Planning a gathering for about 100 people and want to have available for guests a mix of beer, wine, water, carbonated water, seltzer and soda. We realized that we do not have enough for coolers and someone suggested, "Why don't you fill your canoe with ice and use that as the beverage cooler? It would give your event a northwoods vibe and really fit your style." This did sound interesting to do with my (Alumacraft QT-17cl) canoe and I have seen several pictures online where this was done for weddings and the like.

Curious if anyone else on this forum has done this and how did it work for you? If we decide to do this any caveats I should be aware of?

Why wouldn't it work? Keep it in the shade and maybe have a tarp to cover it to help slow the ice melting.

I'd put a few large blocks in there too.

It will work. Farmers used to use water troughs that way for grad patties. Just fill it with water, ice and keep it in the shade.

WHendrix: "I'd put a few large blocks in there too."

Yes! Good Idea. I feel that blocks would work well on the ends to keep smaller ice in. Otherwise, I was thinking that this would be a lot of ice!

I think we're gonna do this. Event is June 1st-- I'll post a picture when we do it.

At large, extended family gatherings we would half fill large tubs with ice and top off with water. As suggested earlier, keep them in the shade and the beverages will stay cold all afternoon and evening.

This worked well!

We used about 200#'s of ice and it served to keep cool about 200-250, 12-20 ounce beverages. We tilted the canoe to a bit of an angle just to make it easier to reach and pull out the beverage of choice and I cut out a couple of stiff cardborad pieces to the shape of the canoe, wrapped them each in a plastic garbage bag and attached them to each inside edge of the front and back canoe seat just to contain the ice and drinks more to the center of the canoe.

Guests liked it and often commented that this arrangement was pretty cool!

It was a great party!

Perfect solution! Looks like a great selection of beverages, too!

Jackfish: "Perfect solution! Looks like a great selection of beverages, too! "

Yeah, with about 100 people, we went through about three gallons of Arnie Palmer tea, five bottles of wine, 50 bottles of water a 24-case of La Croix, a 24-case of soft-drink soda, a 24-case of hard seltzer and every. single. last. can. of 4-1/2 cases of beer!

Warm day, thirsty crowd!

I had an Alumacraft as well and it was used quite successfully as exactly what you are describing at an outdoor wedding reception. It did take a LOT of ice to fill it up.

Sounds like a fun gathering. Definitely do it. And post some pics here later.

OneMatch: "I had an Alumacraft as well and it was used quite successfully as exactly what you are describing at an outdoor wedding reception. It did take a LOT of ice to fill it up.


Sounds like a fun gathering. Definitely do it. And post some pics here later.
"

The party was June 1st and a picture is in the thread above.

Well done - fun idea.