Simultalk 24g

I've been reading for some time about the "marriage saver" headsets, with mostly mixed emotions. While I could see the advantage of them, I was really struggling to get past the appearance issue. To me, it seemed like one of those things that the Pretty Yacht People use, you know the "lookie me" crew.

Then we built the dodger. The dodger still holds the #1 spot on the most rewarding project list, but it does have one distinct disadvantage - it's hard to see around when you're anchoring or docking. About this time I read a review on the Simultalk 24g headsets. The review was very positive (almost to the point of gushing) and addressed two of the issues I had with the Mariner 500 headsets - price, and the tendency for them to get knocked off into the water. Amazon had the Simultalks at a really good price so I took the plunge and bought them.

We used the Simultalk this weekend for the first time and I have to say that I considered changing my rating system on this blog just so I could give this more than 5 stars. After using them several times this weekend here are my observations:

** We tested the range on the docks and were able to go several hundred yards down the dock before losing communications. This is much more than they had advertised. We got about a hundred yards with me inside the boat and Tim on the dock. With me outside the boat and Tim walking we got at least 200 yards and maybe 3. Kintala is 42 feet so this is excellent for us.

** We tested in 25 knot winds on the nose and the wind protectors on the microphones worked flawlessly.

** Communication is clear and full duplex so one person is not "stepping on" the other person's
communication, an extremely annoying feature of many headset pairs.

** We were able to use normal speaking voices and could hear each other clearly.

** We used them all weekend and they are still nearly fully charged.

Our experience with these headsets anchoring was a calm, quiet, controlled maneuver. The person on the bow was able to perform to full potential because smaller adjustments could be made in position rather than the ones that hand signals produce. At the helm, I was able to receive instructions such as "come about 5 degrees to port" or bump it into gear for just a second and then back to neutral."

The Simultalk 24g will be moving up quickly to the top of our  Most Valuable Equipment list.

Ed note: I contacted Eartec since writing this post to ask about a 12V charging option and I was told that they do not have a 12V adapter for these. We will need to use an inverter to charge them. Does this change my opinion?  Not in the least. That's how freaking beneficial these things are.

Charlie's Soap

This doesn't really fall under boat equipment, but it does fall under cruising stuff. My daughter has been using Charlie's Soap for a couple years because it's the only kind that doesn't cause her two sons to break out in a rash. It's incredibly concentrated - only one tablespoon per load, it's hypoallergenic, and it's non-toxic. It's also reasonably priced which is not something you can say about just any boat product.

It's not really designed as a laundry soap for boats, but there are a couple features that make it perfectly suited for that. Since it's super concentrated, you can get a lot of loads in a compact container. The 100-load container is about the size of a large grapefruit. It's plastic so it won't break, and it has a wide-mouth screw on lid that means it's watertight. No spilled laundry soap if you take a knockdown (which I hope you don't but better safe than sorry).The powder literally dissolves in a few seconds and it's low-sudsing so you don't need a lot of water to wash or rinse with - perfect for those bucket laundry washers. But does it work, you say? Absolutely. Better than anything else I've used before. Oh, and my husband says his skin doesn't itch anymore like it used to.

The Venerable Ice Pick

I write frequently about the multiple-use tools we have on board. Multiple-use tools save room in the precious little storage space we have on Kintala. Our ice pick is one of the most used tools on board. It gets used for ice (a no-brainer), for testing cakes and muffins, for making holes in leather and heavy fabric and sails for hand sewing, for lining up holes while fastening things together, and I suspect (although I can't verify this from personal experience) that it would make an adequate weapon if you were surprised by pirates. The one in my galley cupboard is one that I was given by my father, one that we used camping as a family for the 30 years that my family camped, and it's still held up remarkably in spite of a serious amount of abuse. I can't vouch for the specific model that I show here as the one I own is no longer available, but I'm a little intrigued by the safety cover which mine does not have, a feature that might have spared me a pricked finger or two while rummaging around in that particular drawer. The nicest thing? They're dirt cheap, something that you can't say for most tools of any use on board a sailboat.

Pineapple Slicer / Corer

First of all, the score on this item was difficult to assess.  I LOVE what the tool does, but the quality of the construction is definitely lacking. The one I actually own only gets 2 anchors, but I'm not giving up and I'm going to try one of the stainless ones to see if it fixes the problems with it. The problem with the one I own is that the handle is held on with little platic spring clips and if you put any real pressure on the handle (for a not quite ripe pineapple, for instance), it pops out and the handle turns uselessly. I jury-rigged this with a bolt and nut but the plastic handle is crushing now. I'm really not sure why the manufacturer hasn't figured out that the cure for this is a threaded screw-on handle. Stay tuned and see if the stainless one does any better for me.


