Laptops vs marine electronics

[MolarBoater]

Seems that laptop computers are much more affordable, powerful and versitile as the main electronics "monitor" for a boat. Has anyone figured out a way to waterproof a laptop for a center console? I know there are increasingly more programs for which a laptop can take the place of stand alone electronics such as GPS and plotting, are there any others that are affordable? I have a feeling in 10 years, we will be using essentially a laptop for marine electronics instead of all the overpriced stuff we are stuck with now....maybe that's why Garmin and RayMarine are moving to sell waterproof monitors with plug and play electronic sensors.

[NCangler]

Hi Molar. I was working on this idea last Fall as I've got some great GPS software with lots of fishing points on it. I was looking at the Panasonic "Toughbooks" laptop line. They are a bit pricey but very rugged and certain models in the lineup are waterproof. I was watching them on eBay for awhile hoping to pick up a deal on one, but then I got started working on this website and forgot about it. I agree with you that it would be very handy to have on the boat if it were small enough and tough enough. And with satellite broadband Internet service you'd could have realtime weather displays with radar off the Internet!

[MolarBoater]

Yep, @5k with all the bells an whistles. I dream of the day when we just pop our big screen waterproof laptops onto the centerconsole, plug in a USB or two, and kabam....everything, sonar, gps, radar, live NexRad,internet and of course DVD burner. That day is upon us and bet all this is already availabe....for a price....in fact, it's all basic technology but no one comprehensive "brand" of system. Seems like Garmin and Raymarine are heading that way really fast and noticed in an ad how Furano has already incorporated charts, maps, plotting at part of the "network" which is laptop friendly. Just seems dumb to not design everything around a waterproof laptop which is so much more versitile and capable than the little screen stand alone products. Guess the market will have to drive it that way. I noticed the top of the line Panasonic Toughbook in the movie "Sahara" this weekend on the cigarette boat although it was not part of the "boat" electronics. Also didn't know that this is what is mainly being use by the US military in Iraq presently. Maybe the price may dip a bit with the increased volume.

[NCangler]

Cool! How did you like Sahara? I haven't seen it yet. I need to go to a movie before carpel tunnel sets in.

[Sea.P.A.]

Don't forget bluetooth or 802.11b/g wireless to reduce all them wires. Anyone out there make software/hardware that will allow a transducer to connect to a laptop and get fishfinder capabilities? Am I just dreaming?

[NCangler]

Whoa! That would be sweeeeet! Have to give that some thought and pass on to my IT friends.

Originally Posted by Sea.P.A.

Don't forget bluetooth or 802.11b/g wireless to reduce all them wires. Anyone out there make software/hardware that will allow a transducer to connect to a laptop and get fishfinder capabilities? Am I just dreaming?

[Sea.P.A.]

After my post I googled the software fishfinder and transducer and actually found one. Check this out http://www.cruzpro.com/ never seen it or heard of it but it looks like we are not too far away from my dream.

[msmandel]

My own investigation into alternatives to my handheld GPS has led me to a Motion Computing Tablet PC, a RAM mount and a bluetooth GPS. When loaded with the proper marine software this would give a navigation computer, practically impervious to weather and shock, in a large enough (8x11 inch) screen that mounts horizontally or vertically, all with the added advantage of being removable. Taken home this would magically turn into a small home computer with wi-fi capabilities that you could enter routes into, etc., while sitting in your easy chair. At present a rig like this tops out at about $2,500.
It's the $2,500 that stops me since there's no doubt in my mind that the price of these things will start to go sharply down in the near future. At present I'm using a Dell Axim running Memory Map Navigator to do all of the above and except for the small size screen, it does everything I want it to.

In either case the RAM mount is what made the Dell usable when coming home from the Keys flats in rough water. Small is bad enough but small and bouncing all over...

MM

[NCangler]

Great ideas Msmandel. Could you list specific model numbers that might make up a system like this? It might give members a springboard for pursuing something like this.

[Sea.P.A.]

I have an Axim X30 with blue tooth and WiFi. Didn't think of bringing it on the boat though it seems a little fragile to me. Did you do anything to get it ruggedized?