Laoptop or Marinised Computer?

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Daymo

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We're spending the next season milling around the caribbean and need to get a new computer. Has anyone had any experience with the marinised computers, or do you think that a laptop would be better?

Would be very interested to hear your thoughts on the matter.

Kindest regards
 
A laptop??? NEVER AGAIN...

I just trow mine away.. just due to the defect of a small power supply component.. and the cost of the new mother board was nearly as expensive as a new one..

I bought a small 12 volts computer, much cheaper and working directly on the 12 volts batteries.. GREAT..

Now, about marinisation?? as a full time living aboard sailor.. I have used several computers during 13 years.. none of them have been marinised. and I have changed them for several reasons.. but none related to a problem of non-marinisation..

Alain
 
People do use laptops on boats and I think that if you intend to leave it in its case until ashore - or perhaps when at anchor that’s fine. But not at sea. They are too vulnerable to being thrown about. Also, you have to be careful about salt water getting on the keyboard from wet hands.
I’ve built a mini-PC instead. This is the same size as a car radio (width and height), a bit deeper at 300mm. Power consumption is about 1.5A to 2.5A at 12.5v. Cost of components was about £600. I didn’t go for a “marinised” PC as I knew I would be able to tuck the mini PC away somewhere safe and dry, and the extra cost seemed unjustifiable. Assuming you’re happy to assemble a PC yourself, the only major difference with building a 12v boat PC, is to take care that the power supply regulation will be able to handle the fluctuations that you will have from the ships supply.
Try googling “mini-PC” or “car computer” for parts suppliers. Also Ebay for waterproof keyboards.
 
you could look on ebay for a 'toughbook'. They are designed to high (sometime military) spec for strength and durability with things like shock resistant hard drive (it's cushioned in gel), magnesium alloy cases and strong hinges. Apparently you can drop the fully rugged ones from 3 or 4 foot without damage.

If you don't need high performance, then PIII models can be had for under 200 quid. Newish, higher spec, fully rugged regularly being sold for 750.

I believe they'll run on 12 volts if you take the battery out, like most laptops.
 
I'm in the same boat (if you pardon the pun) as regards a PC on board. SWMBO wants a ruggedised laptop (Bomb Proof MOD type thing) and I'd like a fixed PC.

What I do know is that laptops die of shock in the N Sea, it was fixed to a table.

Another died in an electrical storm in Trinidad, it was turned off at the time!!. Mind you it could been helped by minor earthquake that followed later the same evening /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif .

Still not convinced about laptops. Watch this space.
 
It's not only geek books and charts in my bookcase. Available from around £300+vat

mini-itxbook.jpg


...at the end of the day the basic components are essentially the same in each case. So, the real issue is: can you accomodate a proper (mini) keyboard, mouse, TFT display, mini-ITX case etc. and all the inter-connecting cables that go with it? ...if not then a laptop may be the only realistic option.

A laptop has one big advantage though...the integrated battery - which will keep you navigating for 2-3 hours {on max battery saving} when all else fails!

You can't built even a cheapo mini-ITX base unit for the cost of a complete 2nd hand laptop!...you pays your price....
 
I've never purchased a fixed or marinised PC as both are relatively expensive - and when you work out how much time is actually spend using a computer at sea - I simply can't justify those costs.

In the office I change my laptop about every three years to remain up to date - so would hate to repeat those updating costs on the same basis for the boat.

So I choose to use my same laptop on the boat - and so far so good. I'm typing this parked up in Palma.

We've crossed Biscay a few times in lumpy stuff and no problems with reliability - quite the opposite. We (I mean me) even inverted a full can of lager inot the keyboard and it lived to survive despite the foamy froth pouring out of the device.

A quick switch off and battery removal, rinse under warm kettle water, a dry out in a warm locker overnight, and she fired up fine the next day.

Not that I'd recommend anyone to copy this scenario - but then no need to risk it either today as one can plug in a waterproof keyboard for £30!

Cheers
JOHN
 
Old lap tops are fine for plotter, chart software, ssb weatherfax. Mine was worth about £200.00 worked great, and is still working. Very glad we took it, if only as a back up chart system to paper ones. It was used in rough weather to get weather faxes, non slip stuff on the bottom and tied down to chart table. Next time I might just get two really cheap old ones, in case one gave up.

Also very useful is a small printer, we could print off all the charts at different detail for a passage with harbour pilotage plans, all A4 and could then be put in sealed plastic wallets for cockpit use.
 
Re: Laptop or Marinised Computer?

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inverted a full can of lager inot the keyboard and it lived to survive despite the foamy froth pouring out of the device.

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XXXX, John?

We use standard laptops on board (HP and NEC) and have never had any problems with them. Just made doubly sure that they are securely stowed when underway.
Both run on 19v dc external PS so we have a spare PS and a 12v to 19v airline converter to cover off any failure.
 
