that just means it could fill the boat and displace oxygen. A pound of CO2 equals 8.2 cu.ft., so the gas certainly won't be contained in the icebox as it sublimes. I would guess that when insulated and wrapped in the icebox it just doesn't sublime fast enough to affect the oxygen availability in the cabin, but I think it is a theoretical possibility. Probably worth keeping a mind towards ventilation when using it.

I'm really suprised to hear that you guys have a hard time getting block ice! Just about all the boatyards and yacht clubs I've ever been to have it at the dock, and up here it's even sold in every grocery store (probably because of all the camping that folks do up here in the Maine woods.)
 

Bud H.

Member II
Dry ice will really affect the flavor of vegetables and fruits. We cut into a cantaloupe that had been in an ice chest with dry ice and it was horrible. Kind of like eating carbonated water with some cantaloupe juice in it.
 
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