Securing laptop underway

[rslotpole]

Originally Posted by btrayfors

I second the comments of Thomas (s/v Elusive) re: both the potential damage to a charter boat and the excellent performance of the non-skid material.

I've used the non-skid with my laptop for at least six years, both on daysails and long offshore passages. The material is inexpensive, comes in rolls which you cut to size, and can be found in any R/V center, Boat U.S., and many other places.

Works like a charm and no damage to any surface.

Bill

Hi, can you be more specific about product details for the non skid pads?

[boatman61]

2 small pieces of stick n stick Velcro..

[UNCIVILIZED]

Following

[zeehag]

i keep mine in a pelican case. never fails. sudden lurches and swells are no bother. i use a gps and paper charts while sailing, not my computers.

[rslotpole]

Originally Posted by boatman61

2 small pieces of stick n stick Velcro..

I thought the idea was not to use velcro on a charter bare boat. Any other suggestions?

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by rslotpole

I thought the idea was not to use velcro on a charter bare boat. Any other suggestions?

Just saying what I use.. anyway a 7-10 day charters not going to cause any probs.. they motor most of the time.. so no need to use extra pressure or superglue.. usually takes a while for adhesive to seep through varnish.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by rslotpole

Hi, can you be more specific about what non-skid cushiony pad you use? It looks like tree frog pads are out of business

I think he's talking about this sort of thing. You can get it just about anywhere.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Roll-of-Ant.../dp/B004AXTIYM

[SailingFan]

You can get the foamy non-slide stuff at any American Dollar Store or Family Dollar, Walmart, and probably any hardware store, home improvement center, etc. Online? The same locations would have it online, and probably for even less. The Dollar Tree/Family Dollar/Dollar General/Dollar Store locations are probably the cheapest. Bet you can't guess how much you have to pay for it in those specific locations!

As an aside, I am going to have to start hunting Craig's List and eBay for an old chartplotter. Everyone here as the new ones, and surely the old ones are not all dead... Wonder if the older ones will hook up to my laptop or my depth finder (the depth finder is new, but it is specifically not the high dollar version, I think it was perhaps a hundred dollars at Walmart, and is really a fish finder with bottom composition detection capability).

I would love an old chart plotter (mostly because I don't have ANY chart plotter) and have no idea what one should cost... Ideas???

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Kapena

You need to charter catamarans. Then you just put the laptop down on the table.

.

We set ours on the fridge which was just inside the back window. As long as the rain wasn't blowing sideways, we would just leave the window open.

It always just sat there with nothing securing it.

If the rain was blowing sideways, we might raise the window half way to keep water from getting to it.

On a mono at 30deg heel, it might be a different story.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Ben (and others):
You're definately "Out There", on the cutting edge.
Having almost no idea what you are talking about, it all makes me feel totally obsolete.

I don't know how we managed to stumble around Lake Superior's fogy shores, with a compass, watch, floating chips, and lead line. Those pre-technology days were as recent as little more than a decade ago (for us), when we finally bought a simple portable GPS.

Please don't mistake this for criticism or derision (except self-criticism) - I'm envious of your grasp and use of the available technology (and amazed at the technology, itself).

From the dark ages (BAD old days),
Gord

I'm not saying you didn't do it but...

Not a decade ago but 2 decades ago, it was the truly rare cruising boat that didn't have an electronic depth sounder and a handheld GPS was $100, so the vast majority had some form of GPS if not a full blown chart plotter.

Now, if you have nothing more than a smart phone, you have access to a full blown chart plotter and for $10 you can add a GPS to your laptop to create a large screen chart plotter. The only really expensive part is if you want a waterproof screen to place outside in the weather (and even that isn't too bad anymore)

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

I'm not saying you didn't do it but...

Not a decade ago but 2 decades ago, ...

My comment was written in 2007, about a decade ago.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by GordMay

My comment was written in 2007, about a decade ago.

Opps. They really need to do something about old posts. Maybe if it's more than 6 months hold, it's highlighted in yellow. You can still see and respond but at least you know what you are responding to.

That said, the point still stands. Mid 90's, electronic depth sounder was standard equipment and handheld GPS could be had for around $100.

[SailingFan]

I price checked the grabby sheet of rubberized material at the Dollar General store today, it was a 2 bucks (US) for a roll large enough to mount a microwave oven, plus have some left over (for a second microwave?). Cheap as heck, and you even get a choice of about 4 colors...