INSTALLING A COOLER SLIDE

A sliding base offers easy access to a recessed ice chest and creates an extra seat when needed.

Portable coolers are traditionally stowed under a leaning post or seat module aboard many of today’s center-console boats. This keeps the ice chest tucked away to eliminate a stumbling point; unfortunately, this also restricts full access when you want to grab a cold drink. You often need to drag the heavy, ice-laden cooler over a nonskid deck just to open the lid. Pushing it back underneath for stowage can be even more arduous.

That’s why many new center consoles come with bases on slide assemblies to ease the task of pulling out the cooler and pushing it back for stowage. Springloaded locking pins on the assembly keep it from sliding to and fro in rough seas.

If your boat did not come equipped with a slider, don’t fret. You can retrofit your center console with an aftermarket sliding base from companies such as Birdsall Marine, Boat Outfitters and Engel Coolers.

Nearly all sliders are manufactured from King Starboard high-density polyethylene marine lumber for corrosion and UV resistance, and high durability. Some of these sliding bases are universal in nature in order to fit the dimensions of the cooler size you have in mind and the available space under the leaning post or seat. Here are the steps for installing one of Boat Outfitters’ popular universal cooler slides, which has small wheels for smoothness and ease of use.