Ice Chest and Silverware drawer

[JVP]

Hello All,

Our boat came pretty bare and I am trying to see either the original
designs
or any adaptations that have been useful to other 323 owners.

I am looking for any pictures or descriptions of the following
ICEBOX:
How was/is it designed for storage. Did it come with shelves or a
racks?

CUBBY HOLE
The same goes for the small opening over the engine, under the stairs.
I have nothing there, just some old screws.
Is it a box, permanently fixed or that you can easily remove for
engine access?

Any pictures, ideas or descriptions would be appreciated.

Thanks

Jonathan Porcelli
Southpaw
Hull # 193
Brooklyn, NY

[paulmw]

Hi Jonathan,

I'll try and get photos from my boat in a few days.

The cubby hole is actually a silverware 'drawer'. It is a box,
permanently installed, with dividers for cutlery (flatware? I am a
brit so don't know the American for knives, forks etc!). Nice top
matching the counter. Quite useful, actually!

The icebox - have not worked out the best way to configure it, but it
has a lot of inbuilt flexibility. It has thick sheets (1/2"?) of
perspex forming a shelf all the way across, set just above where the
sides become vertival (in mine they angle inwards for about 50% of
their depth; the sheets have (1"?) holes in them for drainage/
airflow. Three go flat - about 8" across each. One is double
thickness for the top "2", slotting between two or the flat shelves to
act as a divider. They are removable.

Just above these perspex sheets, on the port side, if another shelf
with teak facing - looks like it is fiberglass/moulded in. I'll try
and get some photos of that also, but as I have beers/sodas/chips etc
in the icebox, it may not be too easy to make out...if you can wait,
later in the season I'll probably be clearing it out, at which time I
can provide better photos/measurements.

Paul
~~~

[JVP]

Paul,

Very helpful.

My silverware drawer has the lid/counter top. and I have found its
actually quite helpful in providing light from above
when working on the engine, or to easily look at the engine while
underway, so assumed thats what it was for.

Then I read of people saying it was actually a small bin or drawer.

So I plan making the new drawer easy to remove, if not with a clear
plexiglass bottom.

As for the icebox, I appear to be missing the bottom
rack. I have the portside shelf, but overall it seems to be
a poor use of space unless there are morse shelves/horizontal
surfaces.

Thanks again, and if you happen to have a pic or two would be
appreciated.

Jonathan

[Oasis]

I went to Home Depot and purchased a variety of small wire shelves.
Some of them are free standing and others are hanging.

I then bent or cut some of the legs to fit the various areas of the
ice box.
Some of them are stacked in a staggered manner to allow access.

Now the admiral doesn't fall in head first when she is reaching for
something. For the low cost and effort, they meet our needs.
If they rust out in a few years, we can cheaply replace.

Mike
s/v Oasis
P-323 #2