Storage Box

Biggles · 18 January 2005, 00:55

Okay so I have an old Searider 4 Metre boat.

It bags of space behind the jockey seat which is not used.

I would like to fix a storage box in that location.

Can anyone recommend a box about the size of a large microwave that I can fix permanantly to the bottom of the boat. It doesn't have to be Marine specific but tough enough to stand the ocassional kicking and also be waterproof.

Also how thick exactly is the deck of a Searider. It would be nice to know the depth of it so that when I fix the box the screws don't go all the way through the floor.

Nauti Buoy · 18 January 2005, 08:41

This is available from Outhill, for £129.25inc vat

Model:-DL16
Base - 40cm
Depth - 40cm
Base - 32cm

John Kennett · 18 January 2005, 08:43

Another, much cheaper, option would be a cool box. The moulded polythene ones are almost indestructible and don't cost a lot. With a little ingenuity you could secure it so that it is also removable for carrying kit to and from the boat.

You could also keep beer cold in it

John

Biggles · 18 January 2005, 11:48

John I like your idea. That I will look in to.

slimtim · 18 January 2005, 11:54

Biggles,

Try Solent Plastics. I think their website is www.solentplastics.co.uk. They do loads of boxes and stuff so might have something to fit your requirments. I want something similar to you for keeping my expensive camera kit dry/protected, but I think I'll need shell out for an expensive purpose made case (£100+).

Cheers

Tim

MeMe · 18 January 2005, 12:03

........are good. Nauti's being the best and in my opinion the preferred. However, before you buy an expensive and clumbersome ice box or go online and order without seeing and touching something, take a trip down to your local B&Q Warehouse where you'll find a rather good selection of inexpensive boxes of various colours and sizes.

Rupert Bear · 18 January 2005, 12:37

I have been looking for a box to put a compressor in to transport it by RIB without success. Anybody know of one being sold or even how I would get a custom one made?
The box needs to be at least 762mm x 360mm with a height of 450mm internally and waterproof at least to the lid height to stop it filling with water if some comes inside the boat!

Bilge Rat · 18 January 2005, 12:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by MeMe

........are good. Nauti's being the best and in my opinion the preferred. However, before you buy an expensive and clumbersome ice box or go online and order without seeing and touching something, take a trip down to your local B&Q Warehouse where you'll find a rather good selection of inexpensive boxes of various colours and sizes.

MeMe is correct (though i hate to admit it) i did this very thing and fitted a plastic box into the front of my boat where i store the anchor, ropes, fenders and anything else floating about on the deck, some stainless hoops screwed to the deck and a strap keep the whole assembly in place whilst on the move.

limeydal · 18 January 2005, 15:58

Just installed a large storage box after a long search.
Checked out the cooler boxes as John suggested but in the end came up with a very strong,lockable , water resistant box from a company called Contico.
http://www.contico.com/automotive-foam-wb.htm
They do a selection of sizes so you may want to do a search and see if they are available in the U.K.(mine cost $45.00 )
Also Rubbermaid do a similar selection;
http://www.tecratools.com/pages/assorted/toolboxes.html

Otherwise do a search on "structural foam bins or toolboxes" and may provide some similar product hits available in the UK.
cheers Dal

John Kennett · 19 January 2005, 08:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rupert Bear

I have been looking for a box to put a compressor in to transport it by RIB without success. Anybody know of one being sold or even how I would get a custom one made?

I can't think of anything easily available that size, but it would be relatively easy (if costly!) to get a GRP moulding company to make one up for you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by slimtim

I want something similar to you for keeping my expensive camera kit dry/protected, but I think I'll need shell out for an expensive purpose made case (£100+)

Jon Fuller got some excellent deals on big Peli type cases on Ebay. He may know where there are some more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by limeydal

Just installed a large storage box after a long search.
Checked out the cooler boxes as John suggested but in the end came up with a very strong,lockable , water resistant box from a company called Contico.

That looks like the perfect answer, especially for the price!

This looks like the Contico UK equivalent: http://www.toolbank.com/product.cfm?...1599A44C8ae9c7

John

Zippy · 19 January 2005, 19:12

I have just bought a tool box from B&Q. plents of space to store stuff, lockable and removable. all for 16 quid.

As a bonus it fits nicely in front of the console. just have to form some cunning way of fixing it down.

Biggles · 19 January 2005, 20:18

Zippy

I think thats the major problem, fixing it down.

