Jim, take a look at a Yeoman Sport XL, instead. Your NMEA GPS sends
data to the Yeoman of your current position, which the Yeoman uses to
plot your position on your PAPER CHARTS attached to its foam plotting
surface. Yeoman uses the data to interface and do all the computing
on your paper charts and can send nav data to autopilots for waypoint
navigation to any point on the chart. It will work with any chart on
any scale as it calibrates itself to 3 points you choose long before
hand for each chart or chart section. It stores these points as user
data, permanently, so you can go back to a chart at any time....

If you have an electronic chart plotter that will accept NMEA waypoint
data, it can also put waypoints on that device at the click of its
"mouse" (which looks like a drafting puck). Plot your fishing holes
on the paper chart and Yeoman makes it easy to get back to them,
without all the computer loads sucking 300 watts off your limited
battery supplies. Yeoman draws only 0.15A and can be simply left
running continuously.....

http://www.yeomanuk.com/

take the tour.....The Sport XL is nearly indestructable unless you
break it in half. But, don't leave it out in direct sunlight in the
car or its glue will melt....been there done that. It's electronics
is now mounted with double-sided foam tape to the bottom of
Lionheart's mahogany chart table top. Works great through any
non-conductive surface up to several inches thick....even through a
whole chart book!

http://www.yeoman.net/


On Sun, 26 Oct 2003 04:07:46 -0800, "Jim Pook"
wrote:

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




Larry W4CSC

"Very funny, Scotty! Now, BEAM ME MY CLOTHES! KIRK OUT!"