Seasickness

[gixxxer]

I tried to find a topic dedicated to this but couldn't find anything with search.

I have had my worst experience with seasickness when I was on a cruise boat and the wind was blowing with average of 30m/s. Only thing I was able to do was to stay in bed and throw up in the bathroom.

But that has been the only worst case that I have had. With monohull sailing for two days there really wasn't any issues, only thing that made me feel little uncomfortable was when going inside to the galley and wasn't able to see the horizon.

So for me I think the biggest issue is if I'm not able to see the horizon, that's when it's going to hit if the weather is rough, bigger the boat, worse it's going to get.

Have you had any experiences and if you have, did you manage to fight trough it and in what kind of conditions did it happen?

I especially would like to hear input from those who have experienced seasickness during long passages because you can't get anywhere.

And is there any truth to the saying "you need to get your sea legs"?


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[GordMay]

Originally Posted by gixxxer

I tried to find a topic dedicated to this but couldn't find anything with search...
... And is there any truth to the saying "you need to get your sea legs"?

Yes.
See ➥ seasickness - Google Search

[a64pilot]

You try to "tough it out", try various seasickness pills, patches and wrist bands, some work, at least the meds I've seen that do work basically put you to sleep, but I'm sure it varies between people.
But just exposure to it, de-sensitizes you to it. Like you said losing a visible horizon makes it much worse, and for some reason getting in the water is an almost instant cure for some people. I've been on dive boats with the divers sick as the devil, but soon as they are in the water, they are fine.
Seems just exposure to motion, de-sensitizes you to it, although it's my belief anybody can get sea sick, given the right conditions

[boatman61]

A64... I agree..
I also think most folk today come onto boats with the conviction at the back of their minds that they Will be sea sick.. and its just goes downhill from there.
In my case I thought I was one of the few that don't suffer due to the fact when I returned to the UK at 15 we traveled on one of the last Passenger Liners still operating from Bombay to Liverpool back in '63.. it was fantastic.. even a blow in the Biscay did not phase me.
So I signed up with the Royal Navy as a boy sailor (12yrs ) when I got to Coventry and my G'parents home..
During the 1st years basic training we were put on HMS Wakeful for two weeks sea training.. I prayed for death for two weeks.. off duty I curled up on deck in a corner.. the smell below was unbearable.. food, diesel, BO's...
However most can work through it and after the 1st couple of days the body adapts..
There are those incapable of this and I've seen people get close to death rupturing their stomachs..
I am however convinced it is a Mind over Matter thing..
if you don't mind it don't matter.. and ship mates who don't provoke it helps.. theres some evil bastards out there who think seeing folk in pain is funny..
I still get nauseous after near 50yrs on and off the sea.. sometimes even honk up.. but knowing its a thing that I can cope with and come out the other side is what keeps me coming back..
My 1st trip every year involves a 3 day break myself in again period...

[rwidman]

There are medications and devices that try to control seasickness. Different people find different ones that work for them.

I find that drinking ginger ale (it has to have real ginger in it) helps me avoid sea sickness. Better yet, eating candied ginger. Candied ginger is available in supermarkets in a small jar for $5 or at oriental markets in a large bag for $1.

[FamilyVan]

I assume nearly every one on this site who has done long passages has been seasick from time to time.

Yes, the sea legs thing is true, your body adjusts to the motion over time.

Yes, maintaining a look out on the visual horizon helps. Going below makes it worse for everyone, not just the loss of site of the horizon, but the various smells make it worse too.

There is also a huge psychological element to sickness, while any body will start to feel woozy, some people will be much better at fighting through it than others. Experience here plays a role too. If you've fought through it in the past, you know you can fight through it now.

My worst sea sickness experience was in December on the Gulf of St Lawrence, we turned around the northern tip of Cape Breton into strong gale force winds from the west. In the interest of not pounding the ship to pieces the captain only pushed into it at 2 or 3 knots. Nobody was allowed outside because of the ice and seas. My job at the time was painting the bulkheads in the pump room. It sucked- there was no fighting through that sickness, it went on like that for about 48 hours.

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[Rustic Charm]

Boatman has something with the mind over matter. But it's also got to do with the eyes.

When I'm flying a plane with a passenger who feels sick, I had them the controls, and get them to basically steer the plane and twice so far it has immediately taken the feeling away. I've not tried this on the boat yet.

I've had one really sick person on board my boat and poor girl was so miserable I cut the trip short and took who to the nearest town where my wife came and got her. She didn't want to try steering.

My wife feels sick in almost any sail up, but she insists on laying on a bunk.

