There are several ways in which a “digital chart” can be displayed on board. The first priority is to decide exactly where you wish the display to be positioned. This is usually at the chart table, but can be elsewhere, and can be even remotely set up at some location away from the usual navigation station, for example, in a cabin.

If your intention is to use the digital chart as your main form of navigation, then the chart table or it’s vicinity would seem to be the obvious place.

If you decide to use a laptop computer as your display, then provided adequate steps were taken to prevent damage by spray or falling, this solution would be a self-contained navigation set up, and would simply require connection to a GPS and of course a power source, with adequate provision for a GPS antenna if the chart table does not permit a good signal being received.

Another possibility is to leave the laptop inside the chart table and use one of the many flat-screen monitors mounted on a convenient bulkhead.