Hoshizaki and ice on board
Hoshizaki is a Japanese company founded in 1947 and headquartered in Aichi. It is well known in hotels, bars and restaurants for ice machines, including cube and flake ice, and it also makes refrigeration for food service.
On a yacht, ice is never a minor detail. Guests expect it in drinks on deck, the chef uses it in prep and for presentation, and the crew uses it to chill bottles and keep fresh catch cold. At anchor, buying bags of ice ashore is not always possible. A reliable machine on board removes that problem and keeps service consistent from the first morning coffee to the last drink at night.
Cube or flake: choosing the right ice
The type of ice matters as much as the machine.
- Cube ice is the usual choice for drinks. It suits the main bar, the sky lounge, the beach club and the deck bar, where guests see the ice in their glass.
- Flake ice is soft and mouldable. It is used for displaying seafood, chilling bottles in buckets, cooling fish and supporting cold prep in the galley.
Many yachts end up with both: a cube machine near the guest bar and a flake machine in or near the galley. On smaller boats a single cube machine in the bar or pantry is often enough. Think about storage too: the bin size decides how much ice is ready for a busy afternoon on deck, and a bin that is too small means crew carrying ice from elsewhere. For refrigerators and drawer units alongside the ice machine, see our Vitrifrigo marine page.
What a marine ice machine needs
Filtering for clear, neutral-tasting ice
Ice can only be as good as the water that goes into it. On a yacht that water may come from the watermaker or from ports with very different supplies. A suitable filter protects the machine from scale and helps keep the ice clear and free of off flavours. Plan easy access for filter changes. The same thinking applies to coffee equipment, which we cover on our La Cimbali marine page.
Gravity fall or a drain pump for melt water
Ice machines drain melt water from the bin and water from the freezing cycle. Gravity drainage needs a steady fall to the grey water system. On lower decks, or where the fall is not available, a drain pump may be needed.
Air-cooled condensers in warm waters
Air-cooled machines need free airflow around the condenser. Installing one in a closed cabinet or on a sun-baked deck in warm waters reduces its output and adds wear. Allow ventilation openings in the joinery and think about where the warm air goes.
Machine version and a suitable circuit
Check that the machine version matches the yacht's voltage and frequency, 50 Hz or 60 Hz, and that it is on a suitable circuit.
Securing the bin and keeping the scoop clean
The machine and its storage bin must be secured to the structure, with the bin door able to stay closed underway. Plan a place to keep the ice scoop clean and out of the bin.
Ice handled like food: bin and water path hygiene
Ice is handled like food, so the bin and the water path need regular cleaning. Make sure the crew can reach the bin, filter and service panels without removing joinery.
Filters, drain pumps and bins sourced with the machine
We are an independent marine equipment supplier based in Wallingford, Connecticut, with a supply chain across Europe, Asia and the United States. For ice equipment we review where the ice will be used, the type and amount your crew needs and the conditions at the installation point, then propose suitable machines with clear options.
We source the correct electrical version together with filters, drain pumps or bins where needed, and deliver to the shipyard, marina, agent or warehouse you choose. Your installer can come to us with questions during fitting and commissioning, and we help with spare parts and replacements afterwards. Our services section explains the full scope, and every brand we supply is listed on the brands page.
Which ice, where it goes, and on which supply
Tell us where the machine will go, which type of ice you need, the yacht's power supply and your timeline through the quote form. For a replacement, a photo of the existing machine's label helps us match it.
"Hoshizaki" is a trademark of its respective owner. VST Marine is an independent supplier of marine equipment; this page is not an official Hoshizaki website.
