Anyone use center console cooler for dry storage?

[78Staff]

I am really missing some center console storage... lost a ditty bag today (totally my fault, but would not have happened if I had some storage in the center console like other brands) that got blown out of the boat.

Anyway, thinking of pluging up the cooler and just running it dry for quick access storage, things like sunscreen, phone, gloves, extra cables, snacks, culling stuff, etc - stuff one usually drops in the center storage.

For a cooler, I've got a RTIC 30qt soft cooler I can keep on the back deck and strap around the rear seat pole, like you see so many pros on YT do that are pimping coolers :).

Any negatives I should think about?

[84rickygreen]

I use mine for dry storage most of the time since I have another cooler in the floor

[99R93S]

I use mine for dry storage most of the time since I have another cooler in the floor

Same. Unless it’s going to be a really long day then I bring an actual cooler. Then one is dry storage and one is for garbage. I’ve also used a live well as a cooler.

[78Staff]

my 2016 doesn't have the floor cooler, so I would need to bring one, at least on tournament days.

Haven't thought of using the livewell as a cooler, that could work as well I suppose on non tournament days. Not very well insulated I don't think... But can try it next time out

[ColbyKiller]

my 2016 doesn't have the floor cooler...

This is sooooo aggravating! It's free space going to waste that used to be in nearly every boat they made. My shorter Skeeters from the 90's had more storage than any of these newer ones and more than my iClass. I had two mid 90's ZX200's that had floor coolers, underseat storage, and storage under where the passenger rods sit. Can't believe that space goes unused by so many companies nowadays. I mean it's free space!

[JJohnSind]

This is sooooo aggravating! It's free space going to waste that used to be in nearly every boat they made. My shorter Skeeters from the 90's had more storage than any of these newer ones and more than my iClass. I had two mid 90's ZX200's that had floor coolers, underseat storage, and storage under where the passenger rods sit. Can't believe that space goes unused by so many companies nowadays. I mean it's free space!

It was an option. $35 or $65, I think. Best money ever spent, and an easy upcharge for Skeeter. The guy ordering the boat and not getting it is a head scratcher for me (some dealers didn’t order it either).

[78Staff]

I purchased my ZX used, so had no say in the matter :). But yeah seems like great option...

Seems like most tv pros/show/YT's show guys using small to med size external coolers, I suspect mainly due to sponsorship requirements. Hard to promote Yeti coolers if you don't actually have one in the boat Anyway I used a smallish bag cooler this weekend, it was so cold I really didn't need much ice lol. And haveing the storage room in the center console was fantastic :). I don't know if it's 100% waterproof, but does have a rubber seal around the lid, and does close with a bit of snugness - so I suspect it should hold out water generally. Might take a hose to it to be sure though. Not to concerned about minor spray, but do want to check for rainy days...

Also have one of those grocery insulated shopping bags that can easily be stuff down in the livewell opening, but reality is that it's not really that insulated. It's more designed for the half our to an hour trip home with groceries, not keeping ice. Tournment days that ain't going to work anyway, so will probalby go with the RTIC on the back deck and strap it to the rear seat post in some way.

[78Staff]

Well, just following up... I tried this for a few trips, but think I am going back to using it as a cooler. As much as I thought I missed the center console storage, I found I only really went into it at the start of the day. So have moved things back to the glove box propper and making the center box a cooler again :).