Headsets (relationship savers)

We had always glossed over the idea of headsets. They seemed a bit over the top…like something only super-yachts or race boats used. But, my oh my, how wrong we were. 

Our lightbulb moment came while we were sailing with our friends aboard Ticket To Ride. We watched them calmly work together to pull up anchor and set sail so effortlessly, it was inspiring.

They didn't have to rely on hand signals (although they still used them) and there were none of the oh so typical "I can't hear you" or "stop yelling at me". They could focus on the task at hand instead of making hand signals. Then of course, they could actually hear each other. No matter how loud the wind (or the extra crew) was, there were no miscommunications or delays on actions or quick maneuver's needed. By the end of our two weeks together, we knew we had to have a set for ourselves.

We've found our headsets come in handy for calm communications while catching a mooring ball, docking, going up the mast, putting up sails, working in a tech space or in an engine bay...and I could go on and on.

There's no more yelling from opposite ends of the boat. Or getting so frustrated that your first mate isn't doing what you need, that you throw them overboard.

There are several brands and options out there. But we learned there are a few key things you want to look for.

• Mesh: This creates a network between all the comms devices, so an entire group can communicate on one network. Basically a Bluetooth connection is only between 2 headsets, and a mesh network allows more than 2. This is great if you have crew on board.
• Fit: Not to big, not to small but just right. They have to be comfortable or you won't want to wear them. Some fit like a pair of headphones a DJ would wear. Which is great if you are a DJ but not if you have lines whipping around your head and still want to hear what's happening around you. Some resemble in ear pods that would pair with your phone. Those are too flimsy and bound to fall out.
• Noise Reduction: Some have automatic noise reduction built in to reduce wind or other ambient noises. Just to be clear, noise reduction is not noise cancelling. It's important to be able to hear what's happening around you on a boat, if you remove all background noise it would not be safe.

After a lot of searching, I landed on headsets from SENA. They sit on the ears (they don't go over the ears) so you can still hear ambient noise, for example if someone from the dock is yelling at you. The band across the back of the head keeps the headset securely on our noggins, even while doing "boat yoga" in a bilge or anchor locker. They are purpose built for high wind and they reduce background noise. So we can hear each other no matter what's getting thrown at us. But don't worry, there is a mute button...and trust me, it's handy.

• Multisport (most affordable):  amzn.to/3Bihp2h
• Crew Headset (most waterproof):  amzn.to/3TKRxCm

On Ticket To Ride they used the Eartech headsets. The audio was clear, they have a removeable battery for easy charging, they are comfortable to wear and the overall quality was good. The headset only covers one ear, leaving the other ear open to hear ambient noise. A quick flip up of the microphone and it goes into mute mode. We ultimately decided against these because they were bulky, and near the end of our trip, a line hit the headset, flipped it off Frank's head and threw it into the water...unfortunately it was not waterproof. But, if over the ear style is your preference I can solidly recommend these as a good option.

• Eartech Ultralite:  amzn.to/4h0AQ05
• They now offer a similar product to the SENA, if you want to compare: amzn.to/4eFqctU