www.iFourWinns.com

As anyone that's read my other posts, I can't imagine WHERE the hell I'd store something like that monstrously large blender. It's really cool looking but I don't make blender drinks THAT often to put up with the hassles of trying to find places to store all of it's pieces (and not break them in the process).

They do make a smaller version, or one that looks to have a smaller ice container on top. But there's still that large, tall base to deal with. It's bad enough now, stowing a regular blender base and the pitcher. I keep the base up in a locker above the port sofa, and the pitcher in that tall narrow locker next to the main electrical panel.

As a side note, just about all blender brands have an optional plastic pitcher. While they don't keep contents as cold as glass, I'm willing to trade that out for the sake of avoiding glass breakage onboard. Not just from dropping it, but from having it wedged inside a locker and getting broken.

I heartily recommend one of the lime/salt rimmer gizmos instead of futzing around with a plate. While it's "one more thing to clean" the rimmer does make it simpler process. I've had one of these for years:

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Not for me, I'm still toying with different ideas for installing a keg and having beer on tap.

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2007 Horizon 200
4.3L GXi/ SX 225 HP

Hmmmm! I like this idea. Imagine a half keg in my cockpit refrigerator, a CO2 bottle in the trash receptacle area and the beer being dispensed from the now unused sink faucet.....

If only I had shore power so the beer wouldn't go skunky.....

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Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive

In a 200. Sure... Trouble with most keg systems is the beer going stale. Normal consumption doesn't usually go through it fast enough to make it economically viable. Finding a place to stow even a quarter keg, along with means to cool it, isn't going to work on most smaller boats. And dealing with the weight of a keg is asking for fiberglass trouble. Both from muscling it onto the boat and from having it get shifted around due to pounding wave action. I have visions of a keg busting loose and holing the hull...

The Krups Beertender 5L mini keg systems look interesting. Trouble is, in the US you can only get Heineken in them and that's not a beer I prefer to drink. They've got a slightly larger selection in other countries but that won't help here. With only one selection available, you have to wonder how long before they give up on the idea. No fun shelling out $300 for a tap that's going to end up obsolete. Same deal for other 5L kegs, finding them locally is a hassle (if at all) and various states don't allow interstate shipping.

Yeah, it'd be nice to only have to bring a single keg-like container and then use some washable glasses or cups. It'd certainly make it easier to offload the trash at the end of the day. But not enough to justify the effort/expense. Especially when there's such a limited number of beer selections, and virtually none available where I'd typically buy it on the way to the boat.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

That keg itself is actually LARGER than your whole cockpit fridge. You need at least a 2'x2' by 3' high space. it's the 3' high that's the biggest problem as most counters are not that high. If you put it elsewhere you then run into the hassle of cleaning the lines, to say nothing of keeping them cool. In a sedan bridge type of boat, or with the whole system in the cabin it's less of a hassle but you're still faced with the beer going stale.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

I was just dreaming anyways.... I only drink beer when it's really hot out and the beer is very cold. Eventhough this is a perfect "boat environment description" I generally don't drink when I have the boat on the water. My licence is too valuable (Boating and drinking = DUI in Ontario). In theory boats here need a three items to make them legal for alcohol consumption 1-A head, 2-Sleeping Facilities and 3- Permanent Cooking Facilities. My boat qualifies for two of three only (1 & 3) so I generally don't take the risk...Oh yeah you have to be moored or anchored too !

I much prefer my Diet Coke with Gibson's Canadian Rye Whiskey on ice with a dash of lime juice anyways once i'm back on the hard!

_________________
Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive

Yeah, I heard that from a friend with a boat on the NY side of the river in Lewisville. For such a short season they take all the fun out of it. Now, I'm not espousing operating while impaired. But there's a reasonable range between having a cold one and being impaired. But I realize it helps to be 6'4" and over 200# (and then some after this lazy winter...) I recall taking a breathalyzer after a wine festival, at a booth the State Police were running. I felt impaired enough to let someone else do the driving, yet I was still under the legal limit. Tried it after another event, feeling impaired, and still came in just barely under the .08 limit. So the total of 3 or 4 I might have over the course of the whole day out doesn't worry me much.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista