What hardware and Linux distro would you use in this situation?
The distro isn't likely to be a factor here. Any (non-super-specialized) distro will be able to solve issues in about the same way.
I mean, any recommendation is going to just be people mentioning their preferred distro.
I don't know whether saltwater exposure is a concern. If so, that may impose some constraints on heat generation (if you have to have it and storage hardware in a waterproof case).