Crawler Cooler

[BlackSilver]

Has anyone here used any of the Peltier-device coolers, such as the Igloo SpaceMate, etc., to keep crawlers cool in the boat? I see Sharper Image is now also offering a smaller one. Are these things practical for use in a boat, or do they draw too much current?

Hans

[BlackSilver]

Moving it up into view again......

Hans

[Kurt_wi]

Hans, not familiar with them, but do they run off 12v cigarette lighter type setup?

If there is a web site i'll take a look see too, i've been in the market for something, poor crawlers this year are cookin' fast

Kurt

[jcd]

Recommend Hagen's "Keep Cool Bait Cooler' for crawlers and leeches. I like it! Check it out on WC product list or in Cabelas catalog.

[Chad]

I would guess they would be a huge draw on your batteries.

[BlackSilver]

Some days you get lucky! My lovely bride heard me *****ing about cooked crawlers, and when she was at Target today, saw "just the ticket" on clearance for $29.00.

It's a small travel cooler, made by "Vector Manufacturing" (I can't find a web site) big enough to hold a six pack. Turns out that's also just the right size to hold one of those "Double Top" styrofoam crawler boxes.

The unit runs off 12V, and draws 3 amps, about the same as a livewell pump, so not a terrible battery drain. Claims to keep items cool 45 degrees below ambient air, so if it's 90 degrees in your boat, it will be 45 degrees in the cooler. I plugged it in to my truck, and it cooled itself down within about 45 minutes..... that's not particularly fast, but the worm box will go in cold anyhow. (I'm not trying to cool something down, but just keep an already cooled item cool.)

Only drawback I can see is that it cautions NOT to immerse in water, so I guess you'd need to keep it in a protected place when transitting rough water, so it didnt get soaked down by a big wave.

Anyway, for $29.00 it's worth trying out. Don't know if this is a regular item on sale, or a discontinued item on closeout, so you might not want to wait for me to report my satisfaction.

Hans

[Winner Z880]

A double top foam worm box inside an igloo playmate or similiar with a fake ice block on top of the crawler box works well.(90 deg+ F) By the way, I use one of the smallest playmate type boxes for leeches and a second one to keep some crawlers in ice water. Whoever suggested keeping crawlers in some ice water with ice, THANKS MUCH. I Wash about 10 or 12 crawlers with water and put them in the ice water. They get very plump and lively by the time I get to the lake and I get no black gooey fingers when I bait up. What I don't use is wasted though. I like the idea of an electric cooler for longer trips with crawlers.