Conversion of Motorcycle Bluetooth Headsets to Boat Headsets....

[Sumner]

We were looking for an option for good communication between the helm and the bow of the Endeavour as we plan on anchoring most always. Previously we had bought a pair of headsets for a little under $100 that you see advertise for boating. We personally didn't find them to be very good as the reception was not always dependable and/or clear. We bought a Suzuki 650 V-Strom for road trips in 2016 and at that time bought some rather expensive ($300 for a pair) Bluetooth speakers and mics for our helmets. They work great and are well worth the money.

You can also get them in a headset model, but then we would have to spend a bunch of money all over again. After thinking on it, I got to thinking I might be able to use a pair of Harbor Freight noise reduction earmuffs and attach the Bluetooth controller, speakers and mic to the ear muffs.

Above is one of our helmets with the Sena parts in place... here ...

... the parts have been moved to a $3.00 Harbor Freight noise reduction pair of earmuffs.

The mic and earphones had Velcro all ready attached to them for the helmet application. I cut some Velcro tape and used it to hold the earphones in the muffs and also the mike to the outside of one muff. Electrical tape was wrapped around one side of the crosspiece between the mutts to make it thicker. Then the control unit was slid on and held with the same hardware that holds it to the helmet. This isn't a cheap build if you need to buy the Sena Bluetooth parts, but if you ride a motorcycle and already have the Bluetooth gear for less than $10 you can convert it to work on the boat and when back home again move it back to the motorcycle helmets. It only took about 15 minutes to convert the HF earmuffs. We have tried them at home and they work great so should also work fine on the boat.

I have a little more on the conversion here....

http://1fatgmc.com/boat/end-1/Endeavour-electronics/page-1.html

Sumner
=================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

 

[Ken Cross]

Thanks. That's a creative solution.

Ken

 

[Mark Maulden]

Hand signals? I dont think the admiral and I have said one word to each other during anchoring..We’ve been complimented on by nearby anchored boats...

 

[Sumner]

Hand signals?..

I thought that would come up . I've used them for a long time also and also have done a lot of solo anchoring with the Mac but feel the Endeavour is a little different.

There is a dodger to consider, this is new to Dottie, I'll be busy with both hands bringing the anchor rode in and dealing with a hand windlass when I get to the chain. We have the Bluetooth devices so why not use them? I posted mainly because I know there are some other motorcycle guys/gals on here and this might benefit them also . We hope to be out 3 months on the hook every night so I think I'll take advantage of the gear we already had.

Saying that I'm sure there will still be some hand signals involved and have nothing against them,

Sumner
===============================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

 

[Ron20324]

During the Holiday Parade of Lights, the helm can not see ahead, due to the lighting. We use to use the headset (to get directions from the bow person), but as Sumner pointed out, they are not that great. Now we call from helm to bow person on the cell phones.

 

[jssailem]

we call from helm to bow person on the cell phones

If everyone is just standing there and has a free hand to hold the phone to there ear that would work fine.
I think the issue is while anchoring the hands are busy.
I bought a Bluetooth Ear bud "Voyager 5200" for use when driving (HANDS FREE). It is the best unit I have purchased. Clear communication even with the window down. Light weight. And best of all I will not be stopped by the Oregon and Washington State Patrol for talking on my phone. They might work as a substitute for Motorcycle sets..
Sumner. I really like the ingenuity you demonstrated in adapting your headsets. Economically creative.

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

Good idea to use cellphone Bluetooth earbuds and call between 2 phones - but that of course requires that you’re anchoring in an area with good cell service. Even here in southern New England, you can’t always rely on that in places.

 

[Roadking Larry]

I've got a pair of Navy "surplus" sound powered phone handsets I may need to put into service...

 

[Maine Sail]

We were looking for an option for good communication between the helm and the bow of the Endeavour as we plan on anchoring most always.

You might want consider practicing the hand signals though. They never break down, get wet and fail, require charging or a place to store them..... I've never had a need for anything other than hand signals in over 45 years on the water..

Nice project though....

