New Study ~ Boat Motion & Cancer

[GordMay]

Study will test boat motion effects on cancer:
http://www.uchc.edu/ocomm/features/s...ckingboat.html

”A research study on the calming effects of the rocking motion of boats in breast cancer patients is scheduled to get under way later this month at Pilots Point Marina in Westbrook, Conn ...
... ”Wave motion is both a motion and a cellular memory, and it works by recalling a time before birth when there was no stress,” said Carline Lutynski, a breast cancer survivor and program director for the study. “This is a very light form of conditioning, by helping a person to remember a very calming time of their life, a very secure and carefree time...
... The study is free for participants and involves spending an hour on a boat, in a reclined position, to experience the naturally occurring wave motion. Participants will be asked to fill out questionnaires before and after the session so they can monitor their stress levels and see if there were any changes...
...A 35-foot Pearson sloop will be used for the study. The boat is owned by Joy Sherman, who uses it for sailing lessons and charters...”

To participate, or for more information:
contact Carline Lutynski at (860) 889-3424
or visit http://precious-passage.tripod.com

[perchance]

Whew. For a moment there I thought you were going to say boat motion causes cancer. Since everything else seems to cause it I thought all us boaters were screwed.

[s/v Beth]

My professional (MD) opinion is this is a load of crap. When I get on my boat however, I relax. I think it has more to do with getting out away from the city ( and marina). They ought to study the effects of a quiet daysail- now that will relax you!

[maxingout]

Originally Posted by newt

My professional (MD) opinion is this is a load of crap. When I get on my boat however, I relax. I think it has more to do with getting out away from the city ( and marina). They ought to study the effects of a quiet daysail- now that will relax you!

It's hard to escape the mental toxic waste of the twenty-first century, especially when you live in big cities. On top of that, the media loads the garbage in - sometimes I feel like my mind is a dumpster accumulating the toxic waste of "civilization".

When I camped 200 kilometers off road in the Arabian desert, I experienced the sound of silence. It's nearly impossible to find a totally silent place anywhere in the developed world. In deep desert, I find a sense of renewal and peace. Silence feels good, but I don't think it's because I am going back into my mother's womb. For me it's being enveloped in peaceful silence. Maybe something like that is what these people will experience in their boat encounter. I get a similar feeling when I am sailing offshore at night. I wrote a small piece on the salubrious effect of silence at the following link. Take it for what its' worth. It works for me. http://www.positivegraphics.com/Positivegraphic60.htm

[Southern Star]

Maxingout, while I agree that the silence and yes, relative desolation on night passages have a salubrious effect on most of us, I believe that there may be something more at play here. My son went out for his first sail at 12 days of age - we purchased an old pram with a landau top, removed the frame and wheels and were able to wedge it securely in the cockpit, or down below. He suffered from what had been described as colic early on except when we were sailing (motoring just brought on cries, as many of our dockside neighbours coud attest to, when docking).

I always believed that the motion of the boat, mirroring that of the amniotic fluid in his mother's womb, was the tonic for what ailed him. Could it have been the relative lack of noise? Perhaps, although the motion of the boat still soothed him even if we had the stereo on, or were engaged in some boisterous conversations with guests.

Is this phenomenon (assuming it is one) something that merits further investigation and likely the expenditure of tax dollars? I doubt it. Do I believe that a one hour sail for non-sailors will prove anything? No. But at least for infants, I continue to believe that the motion of a sailboat in reasonable conditions is relaxing and comfortable, at least in part because it mirrors the experience while 'en ventre sa mere'.

Brad

[maxingout]

There may be something to what you say about the motion that is soothing. Riding the big regular Pacific Ocean swells had a strangely good feeling. When I would drive in the smooth rolling hills of sand in the Empty Quarter of Arabia (in areas without slip faces) , there was a similar good feeling. I am not sure why I like it, but I like it. And everyone in my Land Rover Defender and in my catamaran liked it as well. Interesting.

[muskoka]

We're not evolved to live with the sounds of a modern industrial society. It just happens to us.

I hear selfish morons leaning on their horns every day because they've been held up for a couple of minutes on their way to another pointless meeting. I wish the horn sounded as loud in the car as outside the car.

Is peace and quiet good for the soul - absolutely!

[jkd]

Having spent more than my fair share of driving kids around at 3 AM and in rocking chairs to calm them down I can attest that it works to have them in motion to calm them down. Later found that the vacuum cleaner running out side their door worked as well, so I dont know if is the motion or the 'white noise' that does it.
I do think there are many studies that show stress reduction is helpfull no mater what form it takes.

John