Greetings all!

An update on my icebox project, which stalled for a while as I was too busy sailing.

I made some more significant cuts this weekend, and am well on my way to understanding fully how the icebox is built (and thus how to remove it).

A picture is worth a thousand words, though, so if you ever wanted to know how your icebox was constructed, here's one in mid-dissection:

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

The right side of the picture is inboard, the left side is aft. As you can tell, the top of the box where the lid sits is insanely strong - 3 layers of balsa core sandwiched with glass. The inside of the box on the aft side is glass only, but inboard there is a layer of balsa core between the box and the insulating foam, which seems like a strange place for it to be.

My plan is to continue demolition and thoroughly remove the inner shell and all the old foam insulation. The interior will be lined with a layer of balsa and glass for reinforcement, then 2 or 3 inches (haven't decided) of Vacuum Insulated Panels (VIPs), with an R-value of 30+/inch. A final layer of glass will form the interior of the box.

For the lid, I am still planning how exactly but the gist is that I will form a lip around the top of the box using thick FRP. This will then be glassed flush with the top of the box. My goal is for it to be just as sturdy as the old top, if not more. VIPs will line the bottom, providing the insulation. Hopefully I can find a new hatch with an equivalent R value to install.