Bit late on this thread sorry...

FWIW I cannot get past the Mesa units. Compact, ultra rugged, excellent battery with hot swap capacity, very daylight readable, and great wet touch functionality. 

Downside is screen size, and cost. However I have one that I race with for a many years, dropped, drowned, stood on, sat on, thrown downstairs, sat in ropetail bag etc etc, has done multiple transatlantics, fastnets, c600's let alone multiple inshore events. I've only had to replace one when some idiot opened the battery cover on deck in a fire hose situation.

Form factor is excellent, I can 'wear' it with my own bungee setup, so can use then simply let go and grind/release/do any other task required, then get out again.

Has saved my bacon on multiple occasions when full boat brownout/shutdown and have turned on the internal GPS and fired up expedition locally (typically use as a remote device with Radmin to an installed PC). Also became the primary device on the 52 in the '21 Fastnet when the boat PC was drowned bashing out through the Needles, all internet/weather/nav/routing/perf etc done on the Mesa3.

Have tried iPad, many android tablets, getac/panasonic etc etc, and all fail more than the limitations of the Mesa3. Too big/too heavy/not enough battery/not rugged enough/can't run exp locally/doesn't have 'turn touchscreen off/on' button/ etc etc.

Just my 2cw.

I have just finished 4 long races on a wet TP52, including S2H22. Toughbook downstairs and ipads in waterproof case upstairs running Remote Desktop over WiFi (with one on charge downstairs and the other in use on deck). I have also used Mesa2 and 3.
1. iPad lasts about 4hrs, but you have to turn the screen way down in brighness and turn it off when not using
2. iPad daylight vision is poor
3. Water, spray, rain and oil in your fingers kills the iPad screen - its like a million fingers trying to do something all at once. I have a microfibre cloth during day races and a chamois for when it gets a bit wetter, but when its tough going its almost impossible - dry with a chamois and you leave a thin film of water and that kills the screen as well.
4. I have tried the Mesa's but the OS is a a bit clunky and they are a bit too small for me. There is a PRO coming out and they are aiming for IP67, but not there yet (not to mention the price)
5. I do use a stylus at times, but when the screen gets wet its not good.

I am looking for a way to use the iPad in the wet (hyrdophobic/phylic film), stylus only (havent cracked that one yet), apple pencil, other brnads (GETAC, etc)?

Anyone got the answer?

We used Ventus Pro on a cheap Fire Table.  The tablet is tucked under a hard-dodger, but is easily seen from the helm.  Worked well for us in 2022 PacCup.  Displayed performance data and course to target, etc. 
Mark
s/v Chance
 

I have played with a few options, but most recently, some 6mm bungee as a shoulder strap to the two bottom connectors (need to make small dyneema loops on the mesa to attach the bungee to). This is so can lift to view when over shoulder - I always wear with the screen away from the body.

I wear it not around the neck, but with my head and one arm through this.

Then, some 4mm bungee to the top lugs (bottom when over shoulder), with a clip on on one end. This is to go around the waist. This keeps the mesa from swinging around, and can 'park' it on your back when grinding/hiking etc, but easily returned to the front and raised to view the screen.

Lengths/tension personal preference, the bungee is only so can pull the screen into view, then easily put away. So my setup is comfortably mounted with the around waist bungee at about belt level, and the bungee almost slack when sitting there. 

I set P1 to toggle touch screen on/off, P2 to access the windows keyboard and P3 to turn screen off.

I was wondering if the Orca marine tablet would be a good answer. Supposedly bright, runs for 8 hours and doesn’t turn off when hot. Runs Android.

I’m not affiliated. I bought their core and like it, support is nice, although they are somewhat drowned in requests about their navigation app.

https://panbo.com/orca-offers-smart-navigation-with-your-tablet-or-theirs/?utm_source=mailerlite&utm_medium=email&utm_term=2023-09-21&utm_campaign=Free+App+User+Onboarding+V3+-+Phase+3