In large part it still works this way, you mom is the one who raises you from a baby to an adult, but it's your father who really molds you into a man.
I think it was probably wrong of you to get your mom involved and get out of sitting in the sun. Sure it worked short term, but you don't have your laptop back yet, which means on the whole, either your mother is on your dad's side (or your dad realizes you will use your mom to try and get it back, so he isn't listening to her on this one).
In general, it's wrong to talk with one parent about the decisions of another. The best thing is to talk to them together, let them discuss it, and live with the outcome (since at heart, they only want what is best for you in the long run).
The younger you are, in general, the more shortsighted your view of time, right/wrong, and actions tend to be. It would probably be best to do what your parents ask of you at the time, then if you have a problem, say you'd like to discuss it with both of them later.
In this way, as you talk with them about reasons you believe a particular request was unreasonable, rude, unwarranted or misguided, the both of them will be able to discuss ways to make their expectations more bearable for you in the future.
Plus, if you talk to them together, you're more likely to get a reasoning that you understand...I find that my father was very good at telling me to do things, but I was always curious why...my mother was the one that was good at explaining things to me.
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