I have a Sea Rider and was wondering how far I can screw things in to the deck without ruining its integrity.

I have recently bought some Sika Flex. Is it just a case of drilling a few holes filling them with Sika Flex and then screwing in the screws or whatever to hold down the box.

Anybody done this succesfully !!

I've done quite a few modifications to the cockpit but this isn't an area that has much contact with saltwater.

Let me know how you get on.

Regards Nick R.

Zippy · 19 January 2005, 20:53

I was thinking about this whilst eating my din dins.

I want to be able to remove the box when the boat is ashore yet keep it from sliding about all over the place or bouncing about.

The box i have got is a pretty tight fit between the tubes at the bow infront of the console. There is a lip that rises above the deck about 4 inches. my plan at the moment is to get some of that honeycomb matting Nasher was talking about in a thread on here a few months ago and cover the floor in the section infront of the console.

Then drill two holes through the lip and run two loops of bungie cord over the box (one either side) and back fixed through the hole. I figured the weight in the box would hold it down reasonably well. The bungie could be tight enough to have a good grip and stop a lot of the movement but easy enough to slip over the sides and get access to the box.

have attached a truly rubbish to try and show what im talking about.

Clearly if you dont have a well placed lip in the deck this will be no use! Sorry.

Biggles · 19 January 2005, 21:01

Zippy

Trouble is mine has to go at the rear, so I can't wedge it in anywhere.

The front has a B & Q bucket with the anchor in.................

I shall be off to B & Q over the weekend to see what they have on sale, then I can think how I'm going to fix it down.

Regards Nick R.

Nasher · 19 January 2005, 21:07

Zippy

The matting worked out well. I brought 4 mats from Sainsburys Homebase (500mm x 400mm. 1.99 each) and superglued them together. Then cut them to shape.

The homebase stuff looks to be the best and cheapest. Proper industrial matting that's exactly the same is about 30 quid a sq meter.

I must be a sad git, having researched cheap rubber matting from all the DIY stores.

Nasher.

Zippy · 19 January 2005, 21:08

Humm. tricky.........

you dont really want deck fixings unless you can help it. just something else to trip over.

Industrial strength velcro?

Zippy · 19 January 2005, 21:10

I was in B&Q today but forgot the matting.

I should be able to slip out the office tomorrow afternoon and find the homebase in Eastleigh.

Is it easy enough to cut with a sharp knife?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nasher

Zippy

The matting worked out well. I brought 4 mats from Sainsburys Homebase (500mm x 400mm. 1.99 each) and superglued them together. Then cut them to shape.

The homebase stuff looks to be the best and cheapest. Proper industrial matting that's exactly the same is about 30 quid a sq meter.

I must be a sad git, having researched cheap rubber matting from all the DIY stores.

Nasher.

Nasher · 19 January 2005, 21:17

Zippy

I used a Stanley knife with a new blade and found it very easy, although care needs to be taken to get a good result.

I was lucky that the boat was originaly fitted with a carpet liner in the console and I used this as a template.

If you have any trouble finding it give me a shout and I'll pick some up for you. I'm going to get some more myself to line the inside of the under jockey seat areas.

I'll PM my mobile just in case.

Nasher

John Kennett · 19 January 2005, 22:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zippy

Then drill two holes through the lip and run two loops of bungie cord over the box (one either side) and back fixed through the hole. I figured the weight in the box would hold it down reasonably well.

Bungee cord is unlikely to be much use once you start bouncing around. Luggage straps with a strong plastic buckle would be a better bet.

John

daithi · 20 January 2005, 00:14

I have a 5.4 searider which I did some work to earlier last year. There is no problem drilling through the floor as long as you fill the hole with silkaflex before fixing the screw in place. I fitted a removeable storage box in the bow area by fixing two webbing straps to the flor area with two s/s screws and two s/s penny washers (per strap). The box sits over these fixed points and the straps come up over the box.

The box can easly be removed from the boat by undoing the straps. The straps have little spring loaded grips with metal teeth to hold the webing closed and in tension. I got the straps from a local chandler shop ( I think they are called magic marine straps) They dont come with the fixings but you can buy stainless steel screws and penny washers yourself.

The beauty of this is that you can fit any similar size box or unit....to the straps. If the box breaks at the end of the season you can replace it with another from B&Q. It is also easier to load and unlaod the boat with the box.