Visit our Popular Forums

maxingout · 05-03-2008, 20:02

I have been really seasick only one time, and it was my own fault. I left port after dark in rough conditions, and I didn't put up my sails until I was out in the rough seas in the dark. That was a major lesson learned.

Whenever I'm headed offshore on a passage, I leave as early as possible after first light and put my sails up in smooth water where it easy to do, and then I have all day to adjust to the motion before the sun goes down. It works for me.

hugosalt · 05-03-2008, 20:08

Always considered myself immune! Really blessed, never sea sick no matter what!
small boat, big boat, ships, sail, power, bays, oceans, day sail, extended trips,
single handed, full crew, day, night, smooth as glass, towering seas...never a
problem......UNTIL...day sail within sight of land with 4 civilians (non sailors)
6 miles south of Montauck pt. Long Island, New York, Atlantic ocean, 5 ft swells well spaced, not a care in the world... then with out warning it hit...I wanted to die!
Never has happened again, but I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop!

seafox · 09-03-2008, 18:30

Anyone tried Sea leg pills?

Pelagic · 09-03-2008, 20:26

This might sound strange but since we all recognize that motion sickness is closely related to mixed messages between the inner-ear and brain as to the horizon and if you are standing still; a little trick I came up with for helping professional crew with chronic sea sickness is to …. “Think of it as a dance!”

When conditions were safe, we would get out on deck and actually dance to the motion and rhythm of the waves. All the time I would be explaining the feel of the swell, the moment of equilibrium at the bottom of the trough and the slap of a side sea, while dancing to that motion.

It wasn’t pretty, but it seemed to work for most of those suffering and gave them a tool to overcome the stress and do their jobs.

**Alan Wheeler** · 09-03-2008, 23:28

I'd like to see you try and dance in some of the stuff we get to play in ;-), your virtually crawling around the deck :-)
However, your quite right. There are two ways to help "align" the senses your body and brain are getting. One is as stated, to look at the horizon and give your brain a point of reference to align itself with. The other is quite the opposite. That is, move with the motion of the boat. The issue of seasickness is that the body is trying to be upright and balanced, and the eyes are seeing the close surrounding of the boat as also being "upright and balanced" along with the body. But the brain is recieving a different message from the balance thingy in the inner ear. So the mixed message is what causes the sick feeling. But if you actually move to the motion of the boat, the brain is now recieving the same message via the eyes, as it is via the balance thingy in the inner ear.
At least this is what I have read on the subject. But it is not always as easy to put into practice what is suggested. I tired the moving technique. It got too difficult and tiresome in the end.

mudnut · 10-03-2008, 00:45

Well I don't know if I'm blessed or not,but ,I don't get sick at all.Years on commercial fishing boats of different means,ocean ferry's,dory's.Days at sea and weeks at sea,dosn't worry me one bit.Mind you I've never dwelled on the thought too much,I just love being at sea,but then again,I am a true Cancerian.Never tryed dancing but I do move to the motion,even while seated.Mudnut.

MidLandOne · 10-03-2008, 00:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by seafox

Anyone tried Sea leg pills?

For wife normally get Sea Legs or Dramamine and both work fine for her - the pharmacy we use seems to not stock Sea Legs any more though.

Both work fine for her but she doesn't get very sick without them though and then mainly if not been away on the boat for some time and a rolly passage - if off colour she just seems to talk to herself about Buicks for a short while

and is then fine.

Pelagic · 10-03-2008, 01:27

Wheels, the dance thing also works sitting down and we managed to wean a few off the medicines doing that.

For me, in rough conditions, the smell of cold lamb or mutton will have me retching in moments. (I think your area would have a few challengies for me) (lol)

Lancerbye · 10-03-2008, 02:01

I have never been really sick nor has my wife though we did geta bit nauseous once in the galley of a ship, but I think that had more to do with the wines and the various food smells mixed with diesel smells. My oldest son would come with us commercial fishing at the early age of a year old, swaying with to rolling and pitching of the boat. Never was sick. My younger son never came commercial fishing and now in there late teens and early twenties the oldest son never gets sick on the boat while the younger son turns green when a bit of slop develops. Can sealegs aquired at an early age give you that immune system to combat the dreaded mal-de-mer?

tager · 15-03-2011, 14:43

I have never been seasick. I was born on a boat, though, maybe that is the key.

Maybe it was sleeping in the 12' Livingston as a toddler while my dad fished all weekend every weekend for years.

Maybe it was the 1000 ferry rides.

Maybe it's because I live aboard, subject to movement all the time.

Maybe I am just lucky.

I do know that I can get carsick. My grandma allows her hellion dogs to roam the car freely, even when hot wet and hairy. They are big, and they think they are allowed to kiss anything they want, including your face. I was in the way-too-hot crowded van full of stinky dogs and people curving up a mountain road. Let's just say that my grandma is not a very smooth driver. I did, however, make it to the roadside before spewing.

I got carsick another time on a mexican bus. The story is basically the same.

Zednotzee · 15-03-2011, 15:01

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but on the other hand- does anyone know someone who never got over seasickness?

I recently spoke to someone who had joined the Navy & had to change trades as she never overcame seasickness.

I've had some symptoms of motion sickness, but not on the boat. I assume it's because I'm at the helm, watching the horizon.