A new tool to encorporate into our practice

For the Advanced and Intermediate sailors.... another tool to help improve the your sailor's experience on the water. 

The coaches have recently purchased two way radios to better communication on the water. We have been experimented using them with the sailors and are very happy with the results. 

What is it? We bought the Motorola MS350R 35-Mile Talkabout Waterproof 2-Way Radio (Pair) .

And the reason?

One radio for the coach, the other strapped to your sailor's front airbag (out of reach).

1) It's a teaching tool.  It enables coaches to provide instant, real-time feedback to your sailor while they are practicing, to develop their ability to identify problems and opportunities from the coach's point of view. 

2) It's a safety tool, enabling coaches to give clear instructions while sailors are out of earshot, and part of our ongoing commitment to our sailors' safety on the water.

3) Suggested in a parent's meeting, now worked into the curriculum.  

4) Like any tool, it will have strict rules for use, the chief one being the sailors are to use them for receiving only, not transmitting except in case of emergency. If they become a distraction they will be removed from use and returned to the parent.  We trust that children in the age of iPhones will have little difficulty learning to operate the device, and we will ask that they have a minimum level of familiarity with it (changing channels & volume, battery maintenance, etc.). 

We bought them from Amazon (link below) and so can you. Team up with another sailing family (they come in pairs). And make sure you get the same model as below (or the coaches won't be able to communicate with your sailor).

Motorola MS350R 35-Mile Talkabout Waterproof 2-Way Radio (Pair) by Motorola

 

 http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=talkabout+ms350r&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=8042845044&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=22359164021606969&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_7ijcojtyka_b