Please looking for knowlege

[gismo66]

Hello, I don't know if this is the right place, anyway here I go, I have a 14 year old daughter that has severe allergies, so severe that the smell of corn, wheat or grass can give her an anaphylaxis reaction, I had tried almost everything under the sun, there is no medication, or medical cure for it. The specialist at children hospital recommend living on the ocean, I'm a veteran, I know about mechanics. But nothing about boats or living on the water, at this point I have no options left. Also there is not to many people in the world with this type of allergies. So please I need advice, I'm looking to purchase a boat, but first I need to know where or how people go about it, I can't cross my arms and see her go with out trying everything, someone said about renting before buying. Any advise or suggestions would be welcome. Thank you
Giselle

[belizesailor]

Before you haul off and purchase a boat, I suggest you charter a boat and see how that works out. Charters may seem expensive, but the cost is a small drop in the bucket compared to owning a comparable boat.

If you are considering moving to a coastal location in a developing country (where lots of cruisers sail), then I strongly recommend renting before making a bigger commitment. This way if the life style or the venue is not for you then you have little at risk.

This is a "do as I say, not as I do" suggestion based upon experience....I've left a trail of real estate behind me in Central America....fortunately some of them were not bad buys.

[skipmac]

If it is in your budget it would certainly be a good idea to rent a boat to try it out. Have you even thought about whether you want power or sail?

Another idea. Move to a house right on the coast or on a small island where the predominant winds blow from the sea to land.

[CaptLinda6pack]

Giselle. Thanks for sharing this with us. I know only too well, what she is going threw. I myself had a problem that they couldn't get a grip on at the age 10 but luckily found a cure at age 27 and many $$$ later. I did however, find a doctor threw "Enquirer Mag"..LOL in Boston, Ma. that was building cures for all kinds of this stuff. His name is Dr. O'Shea' and he also had a intern that lives now in NH. His office was 10 years ago at 64 Lafayette Rd. North Hampton, NH. You may have to do some research on finding him. I do get down there and will stop by and see if his office is there still and contact you with my findings. Have faith there is a cure out there..

However, To purchase a boat that may not help in the first place may be a bit extreme here. First, how far do you go out to rid the elements and avoid her illness? What is your location? and have you tried moving Canada, Alaska..etc? Regards, Rob

[delmarrey]

66, I can empathise with you, my father became a Merchant Marine because of his extreme asthma which eventually caused a throat cancer, killing him. I to have upper respiratory problems so I've alway stuck close to the coastline during pollen seasons. I did pretty good in Phoenix AZ but the heat and dust is not good either.

The best place I ever lived w/o trouble was in San Diego along the coast. I had a saying; "There is no life east of I-5". But this is why I'm working on getting to the S. Pac. Never had any trouble there either, except in the polluted cities (Manila, Bangkok, etc.)
On the east coast you might try Florida.

[gismo66]

Hello and thanks for sharing, living with allergies and asthma is no yoke, I live in San Diego, inland, very close to children's hospital, By the airport, the fuel the planes leave behind are pretty bad, living towards TJ or La Jolla, in an emergency that we have plenty would be to far specially at rush our. She has go to schools that are 2 minutes away from the hospital. Thank you for your advice is well appreciate it. I pray and I seek for the best solution. In the summer time we spend every day at the beach and I know that helps, very careful because the smell of charcoal has giving her a ride to the hospital, it made with corn ingredients ") Once again thank you for your advice.

[boating2go]

I also live in San Diego with allergies but live on a boat in the America's Cup Harbor. It helps me a lot, when I go to Fallbrook to visit I really suffer. I would try several weeks in a vacation rental on the beach as well as a charter to see how both work. If they help you will have two (2) options to select from.

[gismo66]

If was me and her just in the family, I would had been in the water long ago. This kid had so severe allergies that she has been in a coma few times for smelling popcorn, or fresh cut grass or someone pizza. I had a place near the water by the airport, didn't realize all the fuel rains over all downtown San Diego. I will be looking to to renting a boat for a trip and see how it goes, is gone be hard because we cant have anything that contains wheat or corn on board. Thank you for the advice ")

[jerrymc]

Where do you live? I, too, suffered from severe allergies as a child, growing up in Nebraska. I was diagnosed as allergic to corn(!), wheat, alfalfa, spores, pollen, etc...not good, if you're living in the midwest.

