Computer Install on 24' Power Boat

[Jim Pook]

Hi Everyone:

I'm trying to come up with a solution to run a GPS with electronic charting
on my boat.

The boat is a 24' Campion Haida. To see pictures: www.jimsfishing.com

I have enough cast-off computer parts to completely build a desktop computer
tower that I could fit somewhere on the boat.

My main two concerns are to protect the Hard drive from shock (pounding into
waves at 25 knots), and to protect the electronics from moisture while at
the same time providing cooling.

I am thinking about putting the HD in a foam lined box. It would be mounted
in a normal metal HD rack from a computer box, and that would be fitted with
a soft foam about 2" thick all the way around the rack. That in turn would
be enclosed in a wooden box with a small fan for cooling.

The place where I am thinking of installing the computer box is in a
cupboard in the rear of the cabin in order to place the computer as close to
the stern as possible. I would then run extension cables up to the front for
monitor, mouse and keyboard.

Do you think this would provide enough cushining for the HD?

Jim Pook
Tahsis, BC Canada
www.jimsfishing.com

 

[Ian Malcolm]

Hi Everyone:

I'm trying to come up with a solution to run a GPS with electronic charting
on my boat.

The boat is a 24' Campion Haida. To see pictures: www.jimsfishing.com

I have enough cast-off computer parts to completely build a desktop computer
tower that I could fit somewhere on the boat.

My main two concerns are to protect the Hard drive from shock (pounding into
waves at 25 knots), and to protect the electronics from moisture while at
the same time providing cooling.

I am thinking about putting the HD in a foam lined box. It would be mounted
in a normal metal HD rack from a computer box, and that would be fitted with
a soft foam about 2" thick all the way around the rack. That in turn would
be enclosed in a wooden box with a small fan for cooling.

The place where I am thinking of installing the computer box is in a
cupboard in the rear of the cabin in order to place the computer as close to
the stern as possible. I would then run extension cables up to the front for
monitor, mouse and keyboard.

Do you think this would provide enough cushining for the HD?

Jim Pook
Tahsis, BC Canada
www.jimsfishing.com

If you build the PC from consumer parts, you will have no end of problems
with cards working their way out of their sockets, heatsinks breaking off
the retaining lugs on the processor socket ect due to the pounding. Its
bad enough if you just deliver some PCs down a potholed road. If the PC
is on underway, I wouldnt expect much chance of long term survival unless
you make a custom case with a guide and a clamp for each card and
something OTHER than a normal heatsink for cooling. Also the guts of the
computer need to be fully enclosed in a metal case with no large holes in
it and ferrite rings on all wires in and out to provide screening
otherwise it will mess up your radio reception all the way up to VHF or
higher and may crash the PC whenever you transmit.

On the hard drive side of things, Your foam box idea is a disaster. Many
modern hard drives run quite hot even if in free air, and you want to put
foam round it which will also trap moisture. IMHO it will either bake or
if your enviromental control is less than perfect, it will steam. In
either case it winds up cooked and dead. If you start with a laptop
drive, its much more shock and vibration resistant anyway and if you work
to the dimensions of a 5.25 drive bay you should be able to build a decent
shock absorbant mounting system. Look at the elastomer anti-vibration
mounts out of a dead CD drive for inspiration and parts, but I think you
will need two stages of them. (one set mounted to the drive, to a floating
plate which has another set to the old CD drive caseing which you could
use as a frame)

What are you proposing for the powe supply? Have you got a permanent AC
source?

--
Ian Malcolm. London, ENGLAND. (NEWSGROUP REPLY PREFERRED)
ianm[at]the[dash]malcolms[dot]freeserve[dot]co[dot]uk [at]=@, [dash]=- &
[dot]=.
*Warning* SPAM TRAP set in header, Use email address in sig. if you must.
'Stingo' Albacore #1554 - 15' Uffa Fox designed, All varnished hot moulded
wooden racing dinghy circa. 1961

 

[news.verizon.net]

I've built several boat pc's and tried a few laptops. I have gradually
come to the realization that there is no optimal solution. I currently
advocate computer fair parts and ebay bargains for one reason; Rather than
waste a lot of time trying to marinize a computer, build one that is cheap
to fix. Instead of researching thermally transparent coatings for your
motherboard, and hermetically sealed card edge connectors and cable ends,
just buy cheap spares. Back up everything to an inexpensive CDrw
frequently. When some cheap part succombs to the maritime environment, just
throw it away and pop in the other one you bought at the same time! Spend
your real money on a daylight readable display, and guard it with your life!
If the boat is going to bounce around a whole bunch, just go with an older
ruggedized laptop, like a Panasonic toughbook, even if the display fails to
deliver as advertised. I had been very happy with an HP Omnibook 800 until
software got too demanding for a 166 Mhz Pentium. I could not read the
screen in daylight though. I'm still looking for a 10.4" 800 x 600 svga LCD
monitor with 1200 nits and a 400:1 contrast ratio that doesn't need to suck
air inside to keep itself cool. I want it to cost less than $1000 and run
on ragged 12vdc sailboat batteries. Ha!

Epitaph: You drive the boat from the helm station. That's where you should
be navigating, not moving in and out of a dark, dry cabin, risking your
night vision or waiting for your eyes to dark-adapt, and risking being away
from the helm at the wrong time. Just from the aspect of safety at sea, why
aren't you spending the money on a self contained, water resistant, and
extremely reliable all solidstate chart plotter?

 

[Jim Pook]

Hi Sandy:

Good advice.

One of the main reasons I'm considering building a computer out of spare
parts is because I have them and they are taking over a room in the
basement. That, and they are already paid for.

About the only thing I plan on buying for this project is an LCD screen. I
think I've got just about everything I need.

As for night vision. I don't really plan in being out in the dark, although
it sometimes gets dark on the trip home. Once we are on the inside inlets,
there is not really a lot of dangers to worry about except other boats and
driftwood. Lighted markers in this area are pretty good and make it easy to
find ones way home to Tahsis.

My main enemies are fog and rocks on the outside while fishing. This is why
I need a mapping GPS system on the boat. The handheld GPS will get me home,
but it's not great for dodging rocks.

Jim Pook
www.jimsfishing.com
Tahsis, BC Canada