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14-07-2013, 19:52
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Wichita, KS
Boat: Albin Vega 27
Posts: 122
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Laptops Aboard and Corrosion
I was just curious if anyone has any opinions on non-marine electronics such as laptops and corrosion due to the marine enviroment- particulary from the salt. Has this been an issue for anybody, or does a laptop probably not last long enough onboard a sailing vessel to start to worry about salt corrosion?
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Lagom är bäst
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14-07-2013, 20:00
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#2
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Long Range Cruiser
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Australian living on "Sea Life" currently in England.
Boat: Beneteau 393 "Sea Life"
Posts: 12,822
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Re: Laptops aboard and corrosoin
Laptops on my boat last about two years.
That's a good life and I go buy another one.
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14-07-2013, 20:14
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 291
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Re: Laptops aboard and corrosoin
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14-07-2013, 20:45
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2007
Location: On the hard due to wife's medical condition.
Boat: Sold, alas, because life happens.
Posts: 1,829
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Re: Laptops aboard and corrosoin
My wife is still - STILL - using the Toshiba she had when we bought/moved aboard our boat in Dec, 2004. And that was after a year of using it in Thailand. She insists that it's because of her strict "his and hers" dual computer policy. (Methinks I would lose a hand if I even touched her 'puter.)
My rigs don't fare so well: about two years seems an average. Maybe because they get used underway for WXR fax and drug ashore for internet (where no WiFi is available out on the hook), they seem to get a bit beat up.
Anyway - the hard discs seem to fail on mine and sometimes just buying a new unit is more efficient than repairing the old.
James
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"Being offended is not the same thing as being right." Dave Barry.
Laughter is the salve that keeps reality from scaring.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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14-07-2013, 21:01
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Montegut LA.
Boat: Now we need to get her to Louisiana !! she's ours
Posts: 3,421
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Re: Laptops aboard and corrosoin
Connies Viao(spl) but its a Sony is about 5+ yrs old and going strong! I think it's because our boats have all been Air Conditioned! much less humidity tat way ! and down the bayou where we live , its HUMID ! So all our electronics are in dryer conditions then a lot of boats, she only brings hers to the pilot house once in a while! mostly she keeps it in the Nav center! But all our electronics are either in the pilot house, and or in the nav center! It seems that because we don't have any on deck they just last longer! But then we don't have any of the new fancy stuff! no big plotters, just her puter and my hand held gps, radar and ssb and vhf and such a matter! but the ac helps
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Bob and Connie
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14-07-2013, 22:35
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Greater Seattle
Boat: wayquiez centurion 47
Posts: 117
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I'm biteing..
2 things I would postulate..
Older laptops are non Rohos and the lead in the solder is better in the marine environment
However I think most laptops die of motion sickness before that.
All that movement is a nightmare for hard drives and connectors and electronics in general.
Around my marina 2 years seems to be about normal.
Since my work laptop... That never goes on the boat.. Only lasts 2 years I pretty much think it is not the marine environment.
Oh and 20 years of designing electronics for challenging environments tells me I'm right.
Mub
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Brian
S/V Earendel
Wauquiez Centurion 47
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14-07-2013, 23:13
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Northern and Southern California
Boat: too many
Posts: 3,731
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Re: Laptops aboard and corrosoin
If it is HD then the options of solid state drives seems good for bouncy maritime life. My home PC has (2) SSD and that sure speeds things up. Still have a spinning HD for file storage.
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14-07-2013, 23:32
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Thailand and Laos
Boat: Bavaria 37 (2007)
Posts: 450
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Re: Laptops aboard and corrosoin
Mine only last about two years which is about when a "gotta have" new model comes on the market. Living in a developing country means there are plenty of happy recipients for my old machine.
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"Be yourself, everyone else is already taken." - Oscar Wilde
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15-07-2013, 00:03
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Worcester U.K.
Boat: Privilege 435 Now Sold
Posts: 1,065
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Re: Laptops aboard and corrosoin
I have a 10 year old Dell and a 6 year old Compaq aboard. They've survived 4 years, full time, and over 25,000nm aboard. Signs of minor corrosion on the USB ports but other than that, as good as new. I definitely would not consider buying anything 'marine' specific
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15-07-2013, 04:12
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Cheyenne, WY
Boat: 1981 Ta Tong Cape Horn Cutter
Posts: 330
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Re: Laptops aboard and corrosoin
Since sailors seem to be fairly self reliant and the hard drive seems to be the common failure, why not buy a USB powered external hard drive / keep it in a baggie (moisture) / bring it out occasionally to back up your laptop, then return it to your baggie. In the meantime, go to newegg.com or tigerdirect.com and purchase a spare hard drive for your laptop. They are not that expensive and easy to install (plug in). Remember that a back up only backs up your data, but not your programs. It will be necessary to have the original media to reload them or, with some, simply go online to re-install them, but keep a list of what you have installed so that you can replicate it.
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15-07-2013, 04:18
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#11
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cat herder, extreme blacksheep
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: furycame alley , tropics, mexico for now
Boat: 1976 FORMOSA yankee clipper 41
Posts: 18,967
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Re: Laptops aboard and corrosoin
my compaq was rendered useless by corrosion but i got it in 2008......
my acer got agua salina inside it..lol after only 3 months...that hurt...and my ...
i buy new little cheapo netbooook every prolly 2 yrs, as that is all they last....even the name brands kept in pelican cases die in 2 yrs....
my samsung chrome book is still alive and kicking .....i use that on eon shore with wifi...this cheapo elektra netbook i have with bandaancha when i can...also does the wifi in this marina, where the chrome book doesnt recognise it....
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15-07-2013, 04:55
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,909
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Re: Laptops aboard and corrosoin
I'm still using a cheapo HP I bought and took with me on my year long cruise back in 2010-2011. It still works great (even though I really didn't even expect it to last the entire cruise).
We took a wave one day with the hatches open that soaked the interior. I just wiped the laptop off (which was luckily closed and off when it happened) and made a point not to cut it on for a couple of days.
My daughter just had a brand new Mac laptop completely die from spilling a glass of water on it. I really think it's more luck than anything.
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15-07-2013, 05:05
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2008
Boat: 2017 Leopard 40
Posts: 2,662
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Re: Laptops aboard and corrosoin
I think they last longer if you put them away or cover them while still warm, when not using, so that the dew doesn't condense inside the cases.
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15-07-2013, 05:35
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Brisbane
Boat: Currently dreaming big
Posts: 73
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Re: Laptops aboard and corrosoin
I use a cheapo panasonic toughbook i got off ebay for $150 it sure is tough i have had it for about 2 years now.
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My boat has old sails but all i need is a $20 chart and I'm free
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15-07-2013, 05:37
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Pensacola, FL
Boat: 1969 Roamer ChrisCraft, Riveria, 46'
Posts: 133
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As a liveaboard, full time telecommuting software engineer, I have numerous laptops/computers aboard. My laptops get drug around with me, are exposed to salt air, spray, heat, humidity, vibration, etc. I've been doing this for thirteen years and here is what I have learned:
1) Salt spray corrodes external connections quickly ( usb ports, serial, video). Keep the systems out of spray zones.
2) Heat kills hard drives more than movement. Once the ambient temperature rises above 85F, systems need secondary cooling. Any attempt to waterproof the system just excerbates the heat issue.
3) A system sliding off a counter/table will definitely break it. I have velcro pads that hold all my systems in their 'home' location. This has held them in place through all conditions.
Typically my systems last until the hard drive fails, but I get years of service out of them.
Later,
NJ
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