Mac in a narrow-boat ?

[Ken H]

Ken H

New to mac's I have a PC system but want to change to a mac system and put it on my new narrow-boat the problem is I now nothing about how to fit any kind of computer system to anything having never approached the concept before I therefore need help in getting the right system and having it fitted does anyone out there have the knowhow or now someone who does and is able to liaise with my boat-builder and work with me as he has no expertise with computers either, (not looking for this for free).

I'm going to live aboard and continuously cruise the inland waterways to work and as this is a new build I can put anything needed in or even have the hull reshaped if necessary and before the office furniture goes in too.

What I would like is an image friendly system with scanner and large printer and able to e-mail and web brows, as I'm a photographer going digital I need high quality, but space is at a premium.

Help is needed please!

 

[iSaint]

Great first paragraph/run-on sentence!

I can't help you, but I just wanted to say that. I'm sure someone here will give you some guidance shortly.

 

[mkrishnan]

Great first paragraph/run-on sentence!

Sorry, that just made me laugh out loud so I had to reply.

Mmmm, I dunno what to suggest either... I don't technically know what a narrow boat is.

Except I do have one small contribution to the thread: you are going to want someone relatively local. Why don't you post where in the country/world you live, so that if someone knows a hardware expert where you are, they might be able to refer you?

 

[discoforce]

For ideas you might want to peruse the many macs that have been installed in various autos.

My favorite is the Mini Cooper.

You may also want to ask folks at the mp3car forum. In this particular thread folks are talking about how to install one on a small sailboat. Biggest problem seems to be the power supply...

EDIT: Is this what you mean by a narrow boat?

Very cool.

 

[SC68Cal]

Laptop. Without a doubt.

 

[Eniregnat]

Laptop, you can store it else ware when not in use.

Remember to add the Jaws soundtrack to your iTunes play list.

 

[Kelmon]

If you don't mind buying an older Mac then you might consider the original G5 iMac (not the ones with an iSight camera or the new Intel systems) since you can obtain a VESA mounting kit that would allow you to mount the computer on a bulkhead. Failing this, you could go for a more modern solution and use an Intel Mac Mini in combination with a display that is wall mountable (to plug Apple's own products, a 20" Cinema Display can be mounted). Combine either of these solutions with a wireless keyboard and mouse and you have a good solution, particularly with the Mac Mini solution since you can also then use the FrontRow software to provide a very elegant interface to your movies and music. The only thing that you will need to ensure when employing the Mac Mini solution is that it is integrated into the boat such that the IR sensor is not obscured and is conveniently located since the remote control will need "line of sight" to the sensor in order to work.

 

[RedTomato]

Laptop - then you can take it off the boat and work on the shorebank, or watch films in bed / on top of the boat at night or put it on the table for proper work. (and put it away when you need a break.)

You can also take it with you when you're away from the boat and do some work in town / with clients.

If you install a wireless antennae on top of the boat, you would be able to print from the shorebank.

If you are thinking about some kind of wireless /satellite broadband connection to the boat, then you'd be able to access that from the laptop via the on-boat wi-fi antennae.

Someone suggested a bulkhead mounted screen - that could be workable for watching TV / films too. (via an elgato EyeTV device - they also work with laptops)

One other advantage of the laptop is it uses less power than a desktop system.

The iBooks / Macbooks have longer battery life, but dimmer screens - if you plan to use it in daylight on the shorebank or on top of the boat, definitely go for a Powerbook / Macbook Pro.

One way to test is to buy an old second hand mac laptop and take it on a few boats with you, try it out in various locations.

I'm thinking that if you plan to watch tv / films on it in bed, you'd need a flipdown shelf to put it on, plus an extra power connector near the bed.

Good luck with whatever you decide on, and show us some pics!

 

[Applespider]

To be honest, the more important part of your plan is the cabling that you'll need in the boat in order to be able to achieve this. You will probably end up changing your computer several times while you own the boat - changing the cabling would be a lot tougher.

I'm not sure of water on wireless range (seem to recall it's not great) - so that might be something to investigate - whether you might need more wired ethernet ports around the boat where you think you might want to use a computer, additional powerpoints etc. Perhaps you'd want an additional TV aerial in your main office area so you could record TV to your HD in the future etc?

If you're a Pro photographer, you're likely to want more power than a Mac mini has, however well it meets the space requirements.

 

[Ugg]

If your boat builder doesn't know then start asking around, I'm sure there are lots of people who do this.

When I lived aboard my sailboat, my original iMac lived aboard too. It worked fine but was way too bulky. I'd recommend a laptop, perhaps a 15" Macbook Pro. However, if you're used to a larger monitor, 15" may be too small and you may want to consider an external monitor as well and as others have suggested, mount it on a bulkhead. Get an airport express for using your printer so as to keep cable clutter to a minimum. Get an extra battery and make sure that you have a secure spot for your laptop when sailing. A foam lined shelf or drawer would be ideal.

 

[Kelmon]

iMac 24" Wall Mountable

OK, this is the resurrection of an old thread but, unless you the author has already purchased a solution for their boat, the 24" iMac is probably a viable solution for a boat since it is VESA-mountable and therefore can be attached to a bulkhead. Given the size of the screen I would imagine that this would make a very reasonable television and computing solution.