2 way headphones

[tjsabo]

Eartech single ear all the way, and after 3 years both marriage and headsets going strong.
I used a rawhide shoelace and an alligator clip....just fasten to your collar and you are ready to rock and roll

 

[Circumnavigator]

We have four Eartechs. As noted above, it can be hard to be sure the slaves are turned off, so removing the batteries is a good idea -- very easy to do. It's great to be able to ask the line handler to give instructions to the helper on the dock rather than shouting or using the PA. The admiral won't leave the dock without them.


They're about eight years old and the foam earpieces are getting a little ratty, but otherwise they're great.



Jim

 

[Waywego]

@Circumnavigator our Eartech foam earpads started shedding and making a big mess, so we replaced them with these ones:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TJG9Z6Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

So far, they are working great. If anyone is going the change out the earpads, you can rotate the backing plate to remove it, which makes the replacement much easier.

 

[SteveK]

Talkie - Wi-Fi Calling, Chats, File Sharing

I found this app Talkie - Wi-Fi Calling, Chats, File Sharing today free on google play. It works by WIFI without internet between cell phones, and you can have a Bluetooth headset too.
We tested it with internet cable pulled out and find it will work well.

It took a while to figure out it defaults to the phone icon, has speaker phone option, but Bluetooth option only comes available when the headset is turned on and paired.

So if you have a WIFI router on the boat, two cell phones with Bluetooth headsets or earpiece, give it try.

 

[Simi 60]

Never had them,
Hand signals have always worked
Been a long time in boats together, it becomes instinctive
If there's an issue a few steps out and we talk.
You can see the distance from helm to anchor in avatar.

 

[READY]

Talkie looks useful but there is no information about data safety so I would have concerns about loading the app. Probably harmless but...?

 

[Halinbrier]

Eartech Headphones

We bought the Eartech 2-way headphones last year from Amazon. WE also bought an extra set of batteries so we are sure to always have a fully charged pair.

https://www.amazon.com/Eartec-UL2S-...ocphy=9033278&hvtargid=pla-567985932896&psc=1

Has really reduced the stress of departure and docking. Pricey, but worth it!

 

[sjisailor]

+2 from bosun and admiral for EarTec. Just be sure to get an extra set of batteries, and take the battery out of the second set when not in use. Very easy to leave it on and run the battery down. Otherwise they are excellent and have always worked perfectly.

 

[greatpapabear]

We bought the Eartech 2-way headphones last year from Amazon. WE also bought an extra set of batteries so we are sure to always have a fully charged pair.

https://www.amazon.com/Eartec-UL2S-...ocphy=9033278&hvtargid=pla-567985932896&psc=1

Has really reduced the stress of departure and docking. Pricey, but worth it!

Exactly what we did. never looked back. Really excellent.

 

[mvweebles]

Never had them,
Hand signals have always worked
Been a long time in boats together, it becomes instinctive
If there's an issue a few steps out and we talk.
You can see the distance from helm to anchor in avatar.

+1 for hand signals for anchoring and mooring. Even though the distance between flybridge and fordeck is short on our boat, and conversation easy, we find hand signals more intuitive and definitive. There are only a few signals that need to be communicated. I cannot think of one that is better communicated via words vs hand signals.

For a couple, communication seems smoothest where both individuals have experience at the helm and as crew. In anchoring and mooring, crew needs to assume control of the boat - helmsman is following crew's lead. Difficult for crew to confidently assume control if they do not have experience at the helm.

Peter

 

[ranger58sb]

In our case, my Admiral can see me at the bow and when I'm there I can see her at the helm. Decent for anchoring or attaching to a mooring ball.

Anywhere else on deck neither of us can see the other. Not so decent for docking.

-Chris

 

[rslifkin]

Hand signals work fine for us for anchoring. Docking is where headsets might come in handy. If I have the center windshield open, we can talk if plans change or anything while docking, but if it's closed, we can't hear each other, so headsets would sometimes come in handy. That said, the good ones are expensive enough that I can't justify the cost relative to how often we'd need them and other things that money could be spent on.

 

[mvweebles]

Hand signals work fine for us for anchoring. Docking is where headsets might come in handy. If I have the center windshield open, we can talk if plans change or anything while docking, but if it's closed, we can't hear each other, so headsets would sometimes come in handy. That said, the good ones are expensive enough that I can't justify the cost relative to how often we'd need them and other things that money could be spent on.

Totally agree they are useful for docking. The OP was focused on mooring, and I took care to limit comments to anchoring and mooring.

Comms when docking warrants it's own thread. Headsets may allow you to hear one another, but no guarantee there will be effective or useful communication.

Peter

 

[TheFatTick]

So quick question on the Eartecs: can you use the one headphone on either ear? Every illustration I’ve seen has it set up to be on the right ear, but my right ear doesn’t really work.

 

[guy with a boat]

So quick question on the Eartecs: can you use the one headphone on either ear? Every illustration I’ve seen has it set up to be on the right ear, but my right ear doesn’t really work.

They work fine on either ear. The mic swings down either way so its no problem to switch sides.

 

[sjisailor]

I always wear it on left ear, no problem!