Off-the-shelf machines also come as preconfigured packages that make it tougher to get exactly what you want. The a la carte approach is far more flexible, and you only pay for what you need. Order your machine. It's what the pros do.

Buying a new machine and ordering in on a custom basis can avoid a great deal of troubleshooting. LAPTOP VERSUS DESKTOP

While this issue can be a big one on land, that is usually not the case onboard a boat. You almost certainly want a laptop.

Laptops are a bit more expensive than desktops, but they are competitive in terms of features and they have become the industry standard when it comes to onboard machines. The ability to go portable and use the machine anywhere trumps almost any argument against it. With the right battery and some attention to charging, a laptop will allow you to do navigation work in the saloon, stateroom or at multiple helm stations. You can also take it home to plan your voyages, or use it aboard a charter or a friend's boat.

Laptops can be difficult to mount, leaving most boaters to simply use them on the nearest flat surface. But there are solutions for those who insist on a hard installation. Companies like RAM Mounting Systems make special hardware designed to hold a laptop in place at the helm (see link). Laptops also have ports to add an external screen and mouse, which can be mounted at the helm while the computer sits out of the way.

Of course, there are some boaters who may benefit from desktop machines, particularly those with large vessels who have opted for expensive PC-based navigation electronics.

Desktop machines do offer more flexibility to work on the computer, adding upgrades or fixing broken parts. While most laptops are closed systems, with components packed tight in the factory to achieve portability, desktop machines are designed to be manipulated by their owners. Manufacturers assume the user will "crack the case" in order to add a graphics card, a modem or some other component. The result is that desktop machines have wiring and expansion bays to accommodate additional drives and other upgrades – and room to work within the machine – that can be extremely helpful in some applications.

But for most boaters who want to connect a computer to a GPS and a few other instruments, then plan trips and navigate using standard electronic charting software, a laptop is the best solution.

MAC VERSUS PC

There are entire tomes to be read about the advantages and disadvantages of owning an Apple versus a PC and this debate is apt to continue long into the future. What is important to remember when buying an onboard computer is that everything that is true on land is also true at sea.

A Mac is an elegant, easy-to-use machine that is generally more stable than Windows-based machines and has little trouble with computer viruses (the bad guys don't write viruses to attack the Mac's operating system).

It also has a smaller support network and far fewer software offerings to choose from. For example, if you own a Mac, there are only two major navigation software packages available: NavimaQ and MacENC. If you own a PC, there are perhaps a dozen. Similarly, you can get a PC fixed almost anyplace you go, but finding an Apple store may be more difficult.

If you are weighing this decision, you might let familiarity be your guide. If you are already a Mac person, then taking a Mac onboard probably makes sense. It's a great piece of gear and you'll spare yourself the learning curve. Similarly, if you are a PC person, you may want to stick with the PC. Even if you have an interest in switching platforms, your boat is probably not the place to do so.

If you use both and you are in a quandary, go with the PC. You'll have more options, more support and you'll be in line with what most boaters are using.

BRAND NAMES

Let's assume, for the time being, that you are now in the market for a new laptop, a PC that you will be buying on a custom basis.

One of the first questions you will confront is whether to buy a marinized computer. Companies such as Marine Computer Systems, Argonaut, AR Engineering and Group Mobile offer machines that are built for marine use. Desktop models offer soldered wiring and watertight connections in a very small unit. Laptops have ruggedized casings that are designed to absorb shock. This is all good stuff – if you can afford it. The truth is that a marinized or hardened laptop can cost thousands of dollars more than a normal machine, and many electronics experts say they are simply not worth the expense.