Communicating On Deck From Bow To Stern

[Hudson Force]

I see that people are using some communication for docking. This just doesn't happen with us,- there's nothing to say. The person at the helm is making the decisions and sees the position of the boat and it's reaction with the current, wind and dock.

We go with the woman at the helm as a couple and myself, with more upper body strength and agility, acting as the deck monkey for any needed pushing off of pilings and cowboying loops of line on the pilings.

I've seen far to many hefty males yelling from the helm while fingering the delicate throtle and shifter controls. They seem to be yelling at a small woman out on the bow instructing them to fend off or lasso a piling.

Take a stand for sanity and get the smaller person at the helm! Well, unless you have such a large boat that there is no agility or strength that the boat responds to!

[DCRRenaissance]

Ok thanks everyone for your time.

[Evenstar]

We use hand signals too. We confirm the anchoring depth this way as well, since you can't see the depth numbers from the bow.

We tried the Marriage Savers. Total POS as far as I could see, couldn't hear each other from one end of the boat to the other, picked up more static and interference than any actual conversations.

We can't cost justify the money for a dual talk setup when we work together just fine with hand signals.


I can't get my wife to take the helm for dockings, she just won't do it.

[Mike OReilly]

Another vote for hand signals for most close-quarters work. We went from newbie yelling (and entertaining the anchorage), to headsets, to hand signals. The headsets work OK, after a while they just became redundant.

[weavis]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Another vote for hand signals for most close-quarters work. We went from newbie yelling (and entertaining the anchorage), to headsets, to hand signals. The headsets work OK, after a while they just became redundant.

hand signals between regular sailing partners develop naturally.
Nephew and me, whether Im forward or on the helm or vice versa are easy to understand.

Although sometimes his youthful gung ho unrestrained daredevil nature will provoke an exclamation in a loud voice.

After a third unsuccessful docking attempt in high winds and his insistence that we try the same failed method for a fourth time, I did shout...... "OY #^%!Tard! Will you ever try listening to me for a change?" Then we both fell about laughing because we dont use voice in giving and receiving deck instructions......

kids.

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

I've seen far to many hefty males yelling from the helm while fingering the delicate throtle and shifter controls. They seem to be yelling at a small woman out on the bow instructing them to fend off or lasso a piling.

Take a stand for sanity and get the smaller person at the helm! Well, unless you have such a large boat that there is no agility or strength that the boat responds to!

I'm always amazed at this - the man is almost having a seizure and screaming at his wife, frequently with so many contrary instructions that no one could follow them, the woman is trying her best and is, rightfully so, completely embarassed at the spectacle they are making of themselves.

After seeing this a couple of times - why do men wonder that their wives don't want to go sailing?

We split the helmsmans duties about 50/50 so both of us stay in practice re: being helmsman and being linesman. Generally we're both good enough that upper body stregth is not an issue, since we lay the boat neatly in where it is supposed to go. If the wind is reallly strong - my wife takes the helm so I can use my upper body strength if necessary.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, DCReaissance.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by carstenb

We split the helmsmans duties about 50/50 so both of us stay in practice re: being helmsman and being linesman. Generally we're both good enough that upper body stregth is not an issue.

This is our practice as well; 50/50 for pretty much everything. When underway we alternate daily between deck duties and helm duties. Deck includes managing foredeck work for docking/anchoring.

We have a heavy boat, so my slight additional strength rarely makes that much difference anyway. If we're into a situation where personal strength matters, then we're already in trouble .

[Prairie Chicken]

We used hand signals for 20+ years on the First 375 but found when we got the 43DS we needed some voice communication. Perhaps because the odd time you had to yell you were not heard at the helm of the 43DS. With a new boat & anchor & dodger the hand signals weren't adequate some of the time--the times you really wanted them!

We decided to give the Marriage Savers a try. I did a fair bit of research & you can get the Marriage Savers by Cruising Solutions for about $100 CAD, or go to a much better set for 4 x that. I talked to a few on CF who used them. We haven't been on the boat since getting them but my research indicated many different reviews on them, most positive but on the negative side, static was the most common complaint.

[boatman61]

Whats wrong with a whistle and the sound signals used by boats for Port, Stbd, Astern etc..

[ranger58sb]

It's possible -- sometimes, depending -- to use two different cell phones and the speakerphone capability.


We use several methods, partly weather (especially wind) dependent. Hand signals. Vocal via the loudhailer, which also acts as a receiver (especially useful for instruction dockhands). Family radios, sometimes with and sometimes without voice-activated headsets (Capt Force clearly describes the issue about delay when coupled with a VOX headset.) Occasionally the cellphone trick.


-Chris

[Dr. Sea]

Hand signals work well in most situations and they don't require any special equipment or batteries. However, sometimes you encounter unusual situations that are more complex than the standard set of hand signals will work for. And on some boats, such as the catamarans with roof lines extending over the "front porch", it may be impossible for the helmsman to have a clear sight of the person on the bow. When we anticipate these situations, my wife and I use the "marriage saver" headsets from Cruising Solutions. Since they are only turned on for a few minutes at a time, the batteries last pretty well (but we carry spare batteries in the headset case). Another benefit of the headsets is that the "mooring hooker" has both hands free to work. This may not be important if there are several crew handling boat hooks, lines, windlass controls, etc., but if there is only one person on the bow, it's a useful bonus. There are headsets that cost more and may be better or have more features, but these have worked well for us on a 50 foot boat.

[FamilyVan]

I don't think we use anything for docking. Spring line goes on first for us- there's nobody on the bow. But that doesn't answer your question.

I would recommend hand held submersible VHF radios and an appropriate working channel. They are much more versatile than a 2 way radio in a marine environment. I have 2 standard horizons. Not sure what the model number is, but they were about $70 each. One recommendation is, the cheapest ones only come with an A.C. charger. Go up a model to the one that includes an ac charger and a cigarette lighter/12 volt charger so you can recharge them without shore power.

Sent from my SGH-I547C using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[AZUS]

Here is a HELPFUL reply.

You can find the marriagesavers at:

https://cruisingsolutions.com/produc...aver-headsets/

These headsets are lighter, smaller and a bit more expensive. Can also handle up to 4 sets on multiplex if coordinating larger crew:

https://cruisingsolutions.com/produc...ooth-headsets/

[SVJennie]

Previously we used an inexpensive voice activated radio and it worked very well, especially so when my son was up the mast looking for coral heads while I was in the cockpit out of sight, under our hard dodger.

Now as I prepare for getting Jennie's keel wet again, based on good Amazon reviews, I have chosen the Midland GXT1000VP4 36-Mile 50-Channel FRS/GMRS Two-Way Radio. It can be used both on the boat and ashore, especially so in foreign countries where we won't have cell
(Yes Dear, go ahead and buy the 50 pound sack of potatoes, I will meet you there with the hand truck in five minutes).

And finally, audio directions can be a lot more specific, complimentary and reassuring than hand signals.