motion sickness in cars implying susceptibility to seasickness?

[SpringHollow]

I suffer from motion sickness and definitely can not do things like looking at a phone while in a car. When I first went sailing, I tried ginger gum, ginger pills, the various motion sickness pills, the pressure point bands, etc. None of it worked. Then I read about Stugeron and ordered some from overseas. It works amazingly well for me if taken ahead of time and while sailing. I have no problem reading a book on my phone while sailing. It might dampen my enthusiasm a little but definitely does not put me to sleep (and I even suffer from narcolepsy).

Ken

[FabioC]

We stock Bonine, Stugeron, and Scopolamine on the boat for crew who may be prone to seasickness.
I cannot say that I have statistically significant data, but for what is worth it, anecdotally, Bonine seems the most popular choice (I am guessing it is the most known) and generally works reasonably (but people tend to get quite drowsy), Stugeron is the least popular choice but seems to work very well with less side effects than Bonine for those who choose it, Scopolamine seems generally less effective, but for the people for whom it works, seems to last longer and have less side effects than the other alternatives.
Again, everybody is different, you should find which one works for you best by trial and error.

[WandaDiablo]

A piece of fresh peeled ginger will guarantee prevent seasickness. Don't need to chew and swallow, just savor.
Always got some around for makin hot tea anyway.

[Lionshooter]

When I ran charters in south Florida and the Bahamas in the '70s, the preferred drug for motion sickness was pot. It worked quite well. For those who didn't indulge (very few), I kept Scopolamine patches on board.
My first mate has sailed the world with me for 40 years. I've never seen him not get seasick on any voyage we have ever made. He must be in the 25% but he loves it too much to quit. He takes his Dramamine and puts up with it. If it becomes too severe, he uses a Phenergan suppository and it puts him down for 4-5 hours.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Lionshooter

the preferred drug for motion sickness was pot.

"I'm still seasick but I don't care."

For empiricists I had a girl friend back in the '00s who would get seasick. The never fail solution for her was sex. Worked a charm. Damn near killed me. Of course you need another watchstander.

[Carolyn Phillip]

I'm elderly female that before my change only got seasick the usual first 3 days out on ocean passages. Always got carsick as well, esp when taking eyes off road and trying to mapread or read or in backseat. Tried all usual recommended remedies. I do not like taking drugs and that precludes going on watch.
Lying flat on bunk or seat helped, esp if drowsing off. Chewing fresh ginger root never fails to help me though.

[MC4Sunz]

I have enjoyed reading everyone's recommendations with great interest so far.

In my younger days, sailing and boating on inland lakes, I had never been seasick once. My dream had become to acquire a reasonably sized sailboat to possibly retire and cruise to points unknown.

My first exposure to the Ocean was when My Son was in the Navy and I got to take the "Tiger Cruise" on his Destroyer. I joined him in Hawaii and rode his ship back to San Diego. We were all in the galley for a meeting with the Captain as we began the trip home when it hit. Of course no view of the horizon and apparently we left Pearl into some pretty heavy seas. It came on quick and had to beeline to a nearby trash can. How's that for an introduction to the ships Captain. The Doc fixed me up with something, unfortunately I don't know what it was. It was a suppository though. I didn't get sick again but it did take some hours to truly subside.

As far as the sea state, for those that can relate, a 505 foot destroyer was burring the bow into the waves. I went out on deck to watch the horizon for a bit. Didn't go past the superstructure, just leaned against it as I watched the waves and horizon. As the bow dove into the wave, the water washed almost up to my feet. Even with the queasiness, it was cool.
By the next morning I had my sea legs and was great the rest of the trip and could go anywhere onboard without issue.

I wish I had started earlier but I finally bought my starter, a Catalina 30 on Lake Michigan. I live in Michigan but when we bought the boat, it was in Racine Wisconsin. The trip home was from Racine to Chicago and the next day from Chicago straight across to Saint Joseph Michigan. No sea sickness issues.

The first couple of trips on the new boat didn't seem to have any issues but what triggered it now a couple times is going forward to set or pull anchor and it hits quick and hard. Settles a bit though once I get back to the cockpit.

Still looking for the right mix to try and keep it under control.

[mlspadaro]

Yes, I've always been prone to motion sickness and it first showed up in cars. In my early 20s, I spent two years sailing the S. Pacific and I have also crossed the Atlantic. In total, 10,000 miles.

I don't know what motion-sickness medicines are like nowadays but back then it was just dramamine, compazine and scapolomine (patch wasn't invented. yet) and they all had big drawbacks - from drowsiness to cloudy vision and dry mouth. I think the patches are much better now.

