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Date: 22 September 2015. Refrigerator Latches.
Guest author Cap'n Mike Lauman on M/V Beachcomber.

This piece is for The Writer's Block. It is written by a previous contributor. Captain Mike wrote Electrical Field versus Compass (Captain Murphy) that made me aware of a potential problem when underway in inclement weather.

When the seas are kicking, stuff happens. Here is how Mike prevents another issue when caught offshore in rough water.
 

Mike and his bride Tina's cruising grounds include the COLUMBIA RIVER,
 Washington state's vast coast, the SAN JUAN'S and DESOLATION SOUND.

The COLUMBIA RIVER runs along much of the border between Washington state and Oregon.
 

A couple of times when we've found ourselves in larger waves than normal things in the refrigerator have shifted around and that caused the door to open and some of the contents fell out onto the floor. The refrigerator and freezer doors don't have latches on them from the factory.



 

I tried to think of a way that we could add something to keep the doors firmly locked in place and here's what I came up with. I cut a piece out of the side of a gallon milk jug and installed two snaps for the doors then screwed it to the frame above the refrig/freezer. It works great and it was cheap to do. My kind of fix.
 


There was no pattern for it. I just took a milk jug and cut a large square out of it. I then roughed out what the final product looked like, screwed it in and added a couple of snaps to the door.
 

I'm not sure what the proper term is, but the "inflexibility" of the milk jug tends to hold the snap ends down on top of the doors. When closing a door one must use a finger to lift up the snap end, then snap it after the door is closed.
 


Since we put that in we have not had an "accidental discharge" of refrigerator contents onto the galley floor. Now, that being said, I won't tell you the sad tale of my wife's pork roast that she had in the slow cooker sitting on the counter. She has since put those things on the stove top where there are rails around it to keep stuff from sliding off.
 

I solved the crock-pot problem by putting mine in the galley sink when underway. It fits well and cannot slide anywhere.
 

That sounds righteous, doesn't it? Well, actually there is no other place for my crock-pot when in use except in the sink! Aboard Seaweed counter space is at a premium.
 

J.


Happy boating!
 

M/V Beachcomber underway:


The End.
 

© Mike Lauman on M/V Beachcomber, a 1995 Sea Ray 550 Sedan Bridge.
 

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Categories: Boats, Characters, Galley, Gear, Money, The Writer's Block

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