 

[Sailm8]

Hand signals work for us too.
Closed fist in the air = stop/neutral
Palm facing helm = reverse
Palm facing bow = forward
Point in the direction to steer
Arm extended palm facing water and moved up and down = apply more power
Thump up = We're set

 

[Sumner]

If everyone is just standing there and has a free hand to hold the phone to there ear that would work fine.
I think the issue is while anchoring the hands are busy...

Exactly....

I've used hand signals on the Mac since day one with no problem but it is a different boat than the Endeavour and much easier to see the person on the bow. Setting anchor with hand signals is no big deal but retrieving it brings on another whole set of circumstances. The Mac is light enough that coming off anchor I do about everything on the bow as I can pull the boat to the anchor without assistance from the person on the helm. In fact on the 3 month Bahama trip there was no one on the helm and except for two nights in a slip in Bimini I anchored the rest of the time. We will do exactly the same if we get to take the Endeavour over and will always be anchored while in the states.

The Endeavour is 20,000+ lbs.. I'm not really able to pull the boat to the anchor so it is nice to have someone motor it there while I'm pulling in the rode. This results in both of my hands being pretty busy pulling and stuffing the rode into the locker. They need directions on where to go and when to throttle the engine on and off and when to stop. Ruth and I did it when we moved the boat to the yard and spent some time on anchor on the way but the communications gear will sure make that easier.

I'd be interested in those of you that have posted sharing how you come off anchor if you don't have a windlass and have a heavy boat. Do you all use a windlass to get off anchor?

When we moved the Endeavour we managed with hand signals OK but it was only for a few nights and the conditions were favorable coming off anchor. One other factor creeping into this is age. I'm almost 74 and don't have the strength I use to for sure. When we moved the boat I was in my 60's and was able to pull the anchor and chain by hand.

I have added a manual windlass since then so that is going to help, but will be slow and it will be nice to talk to Dottie while I'm dealing with pulling the chain and anchor up, especially if conditions aren't so good.

Again the purpose of the post wasn't trying to get people to use communication gear but to let those that might have the gear realize that there was a cheap way to adept it to a boating situation,

Sumner
=========================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

 

[WayneH]

The Admiral and I have a set of headsets from our previous helmets and have been talking about something like this for the boat. I still bring the anchor rode and chain in by hand so having a hands-free way to say "Your boat" is always a good thing.

We are currently using our FRS radios but I have to stop weighing anchor to wipe my hand off and press the transmit button right now.

 

[agprice22]

$50 solution to a .05 problem. I am famous for them! My wife and I used headsets. She actually bought them, but eventually we just settled into not using them. Hand signals never fail. No batteries, no wires, no frequencies, no pairing, no, no, no... trouble.

 

[CarlN]

We were in the "hand signals" group until we tried a Sena SPH 10. Best stress reliever we've found in years. Hand signals are usually fine for anchoring but they fall far short for picking up a mooring in a larger boat where the person at the helm can't see the mooring for the last 15ft or so. The person at the bow has no hands available for signals as he's holding a boathook and reaching over the side. Because I can judge speed and wind/current effect better than my wife I'm on the bow and my wife at the helm. I "talk" her onto the pin (Forward, slight right, straight, neutral, back slow, neutral, more right, straight, back, back more, secure). The Sena (similar to the OP's solution but already with a headband) is like talking in a quiet room even when the wind is howling on the bow. I don't know how they do it. We almost always now get the mooring on the first try. No yelling, no stress, no tension. They aren't cheap but they removed one of the few remaining tense boat handling moments. Again, we don't usually wear the headphones for just anchoring.

 

[Ron20324]

If everyone is just standing there and has a free hand to hold the phone to there ear that would work fine..

Get modern, JS. They now make headsets for cell phones

 

[gettinthere]

this keeps coming up, hand signals vs headsets. One hand is on the washdown hose and one hand is on the manual windlass crank; so what do I use to signal, butt cheeks?
Hand signals work ok, headsets work better. You luddites need to describe how you refuse to use chartplotters and GPS and autopilot and engines when you sail.

 

[Sumner]

$50 solution to a .05 problem. I am famous for them! My wife and I used headsets. She actually bought them, but eventually we just settled into not using them. Hand signals never fail. No batteries, no wires, no frequencies, no pairing, no, no, no... trouble.