Then, in my early 20's, I came to California & magically, my symptoms were alleviated without medication, in spite of moving to smoggy, polluted Los Angeles. If I went home to visit, as soon as I stepped off the plane, the runny nose, sneezing, etc. would immediately manifest itself, convincing me that I would be a coastal dweller the rest of my life.

Then I discovered the joys of sailing & moved-aboard about 17 years ago. I've found that living on-the-water does alleviate my allergies considerably, I think due to the absence of household dust & fiber pollution found in most dwellings.

Chances are, a coastal environment may help your daughter to deal with her condition, so it's worth a trip to see if it makes any difference in her case..no reason to jump right into a boat purchase, major livestyle change..just take a vacation, stay on the coast for a few days & see if it helps.

[delmarrey]

BTW I lived up in Delmar when I wasn't on the boat in Mission Bay. That fresh air off the ocean really is a godsend.

If you do choose a boat, be sure it is a dry boat (very little, to no bilge water) that is well ventilated. Some molds are bad too. For me it's the cherry blossoms, the pine trees, then the grasses and on to something in the fall. And then onto colds in the winter, which can cause sinus infections if I don't keep them clear. I have found a decongestant up in Canada that works fairly well for the sinuses but not 100%.

You'll find as she gets older she'll build up some resistance. As a teen I was miserable. Learning to manage oneself is a long drawn out process.

Tell her she's not alone.............

[gismo66]

She was born in Forth hood Texas, then we moved to San Diego, here the pollen is not so bad, but the grass is because of the dew it makes mildew and that makes worst, the smell of foods like corn or wheat the wrong place because almost everybody eats it. We have tried so many places and there is no scape, the other day waiting to see a Dr she got sicker because a person smelled like a walking astray. If i could I would put her in a bubble but that is impossible only in the movies. Thank you for your advice is well appreciated it ")

[Stumble]

Gismo,

I don't have much to add, but I think you are setting out a reasonable plan to isolate her. As for which boat...

Are you planning on leaving the states and heading to the islands, or stay close to the us shore? This results in very different boats.

[GrowleyMonster]

Chartering is a fine idea but you will have a hard time finding a bareboat charter with no training. So you are looking at a crewed charter, or splitting expenses with another family that has taken classes.

Check your local sailing clubs and see if they can hook you up with someone who needs crew for racing. A racing crew has folks who know what sail to hank on, what winch to grind and how much, stuff like that, but there is usually room for "rail meat", human ballast that just sits where they are told and moves to the other side of the boat when told. It would be a good introduction to sailing.

If you don't think you are so interested in the sailing part, you might keep your eye out for a houseboat or a trawler style boat. They have more room than a sailboat of the same size and will be more comfortable for living aboard. You should be able to find someone around the marina who will skipper you around for a while and teach you the basics of operating and maintainence. You will periodically have to move the boat for pumping out the holding tank, stuff like that, even if you never actually go anywhere.

One problem with living aboard, for allergy sufferers, is mold. Don't sign the check until your daughter has slept aboard for a night or two. You can knock mold back almost to nothing but you can never totally eradicate it once it is there.

[tbodine88]

Originally Posted by gismo66

I have a 14 year old daughter that has severe allergies, so severe that the smell of corn, wheat or grass can give her an anaphylaxis reaction. But nothing about boats or living on the water, at this point I have no options left.
Giselle

Simpler, but not necessarily less expensive. Islands. My wife has asthma and even in San Diego she had problems as others here have noted. We lived two years on Antigua West Indies, with never an attack, never a visit to the emergency room. We just returned from the Caymans, in midwinter. No problems until we returned. Another visit to the $%$## emergency. Still in the rat race and can't leave yet or I'd be on an island in the tropics.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by tbodine88

Simpler, but not necessarily less expensive. Islands. My wife has asthma and even in San Diego she had problems as others here have noted. We lived two years on Antigua West Indies, with never an attack, never a visit to the emergency room. We just returned from the Caymans, in midwinter. No problems until we returned. Another visit to the $%$## emergency. Still in the rat race and can't leave yet or I'd be on an island in the tropics.

Another reason I like the Philippines! It seems the northern hemisphere has the worst of what I call "Organic Pollution". You can ask a lot of Filipinos, they seem to have a lot of sinus trouble here in the states. My nephew and his dad sure do.