*BARF!!!*

[JustStartin]

Okay, I've always been prone to motion sickness, but I'm not about to let that sink my dreams of sailing!  My question is simple...those of you that have the same issues...what is the most effective way to combat motion sickness?

I'm good on the small inland lakes, but we just had our first experience on larger waters (Lake St. Clair, MI) and it sent my stomach into a twisted frenzy.

[edbuchanan]

Hi,

I think dehydration is responsible for some sea sickness.  Try drinking water!

Ernie (Molly, 23/II 1984)

[Paul]

My family and I have experience with a product called Sea Bands.  You can find them at the pharmacy.  They are simply gray elastic bands that rap around each wrist with a pressure nob on them.  The instructions tell exactly where to place them.  Seven bucks last time I checked.  Well worth it to me.  It works by acupressure.  AND, it works even if you are already feeling queasy with no adverse side affects.

My wife and I went to the Big Island some years past.  Took a helicopter ride over the volcanoes and then up the coast by the big cliffs.  Absolutely an awesome experience!  Until I heard the pilot tell me he didn't want my wife barfing on the back of his head.  "She's looking pretty green."  So, I handed her the tiny little paper barf bag (what a joke) and slipped these sea bands on her wrists.  Within a few minutes she felt tolerably better.  The pilot was still flying as he had all along; lots of twists and turns etc in the canyons.  And she felt a lot more comfortable.

My mom found out about these when she took a trip to Colorado years prior.  She's not really prone to car sickness, but this trip was a little different.  Bigger mountains with tighter switchbacks I suppose.  Anyway, they stopped at the next town where a pharmacist advised her about these.

Hope this helps.  Keep your chin up.  It could be dis-embarkment syndrome instead. 

[mrb]

Hello B

This will probably sound contrary to what most will say but had a old fisherman of the pacific North West tell me to eat a good breakfast, not necessarily greasy. and drink Coffey before heading out.  Aways worked for me and my family.  My brother and his family talked about being sick and took all the remedy's along with no breakfast and always were on the bow chumming for fish.  Have to give it to them though as they kept going out.

Some or the more accepted remedy's are get plenty of fresh air, if you run motor stay out of any exhaust fumes and try not to focus on moving objects.  Supposedly the major cause of motion sickness is the brain trying to adjust for the different motions your body is relaying to it and the signals your eye is sending it.  I.E. swell or wave motion and eye trying to focus on things like motion of mast.sails even the horizon or a book.

However reamember that many great seamen and women who spent years at sea still experience bouts of seasickness at times.  If sailing is something you really want sometimes you have to take to good with bad and keep in mind it will usually pass.

I also find that motion under sail is better than motion under power.
Get out of the cabin at first sign of queasiness.
When all else fails go to Leeward and feed the sea gods,doesn't make you any less of a sailor
Melvin

[Paul]

Fun story......

Dad was in the Navy in the 50's.  He was a helmsman on a destroyer, the U.S.S. Prairie, if I recall.  He tells the story of a new crew headed out of San Diego on their way to Japan via North Pacific.  Now I know why they call it a "green crew."  During one particular storm there was enough barf to slosh on the floor of the mess hall as the boat pitched!!   

Old sailors and their stories!! 

He advised me more than once to get in the middle of the boat where the pitching and rolling was the least, and keep my eyes on the horizon.  Always helped me.

Also, don't go scuba diving after a night of heavy drinking/partying when the seas are in the six foot range.  Don't ask me how I know.......

[K3v1n]

I watched the "Myth Busters" once as they did a show on all the known cures for motion sickness. The only one that worked was taking Ginger Root supplements. I get mine from Puritan's Pride(www.puritan.com) I just take one with a meal starting sometimes the night before a long sail or just with breakfast the morning of, so far it has worked.

-Kevin

[mgoller]

The reason we get sea sick is physiological.  It goes back to primordial beginnings.  When the brain senses a derrangemnet between what we see and what we feel the "old" part of the brain says "uh oh, you ate a poison, barf now!"
There are little stones in the inner ear that roll around and stimulate small hairs to sense up, down and sideways.  When these contradict what the eyes see, you're going to get the sour jaw squirts. 
So... my advice is don't fight the movement of the boat.  Tell your brain you're rolling pitching, yawing and reassure your eyes that indeed that is what they are seeing.
I have been on boats where people who are terrified of getting sick, stand in the middle and hold on.  They don't talk, don't move, don't look around.  Barf!!!!!
I on the other hand move around, try balancing on one foot, hang on the rail, go to the bow and ride the waves, look at the horizon and the waves, chat, do the merengue, talk with the skipper....
I am telling my brain I am on the sea, on a boat and having fun.
Looking at the horizon isn't good enough.  Eyes see in two dimensions, your ear senses 3 dimensions. 

Ginger works a little, it depresses the equilebreum sensations somewhat.  But relying on coverups isn't the long term solution.

