In boat communications

Some interesting options to consider. I'm clear in my mind, the Sena SPH10 and the Eartecs are better than anything that requires wires. I'll report back when I've made a decision.
The decision is actually quite pressing because my wife says I can't buy anything else for the boat until I've either repaired or replaced the headsets with something that doesn't require wires. We go through locks a lot and it's such an advantage to be able to communicate quietly and effectively.
 
MrB said:
It could be a "Tri-Wing" screw driver fitment like on some hand held games console's, they are small. Cheap as chips on ebay. or here Nintendo Console Screwdriver (Tri Wing)
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Could also be a pentalobe drive ie. 5 points on the star drive bit, they are used to hold the likes of iPhones together available at all good Amazon outlets.
Ie. like this: Precision Pentalobe Screwdriver Set P2 P5 P6 5-Point 5-Star 0.8 mm, 1.2 mm & 1.5 mm 3Pcs Pentalobe Screwdriver Bits Or Ts1 Ts4 Ts5 For Apple iPhone Macbook Pro, Air Retina Pentalobe Screwdriver: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

For the alarm system in one of my cars it uses bluetooth fobs and after a good number of years and replacements from the manufacturer they stopped making them, I opened up one found out the battery type and ordered up new batteries from Amazon, each fob took 4 large flat cells, I soldered them together, fitted them to the fob and hey presto the system worked again, no more phone calls from the monitoring service about the fob not connecting.
 
longjohnsilver said:
Do as I do. Just shout, Debbie jumps to attention and then screams obscenities back at me. Keeps everyone entertained. We managed to empty the river Yealm a few years back, had the whole pontoon to ourselves ;)
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I have conveyed your message to Frances who responds that she has never jumped to attention in her life, that the idea of doing so for me is laughable, and she doesn't know any obscenities.
My favourite story about partners on boats was told to me at Swanwick by someone who said he observed the whole thing. Approaching Mobo held off pontoon by wind, and it's raining. Helm shouts at Crew to get on to the pontoon with a line and warp boat in. Crew protests that the gap is too wide. 'Jump, you stupid cow!', shouts Helm to Crew. Crew jumps, slides right across pontoon, falls in other side. Helped out by observer. Crew walks down pontoon to car park, gets in car, goes home. Shortly afterwards boat is on the market and broker says it's a divorce sale.
 
This thread prompted me to dust off our virtually unused Senas, they seemed to charge up , will soon see if they hold their charge. Probably only been used half a dozen times or less in about 10 years.
I have the opposite problem to the chap in your tale, I keep telling Debs that she most definitely does not jump, it’s up to me to get the boat alongside the pontoon so she can just step down. Definitely no jumping.

We went to L'Aberwrach about 10 years ago, a chap on the pontoon helpfully took one of our lines just as I was coming alongside, somehow he contrived to do a forward somersault between our 27 tonnes of boat and the pontoon. Debs let out a scream for me to stop and not squash him, luckily he popped up still wearing his glasses and was quickly retrieved wet but otherwise unharmed. But then he said he couldn’t see properly. Both lenses had come out of his glasses. I felt honour bound to don my scuba gear and look for them, unfortunately after half an hour underwater neither was seen. He didn’t seem too bothered, said he had a spare pair on board his yacht. No harm done, still don’t know how he managed to end up in the water, the outer pontoon there is very wide, so I guess he must have tripped over something.
 
longjohnsilver said:
Do as I do. Just shout
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That's actually a technique I agree with, and which works just fine - tried and tested!
Which btw is the reason why I resisted the temptation to buy any kind of intercom so far, and probably always will.
The key point is agreeing as much as possible in advance, to avoid needing any communication at all, let alone shouting.
Of course, there will always be the odd occasion when saying something is necessary.
But as long as it remains an exception rather than the norm, shouting is a great way to grab immediate attention.
Hence even better than any intercom system, arguably.
I had to resort to shouting only once during last season, and that was only because a guest did something he shouldn't have done.
Even swmbo tolerated that. (y)
 
MapisM said:
That's actually a technique I agree with, and which works just fine - tried and tested!
Which btw is the reason why I resisted the temptation to buy any kind of intercom so far, and probably always will.
The key point is agreeing as much as possible in advance, to avoid needing any communication at all, let alone shouting.
Of course, there will always be the odd occasion when saying something is necessary.
But as long as it remains an exception rather than the norm, shouting is a great way to grab immediate attention.
Hence even better than any intercom system, arguably.
I had to resort to shouting only once during last season, and that was only because a guest did something he shouldn't have done.
Even swmbo tolerated that. (y)
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Yes, well before berthing i will always explain to Debs, my usual crew, what exactly I want her to do, not forgetting to remind her what she should tell anyone ashore who is kind enough to offer to help. Almost always it’s get a bow spring on first, almost all helpers want to make off on a cleat well in front of the bows whereas I usually want it about 1/3 of the way back towards mid ships.

Prior preparation means no shouting needed. And I’m quite happy to berth single handed, just a bit more preparation needed.

I guess that’s why we’ve almost never used the Sena headsets.
 
