Take a laptop outside and you’ll find that the screen is virtually unreadable, even without direct sun on the screen. For those of us who love computer navigation software, like the excellent Rosepoint Navigation Coastal Explorer, this can be a real problem. Not only that, we worry about our lappies getting a fatal saltwater splash. So, thoughts turn to using some kind of external monitor in the cockpit that would allow the computer to remain safely inside at the nav station. If you’ve looked at prices of some of the marinized, super-bright, outdoor grade screens, you’ve probably been a little discouraged at the thought of spending several times more for a screen than for the laptop itself. You could just buy an extra laptop or two and stash them in dry bags. It’s especially galling with regular 15 inch LCDs available for under $150 these days.

Some folks have installed these desktop monitors on swing-out arms in the cockpit, since they are cheap enough to be almost disposable. Other options are some small, high-brightness LCDs from Xenarc, that are aimed towards in-car computer installations. Most are small, i.e. 7 to 12 inch diagonals, but that could be an advantage for a lot of boats. And touchscreens are an option on many models, which is great if your software has a big button, touchscreen mode. They are not water-proof, but they seem to be pretty rugged, and the prices are fairly reasonable.

You can order these screens directly from Xenarc, and Captn Jack’s sells them as well (have a browse around the website…some interesting products there). And if you’re considering a permanent mount, 12 volt powered computer for your boat or car, Xenarc has a line of these you may be interested in, too.