Insulation

dogdoc

dogdoc

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Attached is image of the cover to my live well. The live well is most often used as a fish box and is insulated fairly well on sides and bottom. The cover is about 1 in deep and as you can see uninsulated. Hoping for ideas how to insulate this area and hopefully keep ice better in the summer.

livewell.jpg
 
Maybe something as simple as foamboard insulation from Home Depot? You can get it in 1/2" sheets - but it's a piece of cake to thin down/shape and/or glue more pieces together to make it thicker in some areas. I've never had a need to but I'm sure you could paint it if you wanted to.
 
I would first focus on the seal or lack of. Find the right rubber seal and glue it in the track. Even the best rotomolded coolers totally suck without a proper seal. Then investigate the insulation properties of materials. Then check the backside. GW sprays their wells but maybe you could add additional or at least verify it is there. If the sides are not insulated, and you don't want to do that, then forget about the lid. If the sides and bottoms are insulated, maybe get foamboard insulation as Dennis indicates, but if you do - measure carefully to give you a good side seal. Take the lid off, glass the foamboard and paint or spray (but I've seen some nice work with just painting it) with gelcoat. Then bond it to the inside of the lid. Or just get a decent cooler with a pad that can double as a seat.
 
Take several pieces of large bubble wrap and cut to size to fit in box. Maybe 3 layers.
 
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the box is fine sides and bottom, except that small bit I had to take out to change out the battery charger. only a boat designer would put in the battery charger and then put spray foam blocking it in. I think i will use foam board and paint with latex as they say can be done.
 
My mind has wondered/wandered in the same direction regarding my livewell and fishbox but it hasn't gone past the "hmmm?" stage.

There is a chance that the lid is cored with high density foam and not plywood. So it might be as good as the other sides. The hardware is thru bolted so you could check.

Whatever you add needs to be permanent, sturdy and scrubbable or it needs to snap in place and come out for thorough cleaning

I don't think latex paint is the right choice. I haven't tested Rustoleum Oil based spray or brush on pink foam. You can cover pink foam with epoxy (or glass & epoxy). Then you could use oil based paint for sure.
 
The most important thing in using your livewell as a cooler, is to remember to close the sea cock before you put the boat in gear.
For insulating, I would remove it, clean with something like acetone, turn it upside down on a level surface, use 2" masking tape to build a wall on the inside of the lip, and use spray foam to fill it up. Use a long knife, a machete, or a piece of piano wire, to level it if desired.
 
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I dont catch a much as Mr Skunk but the insulation just sits on top of the ice and cleans up easy. I actually don't cut it to fit, I just fold it over a couple few times for thickness and the extra width helps seal. I usually get a full season out of a piece before I chuck it and a roll goes a long way.
 
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