Sea sickness, friends

[Pelagic]

Just kidding Phil....those BC commercial guys were never a compassionate lot!

[Capt Phil]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Just kidding Phil....those BC commercial guys were never a compassionate lot!

No ****! But learned a lot from them... Cheers, Phil

[captain58sailin]

The things that I have had that worked for my customers and on me were: The sugared ginger cubes, Meclazine, a cold can of something held behind the left ear, keeping the wind in your face and your eyes on the horizon, and weed (not from personal experience, just heard about it).

[thuss]

I get seasick offshore and it usually takes me a couple days on passage to acclimate. Most people I've sailed with get at least a little seasick when exposed to a big swell for more than a few hours. I think people that never get seasick are a rarity. Stugeron is the only thing that I've found that seems to universally work for everyone but getting it in the states is a pain so I stock up whenever I'm in Europe or Canada.


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[tuffr2]

If everyone gets sea sick at one time or another I am not looking forward to my 1st time. So I will carry anti sea sick remedies on board at all times.I will be doing most (maybe all) the sailing so if I get sea sick the boat stops.



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[accomplice]

It has become a joke now amongst my regular crew when a new crew member shows up and declares themselves immune to sea sickness. I have only once adjusted our destination because of a seasick person aboard, but I will take steps to smooth out the ride (for example, headed deep down wind under power with light winds and following seas, the rolling can be unpleasant -- if under power the main sheeted to centerline will sacrifice some lift/boatspeed in the favor of easier motion).

My wife is a physician, so we have a range of remedies available and keep supplies on board. We find trans-dermal scopolomine works very well if applied ahead of time (takes a few hours to kick in), although some find it adversely affects their vision. For after it has started, we carry Zofran which makes the first bout of vomiting the last. Meclazine also helps and acts quicker than transdermal scopolomine, but does make some folks drowsy. Those who have made the mistake of having even half a drink after taking meclazine slept for many hours.

Sea-sickness prophylaxis, mediation and clean-up is the responsibility of the individual crew members, but I do stock medicine and buckets/mops.

I have not hesitated to invite crew who have been sick in the past. I have also never had a sick crew decline a subsequent invitation because of their fear of seasickness. It is something that happens (to almost everyone), and hopefully they get past it.

[ontherocks83]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

I have never been sea sick but from reading this thread it seems that wave size/action as well as being above deck or below deck can affect me. I have never been in the real rough stuff.

For those that have been seasick what size waves caused it?

So far for me - I like the motion of the ocean.




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The short answer is usually in rougher waters if stuck down below, but it can really happen under almost any condition. The times I can think of were on a cruise taking waves broadside so bad that you bounced from wall to wall when walking down the hallway. Another was in the v-berth for 45 minutes packing my bags while heading to port in 3-4 footers. I've also had it happen while fixing an engine in rather benine conditions but I think being in weird postions for long periods and stagnant air contributed to the problem.

I would also say that allergies and sinus's make it worse. If I am congested at all it comes on much easier. If I am congestion free I can take alot more abuse i.e. sometimes I can be below for hours reading a book, other times a few minutes and I start to feel the warning signs. Oddly though (and I've never done this scientifically so I could be wrong) but I feel like a "small" level of intoxication seems to hold off sea sickness to an extent.

It really is personal to you. My wife gets car sick easily but has a great sea sick tolerance. My mom NEVER gets sea sick and would give us S*&t for being weak (aren't parents great )

[Canibul]

One problem with the meds is that you need to take them so that they're in your system before you get ill. Once someone is violently ill it's difficult to hold down pills.

I was working on a small survey boat in the GOM many years back when a new guy came on board without much offshore experience. Texas A&M guy, marine archaeologist. He got really ill. He put a patch behind his ear, didn't seem to help. He tried some kind of pills he had, barfed em.

The captain was from Louisiana, and he had the guy take a tablespoon of clear Karo syrup. It stayed down. Half a hour later, another one. then eventually some saltine crackers. Then the seasickness meds.

I've seen similar claims over the years, sugar cubes, ginger, etc. but didn't witness those episodes. The Karo syrup one I did witness.

[groundtackle]

Originally Posted by thuss

I get seasick offshore and it usually takes me a couple days on passage to acclimate. Most people I've sailed with get at least a little seasick when exposed to a big swell for more than a few hours. I think people that never get seasick are a rarity. Stugeron is the only thing that I've found that seems to universally work for everyone but getting it in the states is a pain so I stock up whenever I'm in Europe or Canada.


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I can't find Stugeron in Canada either. Where do you pick it up when you're here?


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[Canibul]

Well, the time honored cure for seasickness that works 100% of the time is to go sit under a tree for fifteen minutes....

[crabcake]

Originally Posted by nshawdvm

I can't find Stugeron in Canada either. Where do you pick it up when you're here?


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Stugeron (cinnarizine)

[zeehag]

having experienced seasick crewmember for 90 miles, i can say--- mixed blessing.
i know it wasnt food cooked as we didnt cook that part of trip. i know it was he, as he sed he does this..
he was able to hold course, puke over side and maintain without befouling living spaces, an dhelp navigate. but then he knew he would be doing this. ok.
so i donot stock seasick drugs on board.
i do not get seasick.
i figger if you be seasick, you know you seasick, bring your own seasick meds with you , or those wrist bands.
donot forget to tell the owner of boat about your 20 voices telling you to kill all around you and render boat totally un-usable.
i prefer seasick to schizophrenic sick.
at least seasick isnt out to kill you for no reason on planet.
and seasick is for many repaired with ginger cookies---

[deblen]

My wife uses a prescription drug called Tecta in Canada-for GI distress-but it seems to help for motion/seasickness.
It doesn't have the dopy after effects of Gravol & other OTC stuff.

As Canibul noted-you have to take these meds before you embark or you are fighting ab uphill battle.

If you need a quick boot to get stomach settled,I find a 1oz shot of straight vodka(maybe halved with water if absolutely necessary) swallowed in one or two gulps will shock the tummy until your choice of motion sickness remedy takes over. Dry saltines/crackers/biscuits help taken with small amount of water.

Keeping the person busy helps.

Just FYI personal experience

Cheers/ Len

[zeehag]

there are such folks as cannot drink or touch the irritants in alcohol. for them, vodka merely causes great alimentary distress, even without seasickness as a factor.
alcohol is not a recommended remedy for seasickness.
too bad the good book, the little green book of seasickness is no longer in print. was excellent.
perhaps with a lil nudge the publisher might consider another run???
hell, it even came with a barf bag for use.

[donradcliffe]

I tried Zofran on my last seasick crew, and was disappointed with the results--it stopped the vomiting for about 2 hours, and he was back at it again. The admiral says I should have given him another one--its the magic pill for recovery rooms and has completely replaced suppositories, for the obvious reasons.

I used to be a bit queasy the first night out, but somehow my body has adapted over the years of bluewater passages. The only thing that bothers me now is looking at the horizon in a mirror---its a weird feeling.