After selecting the right size blade and attaching it to the handle, you cut off the top of the pineapple and put the blade on it squarely. Putting even pressure, twist the handle while you push down and go until you can feel the blade putting pressure on the bottom of the pineapple with your hands. Pull the handle straight out to release the pineapple slices. It takes some effort to break the suction. When you remove the tool you'll have one long curly slice of pineapple. You can either use the wedger that comes with the tool to slice the spiral into chunks, or you can just take a knife and cut down the handle if you want rings. If the pineapple is not ripe enough you will get thinner slices, if it's too ripe it will mush. Do all of this on a tray so you can capture any leaking juice, then pour any juice out from the shell, or fill the shell with coconut rum and orange pineapple juice and let it set for a couple hours then enjoy the drink!

Thermos Mug

The old version

One of the things I enjoy about night watch (and there are many) is drinking a hot cup of coffee on a cool night, or a good cup of iced coffee on a warm one. The big problem with this is that I like my hot coffee really hot and my iced coffee really cold. Warm, in-between coffee develops this bitterness that I just don't care for. So one day when a friend of mine turned me on to an incredible Thermos brand tumber that delivers the insulation it promises, I just had to go buy one. The model I bought isn't available any longer, but the new version of it has a spill-proof lid, which was the only complaint I had about the existing one so I'll be upgrading soon. I can't tell you how incredible the insulation is on this thing. If you preheat it with some hot water first, then fill it with coffee, it will still be hot enough to burn a few hours later and still warm after lunch. You can leave it in a cold car - the outside will be cold to the touch - but the inside will be piping hot. When you use it to keep drinks cold, you can leave it in a hot car and the outside can be too hot to touch but there will still be ice inside. I've even left it on my counter overnight and still had ice in it in the morning. I love this mug. When I went to write this post I noticed that they now offer a version for food that's short and wide-mouthed. I'm going to buy one to make overnight oatmeal with. You just put  your oatmeal and boiling water, cinnamon and raisins or brown sugar in the mug, close it up, and leave it on the counter. In the morning you have perfectly cooked oatmeal. You can also go to my Cruising Comforts site and get the recipe for my Perfect Iced Coffee for this mug.

Food Jar

New Verson

There is one bad review on the new version on Amazon that refers to paint peeling on the tumbler. I've never had this issue so I'm not sure what they did to cause it.  My experience is an absolutely perfect 5 anchors!

Ed note: We recently bought the new version of the tall mug to add to our collection and my husband says it is much better to drink from. The opening at the top is marked clearly with "open" and "closed" which is easier to see in a dark cockpit.

Torresen Marine

We have had consistent excellent customer service from Torresen Marine and as a former sales manager this is the number one thing I look for in a supplier. The folks at Torresen are always willing to help you with finding the correct part and then provide the part at a fair price. This is saying a lot when you own an old Tartan 42 since most of the parts are hard to come by and don't have part numbers on them or they're obsolete and need supercedures. Their website is user-friendly, their stock is a good complete inventory, and their shipping is fast. Torresen is always our first stop when looking for something.

The three cent wonder

Some times the best is improvising. We were replacing the last of the water line in the Tartan this weekend, a project that has spanned over the course of a couple of weeks due to schedule conflicts. One of the last two hoses to do was the one to the V-berth peak tank which unfortunately butts right up against the holding tank with a space just exactly the size of my bicep to get into with a wrench to loosen the hose clamp and replace it on the new line. There isn't enough room to get a screwdriver in there, and not even a regular socket wrench, only our little mini handle wrench which is a slippery handle Snap-on one. The hose fitting also happens to be poised directly over the bilge which angles sharply down under the holding tank. See where I'm going with this?  If one were to drop said wrench, it would slide immediately under the holding tank where even a magnetic retrieval device would fail to reach. In the absence of one of those fancy and expensive tool wrist straps, necessity became the mother of invention and the following 3-cent tool was born:

Loop a rubber band around the tool and pull it tight. Add a second one and a third one, and put the third one around your wrist:

By the way I did, in fact, drop the tool not only once, but three times...