Computer Hard Drives for Boats

Hi Steve, I need to get a hard drive for my boat, a 52′ sloop. My question is what kind of specs do I need to know that the hard drives will keep working if I get into a really pounding sea. I’d like to have 40 Gigs of storage.

This is not the kind of question I’d expect a boat builder to know about, but can you send me on to someone who might have more information about this? Many Thanks, Mac

Hi Mac: We have used both land based and portable computers for years on our boats, and never had a hard drive problem. I suspect if you go with a portable computer, you can’t go wrong as these have pretty good shock protection built in.

If you are using an external drive, on a home type CPU, maybe sitting on top of the flexible foam in which is shipped would provide enough shock protection. Steve


Posted by Steve Dashew  (November 30, 1999)




2 Responses to “Computer Hard Drives for Boats”

  1. Remek Czarnecki Says:

    Hello Linda and Steve,

    I am getting close to painting my 54′ steel cutter sail boat (Bruce Roberts’ Kit), which I have been building for 8 years. I have all your books and most of DVDs. Fallowing your posts I noticed that you are using a glued on non skid on the FPB 64. Would you share the source of this product and your experience with it? Have you used it for a while or is it something that you are going to test?
    Thank you for your help.
    Remek Czarnecki


  2. Steve Dashew Says:

    Hi Remek:
    It is Treadmaster to which you are referring.