So far I have never got violently sick, but then I manage it pretty well when I first start feeling it. First thing I do is to get up and have somethIng soft to eat.

The problem with my boat though is it's much less stable on deck than below, but they need fresh air.

But I'm convinced you need to do something, keep busy on deck.

[Sea Frog]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

When I'm flying a plane with a passenger who feels sick, I had them the controls, and get them to basically steer the plane and twice so far it has immediately taken the feeling away. I've not tried this on the boat yet.

A friend who is a professional sailing instructor, says exactly that. Whenever he handles a boat to seasick person to stear, sickness is gone in no time.

I bought an invertoscope to train myself (manufacturer claims that it gives you some serious training and supposedly you are not affected by sea sickness after that so much), but can't confirm it works. I mean it certainly DOES make you seasick, yeah. But I don't know about training part

[Leo Ticheli]

I've been seasick only once; I was shooting for the Porsche driving school, strapped in the passenger's side with the monitor as we made repeated flat-out runs through the slalom course. I was offered Dramamine from a huge jar, which I thought was a joke for the students, but was told that even the professional driver instructors often needed it.

I've never had motion sickness on a boat, even shooting for Humminbird from a small one in rough seas when others were turning green. Crossing from England to the States on the SS United States, my father and I were among the few not sick when we went through a bad storm, so maybe it's genetic. I'm lucky, I guess.

We keep all the meds, ginger capsules, and ginger snaps on the boat for our guests.

Fair winds,
Leo

[Canibul]

When I first went to sea on a gravity/magnetic survey when I was 17 in the GOM I saw a cajun captain give a new seasick crew member a tablespoon of the clear Karo syrup. He held it down, after nothing else stayed down. Thirty minutes later he had another spoonful. Then he moved on to nibbling saltines etc. and that was the end of it on that occasion. In the almost fifty years since I was 17, I've told this to a number of people experiencing motion sickness and the ones that tried it told me it worked for them.

I only got a bit queasy twice in my career due to motion. Once on a stinking shrimp boat out of Tampico Mexico, and that was due to a hangover, the sun, the smells of rotten shrimp and another guys vomit, oh, and yeah, the motion. Other time was on the Sub Sig II Raytheon boat out of Nantucket trying to outrun a storm. Captain had us all out all night with bats, wrenches, pipes, breaking ice. It worried us. The motion of the boat got strange, wallowing and several of us got a big queasy when we were inside warming up. Back on the deck smashing ice cleared that up.

[s/v Beth]

Everyone gets seasick- I have seen people that swear they would never get seasick loose their stomachs out here in the high lat. swells. Just like England I would expect. Key is hydration, clear liquids and medication (IMHO). I love ginger on my sushi too. Don't know why, just crave it before we leave.
After a week, it seems like someone else's problem. But I still watch the weather like a hawk.

[crazyoldboatguy]

I, too, find getting/staying busy with important tasks very helpful when things get lumpy. I will tell guests to keep an eye out for boats that could run into us - especially those on the horizon. If the person wants to/is able to I will give them the tiller for steering.

I have the old style electric stimulating wristbands (with replaceable batteries) that have worked for many guests. I have used them myself and they provide much support.

We keep cola syrup on hand at home for nausea. Poured over ice chips in small amounts it works well. I have never tried it on a boat but will.

I haven't tried candied ginger - I will buy some and see if it helps.

Scopalomine patches are available and are rated highly by some.

I am watching this stream - I seem to be affected less by seasickness as I get older but that is likely due more to mindset/responsibilities than to anything else.

[MarkJ]

If you want to get over seasickness permanently don't use the drugs. Not everyone gets over it but most do. Just suffer.
I think a few beers helps. (No, i'm not joking)

[Scubacarole]

I've been plagued with "motion sickness" since a tadpole! Even as private pilot training doing spin stall recoveries, almost numchucked all over inst panels. On smaller cruise ship in Med, rough seas - same deal. Did a Norwegian cruise lines & had severe with both ends in play. Ship doc informed me: you never " get used to it" either have it or don't. He gave me scopolamine patch, made all the difference. Next cruise, big 100ton ship, no problems, until went on very small skiff dive boats - again, mal de mere, throwing up as I prepared to dive, only stopping once in nice underwater conditions, threw up second I hit the ladder to get back aboard. Pharmacist highly recommended Bonine oral, 24 hrs before getting on boat. Result- next dive boat off keys was a paradise. Watched others feeding the fish, but not me! I think if Bonine works for me, it'll work for ANYONE! I won't leave shore without it!


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[ben373]

I have had good results with the wrist bands. They need to be put on before you get sick though. Best part they can't hurt.

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