Its funny, but after a long sail, if I close my eyes my body feels like it is still pitching rolling and yawing.  I can fall down with my eyes closed.  This is because the body habituates to the motion, (expects it).  Similar to being in a stinky room, you can't smell it, or being in a bright setting, it takes awhile to see in a dark room.

There are two control centers to the brain at least.  The part you don't control and the part you do.  Take control, tell your brain to take it easy, you're sailing and you are going to experience all sorts of fun.  Engage the sea and the boat and the activity.
By the way, this works for funk moods, back pain (tell your brain to quit shutting off blood supply to muscle groups) lack of confidence, etc....  Sorry, doesn't work for hair loss!

How to talk to your brain?  Thats another discussion.

[Paul]

So, JustStartin, let us know if any of the solutions offered helps.  I am curious.  I also realize each person is different regarding sensitivity and severity to sea sickness.  Above all, have fun sailing! 

[jimyoung]

Juststartin,

One thing that helps (and is a lot of fun) is to be on the boat as much as possible. I try to always invite my friends to spend one night on board Miss B. even if it is at the dock behind the house if they have seasick problems before an offshore excursion. This helps adjusts the brain to the boat movement in a calm surrounding before the ocean swells have a chance to sneak up on them. Sometimes it doesn't work but most times it does. If you still find yourself getting sick and are not, or refuse to, come back to dry land the best thing is to Chuck it up, wash it back with warm beer and bread and let it pass. If you don't dwell on it it will usually go away.  If you do dwell on it you are in for a LOT of misery.

Good luck and fair winds.
Jim

[curtisv]

Juststartin,

The wrist bands seem to help.  They are supposed to work even if you put them on after you start to feel bad.

I have the seasick pills on board for anyone that is prone to it but those are supposed to be taken 2-4 hours before going out so they might not be much good.  Once a guest is on board it is too late for the pills to be effective.  The pills are getting old and probably should be tossed anyway.  I have a few wrist bands still in the package.

The photo is my friend Andy hugging a lighthouse after taking the seasick pills too late and glad to be back on solid ground.  (Note the change in font color).  A 12 hour sail on the ocean a day after a front moves through is a bad idea for a first sail of the season.

Going out a lot helps but doesn't help the guests on board if they don't go out a lot too.

Not being anxious helps.  A nervous guest on board can get seasick in a near flat calm.

If yout go out a little at a time as often as you can and soon you'll find that you are used to the motion of the boat.

Gatorade (the original not the funky colored high sugar ones or poweraid) and saltine crackers are supposed to help reverse the effect but takes a long time to take effect.  Something about keeping hydrated and keeping electolyte levels up.

Curtis

ps - you know you are used to the boat motion when you get to land and you still have the sensation that the ground is swaying back and forth.  Seems to be most pronounced in the shower.  I've had this happen plenty of times and have heard this from other sailors.  Your brain seems to expects the world underneath you to move so you continuously transfer weight from one foot to the other in cadence to the waves you had just experienced and have a slight sensation that you have to do this to keep balanced.  Sometimes you get a visual effect too after a long or rough sail.

[Paul]

Curtis:

I used to get that sensation on Monday morning in the office after a good weekend sailing.  Usually happened at my desk, especially if I was sitting on the front edge of the chair with no back support.  Typically, that feeling simply brought a smile to my face as I remembered the good times. 

[edbuchanan]

So far not one in my family has sufferred from seasickness (knock wood), but instead we get what we call "Landsickness".  The effect can last days if we are out for a week or more.  When we were beginning sailors the effect was not pleasant, and we had to abandon an expensive dinner in a (non-floating) restaurant due the sensation that the restaurant was going to go over.  My brain thought we were taking 90 degree knock-downs, my wife even grabbed at the table once!  The odd thing is that when we got back on the boat the world felt quite steady again.  All was at peace.

Ernie (Molly 23/II, 1984)

PS: Paul, I too enjoy landsickness as a pleasant aftertaste of the boat.

[Rick Klages]

Sail often and don't go below.  You will adapt to the motion.

ick

[JustStartin]

Thanks for all the advise guys!  It's funny to read all the posts and see everyone's interpretation to overcoming seasickness.  I get out on my CP-19 as often as possible and for the most part I've done well adjusting.  I've always battled motionsickness however so my fight may be a bit more drawn out than most.  I also suffer from vertigo (much worse than seasickness!!!) but fortunately that hasn't kicked in while out on the blue!

[Rick Klages]

I also suffered from motion sickness and vertigo.  It finally ended for good when I gave up soda (Coke, Pepsi).  I can now enjoy a cup or two of coffee without any ill effect. Drink water before setting out and while sailing.  Save other beverages as a treat.  Occasionally a Coke is OK (for me with or without rum).  I think that preparation prior to sailing, like any other sport, is part of the drill and if your not watching the consumables prior to setting out you might want to reconsider. 

ick