Ice machine

[eyeshaveit49]

Anybody have any ideas on who makes a good shaved ice machine that would go on a boat. I am sick of buying ice and want to install one on my boat. Any info would be appreciated.

[d_rehmann]

What kind of boat do you have?

I think you have to have a pretty decent amount of space for one. I agree, they are very nice. I went on a 64' weaver with a shaved ice maker and it pumps out snow pretty much

[micchip]

http://www.dometic.com/enus/Americas...shing-Systems/

[Jer]

http://www.overundercharters.com/cat...00d-p-255.html

[Nomad]

Anybody have any ideas on who makes a good shaved ice machine that would go on a boat. I am sick of buying ice and want to install one on my boat. Any info would be appreciated.

When I researched this a couple years ago, it came down to a choice between two recreational marine ice makers available: Eskimo (which has the lion's share of the market), and IceSea (which seemed to have a superior product). All of the other brands that I knew of were a distant third. I ended up choosing the IceSea, primarily because it makes saltwater ice, which is better for fish (colder, and no osmotic burn). I am very happy with the unit -- It is rated for 600 pounds of ice per day in saltwater mode (800 pounds in freshwater mode - vs. Eskimo's 600 pounds of freshwater only ice per day). It takes more power than I can generate from my alternators, so if I am running the ice maker (or AC, or watermakers, or oven, etc.), the genset is on. And if the genset is on, I don't mind running the watermakers (unless we are in really crappy water), so freshwater supply (if I was making freshwater ice) isn't a consideration. Some guys prefer to make saltwater ice just because it doesn't use up their freshwater.

[CB&T]

Save your money and time. Buy ice for the rest of your life. You will spend more money on the unit and maintenance because they are always breaking or getting jammed up with something. I was going to put one on my carolina Boat but opted not to do it. I have friends with them and they do nothing but complain about them. Just a thought.. Plus in the end you will never make your money back..

[Captain Jay Kavanagh]

Save your money and time. Buy ice for the rest of your life. You will spend more money on the unit and maintenance because they are always breaking or getting jammed up with something. I was going to put one on my carolina Boat but opted not to do it. I have friends with them and they do nothing but complain about them. Just a thought.. Plus in the end you will never make your money back..

I have researched Ice makers both on board ones and land based and I agree 100%

Still buying ice from the fishhouse.

[Nomad]

I have researched Ice makers both on board ones and land based and I agree 100%

Still buying ice from the fishhouse.

Agreed -- don't buy an ice maker to save money. And it's cheaper to buy fish than to catch them. But if you want your tuna in sushi condition, it's going to require a lot of ice. At least for a multi-day trip, it's really tough to carry enough.

[54bullwinkle]

Will never make $ sense, but it is convenient. Would have to buy several thousand bags of ice before you break even. Have an Eskimo on my boat and I like the convenience. Make Ice the day before and I am loaded up next morning.

[aprilfool]

we have had a eskimo on our boats for the past 10 years and they are the best thing in the world you will wonder how you ever did without one. Do they break? everything does but in our experience we have done almost nothing to them and run them almost all the time both up north and in the bahamas!