I'm continually amazed at the number of people who have to overthink this
whole problem. I have been operating the same $450 laptop(IBM Thinkpad
600E, 366MHz, PII purchased off Ebay) for about four years now on two
different sailboats. I've traveled about 6,000 miles, cruising and racing.
I operate the laptop off a common Statpower modified sine wave inverter and
the whole combination uses about 40 watts, tops. I use it for weatherfax
software, navigation software, and just general PC use. I can run virtually
any of the existing nav software packages available with this unit, if I
choose. To be sure there are some software app's that won't run on this old
a machine, but I'm sure I could find another machine on today's market which
would satisfy virtually any software requirement.

Why would you want to put a power-hungry full-up machine into an environment
where power is so critical? And furthermore, why is everyone so obsessed
with adapting their machines to run off special on-board power supplies when
there are very inexpensive12VDC to 115AC inverters available at every
corner store for very low prices? Even if your laptop is fussy about its AC
waveshape input, there are relatively inexpensive full sine wave inverters
available also.

And as long as I'm on this soap box, I am also acquainted with a 70 ft
racing sled which operated a full-up desktop Pentium system on-board for
several years, also on a modified sine wave inverter. So, yes, you can do
this, as long as you locate it so that the case doesn't get filled up with
water. And it's almost certainly cheaper and simpler to just pick up an
off-the-shelf system of your liking, rather than go to extreme lengths to
engineer a bulletproof, hermetically sealed, environmentally tested
masterpiece. As long as you're careful where you put it, it'll probably
last just as long.

Sorry for the rant

wrote in message
...
Im not a sailor but I have a question out of curiosity.

Is it possible to use small form factor desktops on boats with DC
systems rather than use laptops?

Bottom line.... can one use and modify a desktop to run off 12 vdc
boat system..... or is one just stuck using and buying laptops that
are already setup to use battery DC power?