Day 2,632 - New Zealand (36° 37S 174° 47E) 09:30hrs - August 14th 2014 A Cool Winter Project - Part One

Some cruisers are purists and seem, or say that they're happy with no engine, bilge-warm beer, and a bucket. I admire the simplicity of this rare breed of rustic adventurer, but don't envy or wish to emulate them. We're happy with the conveniences we have onboard the good ship Dream Time and for seven years of cruising have lived in relative luxury.

One luxury is our fridge/freezer unit. To enjoy a cold yogurt, a crispy chilled apple, or a frosty beer in a gloriously remote uninhabited tropical anchorage isn't essential, but it's a treat that's pure decadence when you're hundreds of miles from the nearest corner store.

Our fridge, or cool box, however, is thirty-three years old and worn out. Its insulation is useless, leaching cold through the bulkheads and lid, and the freezer portion, an evaporator box, is vulnerable to denting, chipping and is too small. So while we're in Gulf Harbour Marina, with all the facilities, services and support a cruiser could wish for, we've decided to redesign and rebuild the whole unit.

We're beefing-up the insulation: four inches around the fridge area and a whopping six inches for the freezer compartment. We'll have separate compartments, and lids, for both fridge and freezer, and custom removable/adjustable shelves and trays to accommodate whatever supplies are most essential, from stacking precooked passage meals in Tupperware to storing fresh produce for long excursions.

We've already removed the old lining and insulation (that was wet in the lower portions), cutaway paneling and prepared the inside hull and surrounding bulkheads. Templates have been made for the custom stainless steel lining of the fridge and freezer compartment /evaporator box, and we'll be making teak lids and a counter top extension that match the rest of Dream Time's interior.

We'll continue to upload photos throughout the project.

Hot Off The Press! Read our story in the September issue of Cruising World magazine >