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Old 12-19-2018, 11:59 AM   #1
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headset comms for helm to foredeck

We are finally giving up on hand signals from the helm to the foredeck while anchoring or docking. What's everybody using? I assume some are better than others, especially in windy conditions.Usually I handle the anchor and my wife runs the boat, so it will be nice to talk her through the motions rather than using vague hand signs.Thanks in advance.
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Old 12-19-2018, 02:13 PM   #2
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Eartec Ultralites

After reading lots of online discussions and talking with a friend who had them, I bought a set of Eartec Ultralites. After a couple of trips using them, I am happy with the choice.

The communication improvement is tremendous. I can’t tell you how nice it is to have an ongoing conversation with everyone involved (I have 4 headsets) with no yelling or hand waving. Anchoring and docking are much easier with conversation instead of hand signals.

One comment on the Ultralites is that they use a push button on/off switch and its not as easy as it could be to know if its off or on. We have had a couple times when the user pushed the button and thought it was off, but actually was still on and ran the battery down while sitting on the shelf. Just takes awareness and overall it was an excellent purchase.

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Old 12-19-2018, 03:06 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by woodscrew View Post
We are finally giving up on hand signals from the helm to the foredeck while anchoring or docking. What's everybody using? I assume some are better than others, especially in windy conditions.Usually I handle the anchor and my wife runs the boat, so it will be nice to talk her through the motions rather than using vague hand signs.Thanks in advance.
Wood,

I use the Eartec Ultralight ones and they are great. If I were buying again, I might consider the other ones (forget the name), also with a good reputation, just because they wrap around the back of the neck and might be less likely to fall off.

But mine have not fallen off... yet.
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Old 12-19-2018, 05:07 PM   #4
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Eartech UltraLITE


https://www.amazon.com/Eartec-UltraL.../dp/B01LOKU8KQ


As a side story. We were anchored out a couple of weeks ago and we had the head sets on. My wife was at the bow watching the anchor chain and she started to give me the usual had signals for the direction of the chain and how much more the anchor had to come up. I looked at her thru the windshield and said into the mic "You know you can talk to me".
Old habits die hard.


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Old 12-19-2018, 05:38 PM   #5
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We bought the Sena SPH10 headsets and like others, they completely improved (calmed down) communication when docking, locking or anchoring. They go around the back of your neck which is a big advantage when you look down to grab lines, adjust fenders or set an anchor but unlike the Eartec you can't easily "pause" them so they are always on. 90% of the time this is fine but when you talk to guests on deck or are chatting with others in a lock, or dockhands it can be distracting - sometimes embarrassing

More than once I've said to my wife "You know I can hear you right?"
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Old 12-19-2018, 05:46 PM   #6
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We have used the Sena SPH10 headsets as well. Great performance. I can't imagine anything working any better.
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Old 12-19-2018, 05:59 PM   #7
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We purchased a set of Sena Expand headsets last year and the difference is phenomenal. You hardly even know they are on your head and can talk whenever you want with no buttons to push or radios on your belt. Love them.
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Old 12-19-2018, 08:09 PM   #8
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We have the Sena SPH10 and they are great. I don't know who they compare to the Eartecs. In addition to all the other uses, we use them to communicate between the boat and dink when we stern tie. Very helpful.
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Old 12-19-2018, 10:57 PM   #9
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We have used the Sena SPH10 headsets as well. Great performance. I can't imagine anything working any better.
Same here!
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Old 12-20-2018, 03:30 AM   #10
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We purchased a set of Sena Expand headsets last year and the difference is phenomenal. You hardly even know they are on your head and can talk whenever you want with no buttons to push or radios on your belt. Love them.
Difference between Expand and SPH10?
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Old 12-20-2018, 07:09 AM   #11
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SENA SPH10. So far, so good.

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Old 12-20-2018, 05:52 PM   #12
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Bought a set of Eartec.


First response from the wife - "I look like an air traffic controller, I am not going to wear those".


She tried them once for docking, now she will not be without them. Her comment #1 boating accessory.


This past week I was moving the boat from Charleston to south FL. Wife had commitments, she couldn't go.


Grabbed a friend go with me who is retired. Life long working in marine industry. A solid "old Salt" who chuckled and cajoled me about "headsets".


First day about to leave the dock, I convinced him to try it. After that - he was the first to go grab the headsets when we were close to coming in.


They really make it nice.
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Old 12-20-2018, 06:56 PM   #13
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Sena SPH10..I like that I can use them to Bluetooth to my phone for tech support calls, and listen to music while working in the engine room. The microphones unplug if you don't need it.
We lost an Eartec headset radio piece over the side, and had a constant battle keeping batteries working in them.
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Old 12-31-2018, 12:51 PM   #14
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We have the Eartech units. We call them "marriage savers". When cruising alone, we often wear them all day. You can have a normal conversation with your partner when either of you is anywhere on the boat. We like that. If one of you goes up the dock, it can get a bit weird. If you lift the boom mic over your head, it cuts off, so that is one way to maintain some privacy. One problem is that my wife has a rather small head. She has trouble on occasion when handling lines or the anchor with the headset falling off. Me not so much, since my head is rather larger. I guess that means I have to do the lines while she drives the boat. We also have 2 sets of batteries, one in the headsets and one in the charger. If one of the headsets gets sporadic, change both. How did people actually go places on boats without high tech and computers?
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Old 12-31-2018, 01:10 PM   #15
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Sena SPH10 - first thing we bought after closing the deal on the boat. A little fiddly to get paired up at first but they really do the job.
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Old 12-31-2018, 01:24 PM   #16
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Difference between Expand and SPH10?
Not a whole lot from what I could gather. The Sph10 comes with 2 mics and has an aux in port for importing music from other devices and not what we wanted them for.
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Old 12-31-2018, 02:14 PM   #17
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We love our Eartecs, but I'm sure the Senas are great, too, from all the comments. I doubt you'll be disappointed with either of them.
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Old 12-31-2018, 02:27 PM   #18
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Sorry if absurd; but I've always thought we'd use walkie-talkies with handsfree earbuds and mics. Sure is a lot cheaper and can't beat the range -voice activated too.
Am I missing something?
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Old 12-31-2018, 05:22 PM   #19
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Sorry if absurd; but I've always thought we'd use walkie-talkies with handsfree earbuds and mics. Sure is a lot cheaper and can't beat the range -voice activated too.
Am I missing something?
To each his own. We didn't want a radio on our belt or any wires as well the Senas voice does not activate, you can both talk at the same time, like a normal conversation. No comparison but if $ motivate you that's a personal choice.
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Old 12-31-2018, 09:26 PM   #20
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We use Eartech Ultralights and love them.
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