Refrigeration systems

[RayNWanda]

We are looking at refrigeration systems. We have an old Adler Barbour CU100 and large vertical evaporator system that is dead. I was considering trying to resurrect it, but it is an old R-12 system and I think I am going to replace it. I am probably going to get a new
CU 200 compressor unit, but am trying to decide between the large vertical evaporator or the powerplate. The advantage of the powerplate is we could have a larger freezer and use a spillover to cool the fridge section. I am probably going to add 2"? of foam to the icebox and glass it in. We are on the upper Texas coast where we have temps of 100+ in the summer. We hope to escape to the Caribbean someday. Any thoughts on which would be the better evaporator?

[Dale Tanski]

I just finished installing a new Ice Box.  In my case I had no choice as half the box was missing when I bought the boat.  The cabinet has been finished for some time and I got the "box" installed last year on the trip home.  The box is stainless with dimensions of around 15"wide x 26"long x 22" deep.  I used foam 4" on each side. It has a false floor that standard blocks of ice will fit under for the bigger trips.  
I had a custom shaped evaporator plate bent that is U-shaped that fits at one end of the box.  The cover is a vacuum insulated lid that has a compression gasket and a magnetic gasket above.  The lid rates at R-50.  I bought the parts from rparts.com  They are great to deal with. Check them out they even make custom stainless grates.
The system is a 134R and runs great.  It will freeze a gallon of water solid from a warm box start in less than 24hrs.  The frozen stuff we keep by the plate and the cold stuff goes on the other end.
Good Sailing...   Dale