Well contrary to most here so far, we are laptop-on-board fans!! We've had two with us now for over ten years (seven spent full time cruising) and have not had a single problem with either of them.

We recently up-graded and gave the old ones to a couple of friends, and the new ones will be aboard when we shove off cruising again, hopefully this year.

We do use them at sea, protecting them quite simply by using them sitting on a thin sheet of foam rubber which itself sits on that non-skid stuff you can get at boatshows to stop plates etc sliding. Even while operating them in lumpy weather, they don't move.

FWIW, all the laptops were/are Dell, since we see little point in forking out for hugely expensive 'tough' kit that costs at least twice the price. For example, we costed the IBM stuff about 4 years ago, and for the spec we wanted, the cost worked out to almost exactly double that of the Dell. Nuff said.

The final 'decider' in our case, was being able to take the laptops home when we fly back to the UK, take them to friends boats for an evening DVD or to exchange software, and all the other things one does that require the computer to be 'mobile'.
 
I am using a Toughbook CF-27 I bought cheap at ebay. It only has a Pentium with 300Mhz, but this is fine for me... Even in bad weather and cold/damp environments it has worked fine so far. The HD is shock-mounted and it runs without a cooling fan. And the touchscreen is handy to... and all this for 300,- Euros
 
For what it's worth, does anyone actually know what a 'marinised' PC or laptop is? I mean, what is added to a 'non-marinised' unit to protect it from the elements, and to allow the price to jump up?
 
I have spent a lot of time looking for 'marinised' computers on the internet, but of the very few that I have found it seems to me that the only thing that is different about them is that they are mini-pcs and that the hard drive is shock mounted. I'm not sure how they do this though.
Apart from those they don't seem to be very differrent.
 
i use an IBM X40 which dident cost that much more than a dell! IBM has some big advantages other than being well make,though the keys could have softer springs under them.

On my Folkboat i only carry a dell X30 624 64 PDA and its fantastic! Wi-fi isent so long range.

The reason im posting is becouse i bought a mac laptop powerbook as i found them for less than 100euros it has panther os but i still havent found out how to get on line nor set the clock!!

In theory the apple should be able to do what i want with seaclear storeing my images and going online,but im haveing a real problem to understand the OS so much so i just checked ebay to see if i can off load my rubbish, mac is just useless!!

Will anyone tell me im wrong? it would be nice to have a laptop on board and as no one wants mac there really cheep!!

I wanted to put on a PC "box" in a plastic box useing a bluetooth keyboard and small low power screen with either BT or long cable BT keyboars start from £10 and screens or smallTVs from £40 the PC box i saw (in a newspaper) cost £200.

if a keyboard stops just put it overboard (with a stone attached) and breakout a new one from a dry package, same for the screen (they sink no stone needed)If the main unit is water and humidity proof should last for ever?

Is there no way i can use a mac laptop?? Is there softwear? will seaclear work? and is it possiable to deinstall the OS and use windows?? Mac lap tops cost from 50 euros to 200euros for the newest!!! so cheep it would be possiable to have 2 and just swap the HDD when one goes wrong,and put the broken one over the side

So far i havent found anyone even people that have used apple to write with cant set them up???They must be useable??????
 
We use an old Dell laptop at sea - velcro attaches it to the shelf & has held in place through all sorts of weather.

The other bit of advice is to have a mouse that plugs in rather than a cordless one- that way you'll always find it at the end of its cord dangling under the chart table!
 
Re: Laptop or Marinised Computer?

Laptops are not that expensive, see Dell at £299 delivered. (no connection)
I use mine a lot and have never had any problems, except with power on the long hauls under sail.
 
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The reason im posting is becouse i bought a mac laptop powerbook as i found them for less than 100euros it has panther os but i still havent found out how to get on line nor set the clock!!

[/ QUOTE ]

OK, I know I will regret it, but I will rise.

Where did you find a Apple Powerbook for 100Euros?! I think you must have been done and actually bought an overpriced apple. An apple is a small fruit and indeed is not useful for going on line and its clock is hard to adjust (although not impossible).



[ QUOTE ]

Is there no way i can use a mac laptop?? Is there softwear? will seaclear work? and is it possiable to deinstall the OS and use windows??

[/ QUOTE ]

No you cannot run Windows on a Mac (well actually I am told it is theoretically possible with the new Intel-based machines, but I would not suggest you try!). However there is a windows emulator called virtual PC that allows you to experience the misery of the Windows experience on a Mac, as far as I know, all windows software will run, but I can't recall when I last felt the need to run it on my mac.


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Will anyone tell me im wrong?

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Wrong? Wrong does not come close to describing the situation..


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So far i havent found anyone even people that have used apple to write with cant set them up???They must be useable??????

[/ QUOTE ]

If by some miracle of technology you are able to read this, then you know at least one person who has managed.
 
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