Refrigeration space on a bareboat can be limited when you are buying supplies for an extra hungry and thirsty crew for a whole week.
Every boat’s webpage lists the fridge and freezer sizes in litres (under ‘features’). Our suggestion is to compare this to your fridge at home, or the average bar fridge which is 130L.
Things you need to know about boat fridges:
Marine fridges and freezers do not operate the same way your fridge does at home.
All boats use 12v refrigeration units and they are controlled by a thermostat that will switch the fridge or freezer compressor on or off as needed.
Refrigeration units are designed to shut down at low voltage therefore always monitor your batteries and keep them well charged.
Do not change your fridge or freezer’s thermostat. They have been set to their optimal setting by our crew.
Our tips for optimal cooling and fridge space:
Marine fridges work best when you keep all air spaces full.
Use bread, water or drinks to fill air spaces.
If you have more than one fridge, as you go through your supplies, move all items into one unit so you can switch off the spare unit.
Marine freezers are designed to keep produce frozen but most are not powerful enough to freeze food that goes in unfrozen, or to keep ice-cream.
For a frozen treat that won’t leak, we suggest buying ‘zooper doopers’.
To maximize efficiency of your freezer, place items that need to be kept frozen against the freezer plate.
See our blog on Fridge and Freezer Management Tips for more helpful advice
For detailed information about local grocery stores and supermarkets, and provisioning companies that service the Whitsundays, please see our page on ‘Food & Drinks Provisioning’.
Many boats have an esky or ice box on board. You can buy ice (block ice and party ice) at the marina kiosk.
Extra eskies are available to rent if you choose, but with clever shopping and smart rotation of drinks through the fridge/esky on board, you generally don’t need them.
You are welcome to check with the reservations team at Whitsunday Escape to discover if hiring an esky is something you should consider for the size of your group and duration of your charter.
Escape with confidence