For me, the more I sailed, the better my sea legs were and the less I got seasick. I think this is true for most. But, too long in port, and you've got to adjust again. Also, different boats (and their particular motion, air flow in the cabin and cockpit, etc) caused different degrees of seasickness.

I do find that with age and/or more sedentary work, that I get motion sickness more easily. Sleep is a huge factor for me so I also wonder how I would do on an ocean passage now. I too would like to return to cruising for a bit.

aloha, Mary

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Lionshooter

When I ran charters in south Florida and the Bahamas in the '70s, the preferred drug for motion sickness was pot. It worked quite well. For those who didn't indulge (very few), I kept Scopolamine patches on board.
My first mate has sailed the world with me for 40 years. I've never seen him not get seasick on any voyage we have ever made. He must be in the 25% but he loves it too much to quit. He takes his Dramamine and puts up with it. If it becomes too severe, he uses a Phenergan suppository and it puts him down for 4-5 hours.

My wife was a champ putting up with sailing a seasickness.
As a comment on Dramamine, She took one, just sticks in your mined, went below and the youngest said, " That's the last we will see of Mom." Damn, he was right. Didn't even have to send a bucket below which was my norm. for someone going below.

[Muaddib1116]

It's definitely not the same for me. If I'm reading in a car, I'll get car sick fairly quickly, but I don't have too much trouble with sea sickness, unless there are mitigating circumstances (dehydrated, no sleep, bad food, etc.) or if it's a really uncomfortable motion (like what you get sometimes with a following sea on the quarter).



Not exactly apples to apples, but my dog gets carsick very quickly unless she's medicated, which is a big reason that I decided not to attempt van life. But she's been great on the boat. She gets nervous or scared with rough seas, but not sick yet.

[Santaclaus4]

I can sail the San Francisco bay, the San Juan islands, and any river and not get seasick. Everytime I take her out on the ocean I get seasick the first day. I know when it's starting because the thought of going below to use the head makes me wanna puke. Only on the first day.
My daughter gets carsick easily but my boat doesn't bother her at all. Go figure.

[asinc]

My son when growing up would get motion sick on every car ride. Two hour ride to the boat would equal 3 to four stops when he would get sick. Once we arrived on the boat and set sail he would be fine most of the time. Only on long passages in big seas while down below, would he get sick, most people do. In my experience there isn’t necessarily a direct correlation.

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by Joh.Ghurt

...avoid the smell of the skipper frying during a near gale chicken skewers with curry (Killing him is appropriate).

On a delivery back from the Gold Coast to Sydney on a racing yacht, I had a skipper try successive levels of this experiment - first, coffee; next, full sausage-egg-toast breakfast; finally, a beer. All to see how tough I was. There was me, the one chick on the crew (I'm 5' 5", around 135 lbs), while those meaty grinders (rugby players all, the shortest of whom was 6'4") making a lovely accompaniment, groaning and barfing over the stern...

Anyway, now I know what I should've done - string up Captain Steve! (At the time, I thought it was pretty funny.)

At a boating conference seminar I attended, Nigel Calder recommended motion sickness goggles as being effective for guests on his boat. I can't speak to their effectiveness, it's just... Nigel Calder. Isn't he one of our sailing gods? What he says, goes, in my book.

Here's a link to a review of them:
Healthline: Glasses for Motion Sickness
https://www.healthline.com/health/gl...otion-sickness You can find different brands of them, of course, by googling.

Good luck, warfquartz!
LittleWing77

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

For empiricists I had a girl friend back in the '00s who would get seasick. The never fail solution for her was sex. Worked a charm. Damn near killed me. Of course you need another watchstander.

Trust Auspicious to add a little spice to the conversation!

SO glad you're happily married and (perhaps) no longer so challenged in your watch-standing arrangements...?

Ho-Ho-Ho,
LittleWing77

[Dr.No]

Warfquartz, I am a retired Naval Aviator, and taught primary Naval flight training in two seat turboprops for quite a few years. Nearly 50% of the students got airsick - and barfed on their first flight. This flight had a fairly strenuous small demonstration of aerobatic maneuvers at the end. That’s when they got sick. It is my unproven theory that if someone is subjected to unusual attitudes, ie. being placed upside down, spun around, etc., then they would become acclimated to this. There are three ringed entertainment pieces of equipment called Human Gyroscopes, that I feel would be perfect for this training. The point is, that the body can be trained, can become acclimated. I never had a flight student that could not overcome airsickness. Cheers!