Actually less than a $10 modification and 15-30 minutes of time. Sorry that you ended up spending money for headsets that weren't very good. We have used these extensively on the motorcycle and they have never given us the problems you experienced or what we did with a previous pair and as CarlN said it is "like talking in a quiet room even when the wind is howling on the bow."

Again, I didn't make this post to try and convince anyone they should buy a headset, though "gettinthere" and others have shown they aren't a step backwards. The purpose of the post was that if you had these parts and were using them on a motorcycle, snowmobile or something else you could convert them very easily and inexpensively to a boating application. I doubt there would be many on here that would turn them down if they could have them for less than $10 and 30 minutes of time.

I'm still waiting on someone with a 15,000+ lb. boat that doesn't have an electric windlass to post on how easy it is to bring in the anchor and rode hand over hand and still be able to easily give hand signals, since that has come up. Can it be done? Obviously and we have done it but a headset, if you are setup like this is sure a big help,

Sumner
======================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

 

[Stu Jackson]

I'd be interested in those of you that have posted sharing how you come off anchor if you don't have a windlass and have a heavy boat. Do you all use a windlass to get off anchor?

Sumner,

In the 18 years we sailed in San Francisco, with no windlass, we'd anchor in 12 to 20 feet of water. 50 feet of 1/4" chain and 1/2" rode.

When together, we'd use hand signals to drop and retrieve. But just like when singlehanding, we'd either slowly pull up to the anchor manually sitting on the foredeck, in no hurry, or we'd goose the engine a bit and coast forward. Being "directly" in line with the anchor was never an issue - even if you're off to the side a bit, you're still moving closer to it and have created slack in the rode so you can pull it in. Unless it is blowing heavily, being directly in line with the anchor when engaging the engine is simply not required.

Now that I've moved to the southwestern corner of British Columbia with its deeper anchorages, I have to address the lack of a windlass. I have, though, found at least two nice anchorages that are still only 20 feet!

I don't know about the characteristics of your manual windlass, but I suggest that until the chain is straight "up&down" you could most likely pull it in faster by hand than with the manual windlass.

Good luck, nice to see you back and on the Endeavor. Have fun, I know how hard it is for you to do that!

 

[capta]

I'm with Mark and Maine Sail.
The helmsman (person) uses one finger for each 10 feet of depth now and then, repeated back to the person on the helm by the person forward and acknowledged with the OK signal by the helmsman, and a drop signal. What else is there to discuss when anchoring? We all have our preference as to how much scope we use, so the person dropping the anchor knows exactly how much scope to let out for the depth, each time.
As we only back down on the anchor if we are Med mooring or anchoring in a flat calm, we're both on the foredeck to let out any additional scope, should it be necessary and to set up the snub, after the pick is down.
Same with the occasional mooring. Fingers for distance and an arm or boathook for direction. Easy peasy.

 

[capta]

I'm still waiting on someone with a 15,000+ lb. boat that doesn't have an electric windlass to post on how easy it is to bring in the anchor and rode hand over hand and still be able to easily give hand signals, since that has come up. Can it be done? Obviously and we have done it but a headset, if you are setup like this is sure a big help,

Sumner
======================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas

I really can't imagine anyone using an anchor 45# plus and the appropriate chain who cruises extensively without an electric windlass, unless they have more than 2 on board. Hand signals aside, we have seen several boats with manual windlasses come very close to seriously damaging, if not flat out losing their boats, in late night or early morning squalls here in the eastern Caribbean.
One very nearly caught our anchor as the helmsperson could not hold the boat into the wind and was pushed across our anchor chain with the anchor dragging on the bottom after breaking free. It took them around 45 minutes to get their anchor aboard in 60 knots of wind in that squall.
We pull our chain at a rate of 60 feet per minute, in any amount of wind. No need to hold the boat into the wind for extended periods or worry about dragging our anchor across the bottom after it has broken free. An electric windlass is a safety tool, not a convenience. A really cheap insurance policy for those who cruise extensively.