Here's another idea:
Big loudspeaker mounted as high up as possible. High volume, 500Db or thereabouts. Hear it in the next harbour.
Radio mike so skipper can bellow instructions to crew over loudspeaker without being impeded by wires.
Lots of advantages:
Skipper controls crew and can drown out their complaints/arguments/insults/threats of mutiny.
Crew is anxious to get things right first time to avoid the embarrassment of being bellowed at.
Very effective in locks - skipper can instruct lock-keeper how to manage the lock.
Attracts an audience (especially in locks) and makes skipper seem important.
Also can be used to complain about mooring fees when passing marina offices.
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Maybe not.
 
longjohnsilver said:
Yes, well before berthing i will always explain to Debs, my usual crew, what exactly I want her to do, not forgetting to remind her what she should tell anyone ashore who is kind enough to offer to help. Almost always it’s get a bow spring on first, almost all helpers want to make off on a cleat well in front of the bows whereas I usually want it about 1/3 of the way back towards mid ships.

Prior preparation means no shouting needed. And I’m quite happy to berth single handed, just a bit more preparation needed.

I guess that’s why we’ve almost never used the Sena headsets.
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Yep agree with all that, only difference is, I explain to SWMBO exactly what to do well in advance, and she does exactly what she thinks is best, and then shouts aloud as we're approaching the berth 'over to STB, I mean Port and then, we're all going to die' and at that point, I know we are precisely 1m from hitting the pontoon. Married for 45 years, it just seems to work:)
 
Update.

Following the suggestion above I bought a cheap pair of headsets (mic + earpieces), hard-wired to 3,5mm jack plugs which go into our cellphones. It's a viable option, but inconvenient, it won't work where there is no cell signal, and they look grotesque.
https://www.argos.co.uk/product/7225101?clickSR=slp:term:headset:10:230:1

I ordered a new pair of Sena SPH10 headsets. Our original supplier Sabre has no stock and no plans to re-order. So I ordered from a motorcycle shop who had them in stock according to their website, paid for them, waited, then got a message that their wholsesaler was out of stock and there was no known date for delivery. Thankfully I got my money back.

I then learned via the Nordhavn Owners Group that the way into the Sena headsets is not via the visible screw-like things on the outside, but via 5 No. screws which become visible if you twist the earpiece off. So I am now into the Senas and new replacement batteries are on their way (LiPo, 3.7V, 450 mAh). Unfortunately the new batteries come with bare wires and I haven't been able to find connectors - see this thread for the full story:- Micro cable connector for new LiPo battery

I can't remember if this has already been posted but I now know that the failure of the original batteries is almost certainly because I fried them - the charging range is ~5V & 0,5A with a maximum 1,0 A. I'll start the search for a suitable charger next week.
 
EJEAS Vnetphone Professional Football Referee Bluetooth Intercom, V6C Full Duplex 1200M Wireless BT Interphone With Hi-Fi Speaker for Soccer and Handball Referees
I bought 2 of these - perfect and do not attach to helmet
 
nw04jen said:
EJEAS Vnetphone Professional Football Referee Bluetooth Intercom, V6C Full Duplex 1200M Wireless BT Interphone With Hi-Fi Speaker for Soccer and Handball Referees
I bought 2 of these - perfect and do not attach to helmet
Click to expand...
It looks to me as though this requires a lead between the headset and the transmitter/receiver. If so, it doesn`t match the utility of the Sena where all you need is in the headset. I don`t much like the idea of deck crew working with wires hanging around waiting to get trapped in a fender line, etc.
 
Guess the difference is about £100 which multiplied by 2-4 adds up - does require a lead, similar to a simple headphone lead which with any minimal weight / adverse tension would simply break away - can attach the transmitter to the top of your arm - approx 12 inches from your ear and work upto 1500m so handy if someone heads off in a tender as well - Sena for sure more user friendly but if need 2-4 then looking at circa £3-600
Even more user friendly would be crew so wouldnt even need the Sena!
 
Assuming the cost is not an impediment, is the Sena SPH10 still the recommended solution? Last time we were out on the boat it was very windy and found it difficult to communicate easily when berthing. My lovely wife suggested we get some kind of comms kit to make helm to crew conversations easier. So I'm after a pair of headsets. Have to be wireless and not dependent on a phone or a VHF. On paper the Sena fits the bill, happy to hear peoples' experiences.
 
They're expensive and I take the point that the batteries are not replaceable so you need to look after them. On the upside, they work brilliantly well. Easy and comfortable to use with excellent sound quality.
 
Further up the thread, you'll see that I ditched the Senas purely because the battery life became poorer and poorer and could not be replaced. Rather than buy another set that might well do the same, I bought a set of Eartecs.

Result! Full auto log-on (unlike the Senas) and they work magnificently. Battery life is simply enormous.

Another and unseen issue with the Senas, was that they would become entangled with the lifejacket or coat and be pulled off. The Eartecs, being over the head and not around the back of the head, stay clear of any potential entanglement.

So even if the Sena battery life wasn't a problem, we wouldn't go back to Sena.
 
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