Do you get seasick?

Stu Jackson · May 15, 2016

Short answer: seasickness is simply a different version of motion sickness. Some people get seasick in cars! Go figure.

rgranger said:
The topic of seasickness came up on another thread

Ya think? It's been discussed endlessly on this and every single other boating forum known to man.

The issue you mention is simply the different KINDS of motion between sailboats and power boats. Usually the latter have shorter and jerkier motions, kinda like the people who own them.

Do a search on boating forums or even Google and you can read literally for years.

Good luck.

Rich Stidger · May 15, 2016

Only when I open my yard bill.....

RussC · May 15, 2016

rgranger said:
I'd love to understand the physiology of "seasickness" better. My crude understanding is that it is the result of your brain receiving conflicting data regarding your equilibrium from you inner ear and your eyes. If you brain is unable to resolve the conflicting data, then you get sick...

^^That's pretty much it^^. It doesn't matter if it's a sailboat, powerboat, or inside Jonas whale. when your eyes see different motion than your body feels, then your stomach gets involved. Have you ever noticed that the people who get car sick are always in the back seat with less visibility to the surroundings? and back on the boat, it's after going down below that the major churning starts. Stay topside in rolling conditions as much as possible if you feel susceptible. I find the nearby railing comforting as well.

Benny17441 · May 15, 2016

I have the wife of one of my sailing buddies that will get seasick every time on the first day of a trip but after that she is good to go. She does not throw up but will feel queasy and has to stay up in the cockpit. The funny thing is that after being miserable for hours she will go below and lay down to get some sleep with no problem. It is also funny that she can go on a day sail with no sickness at all. Sea conditions are not a factor and I do not think she has any abnormal fear or anxiety about going on a trip. She says that she feels that those wrist attachments that produce electrical impulses seem to help her but not the pills. I think something in her subconscious may be triggering a panic attack and that what she feels is not really motion sickness. Knock on wood, I never get seasick but I do start felling queasy if I start smelling diesel exhaust fumes. I have changed course a couple of times just to escape a stern wind from bringing exhaust fumes into the cockpit and will walk off a dock if someone idles their engine for too long.

Bob J. · May 15, 2016

Anytime I'm down below in the cabin whether it's a powerboat trolling or a sailboat on the move, I start to feel queasy. I get back up top & everything is good. Never got seasick & hope I never do. Based upon the past if I went on a several day/overnight sail, I supect I'd be sleeping in the cockpit...

Gene Neill · May 15, 2016

Once in my life. On a very big 80-ish foot steel hulled work boat in the gulf of Mexico, working the oilfield. To quote Richard Henry Dana, I was "throwing up over the side like a lady passenger".

I have felt vague hints of it from time to time since then, but nothing I couldn't shake off.

kloudie1 · May 15, 2016

Worst was on a charter fishing boat out on the rigs in the Gulf; may have had something to do with bourbon for supper and doughnuts for breakfast.

Bill Roosa · May 15, 2016

also remember to keep your eyes on the horizon.

Franklin · May 15, 2016

My first time ever offshore was in a big 60'+ offshore fishing boat for large groups of people. I was in the army and even though my new platoon sgt told us on the first day he wasn't going to be our fishing buddy, two months later he took us all deep sea fishing. I remember him telling us if we need sea sickness medicine, to go to sick call and get some. After the formation I told the others who didn't know if they needed it that I was a man and water doesn't make me sick

While we were hauling butt out to the fishing site at about 25-30 knots, I was out on the bow having a wonderful time, even drinking beer too and making fun of the guys at the stern. When the boat stopped so we could fish, 5 minutes later I was back with all the others puking off the stern.

I used to have big problems getting sea sick sailing offshore overnight. Day time never effected me. I tried all kinds of medicine (except Stugeron) and nothing worked consistently. Well, I was going cruising no matter what but I haven't been sick since I left Texas. What seemed to 'fix' me is a combination of a few things:

1) read an article just before I left about how to properly ride a boat. You don't hold on tight, you let the boat ride under you while you stay still. That really helped tremendously the first few legs of cruising. When I would start to feel something, I would stand on the companionway steps and do it for 30 minutes and it would be gone. It can be done while sitting but it takes practice, easier on the steps when standing.

2) I had gotten more comfortable with being by myself at sea and more comfortable in my boat at sea. As the King above said, there is a mental part to it and the subject is not even aware of it when it is happening.

3) For the few times something changes and I feel different, I take 1 pill of Stugeron and lay down in the cockpit for an hour or two. The feeling is gone for the rest of the trip. Well, on my 30 day trip to Marquesas I had to take 2 pills (1 pill about 5 days apart), but I was watching movies down below in 10' steep stuff then so I wasn't surprised but still wasn't sure if it was sea-sickness until I felt better after taking the pill.

I haven't puked since I left Texas 4 years ago, but before then, it got so bad that if I just looked at a picture of bad weather at sea my mouth would water and my stomach would feel different. Gotta break that fear of everything including getting sick and #1 really helps with that. One thing is for sure, if one has a history of sea sickness, one needs to find a way to go offshore and not get sick a few times to build up that confidence or else fear will always cause it...even though the person doesn't think they are afraid.

capta · May 15, 2016

Except in extreme situations with the very rare person, I think most who get seasick do so because of an insecurity and/or comfortableness with being in an unfamiliar environment.
I have known two people who did not get over their seasickness, ever. Every time they went sailing, no matter the conditions, they got sick. But neither let the condition interfere with their sailing duties, beyond the simple, "Grab the helm for a sec." and then they were back at work. Everybody else, and I mean EVERYBODY, got over it on the third day at sea or sooner. Many simply stopped being sick when forced to take the helm. They soon realized that the boat was not at the mercy of the ocean, but quite controllable even in their inexperienced hands.
That is not to say that being below or the smell of diesel can't trigger nausea, but those are influences that once removed, the nausea most often goes with them. Ever notice how someone is fine until they realize that the boat is beyond the sight of land?

RussC · May 15, 2016

Franklin said:
I used to have big problems getting sea sick sailing offshore overnight. Day time never effected me.

Now that you mention it, I've only been affected during the day and never gotten sick sleeping on the boat overnight. The rolling motion and the waves slapping the hull actually kinda lulls me to sleep. However…. The day we get back from an overnighter I can't hardly stand up when I close my eyes in the shower at home. I close my eyes and the shower starts rolling over the waves.

.

RussC · May 15, 2016

capta said:
Ever notice how someone is fine until they realize that the boat is beyond the sight of land?

You could have something there. My dad can ONLY swim in water that's not over his head. Once it's deeper than he is tall he sinks like a rock.

Rich Stidger · May 15, 2016

I was told by an old sailor once that the problem with getting seasick is that first you are worried that you are going to die, and then you are afraid that you might not.

Rick Webb · May 15, 2016

Same Issue
I also had the same issue in a CH-47 but not in anything else. I figure it is because of the motion, the tail end kinda wallows behind the front. The diesel smell does not help either.

woodster · May 15, 2016

i have not yet....... knock on wood but if some one else does i have to look the other way ...i will tell you after working on tall buildings most of my life the only time i ever lost my balance was when being on the top and looking up at the moving clouds

Roadking Larry · May 15, 2016

I think there can be a big psychological component to it. The first submarine I was on was out of San Diego, we had one crewmember that would get queasy at "shift colors" and be heaving before we cleared Ballast Point on the nicest of days.
Being on a sub we didn't spend a lot of time on the surface but when we did it could get fun. Round hulls do not ride the waves well.
Straights of Juan De Fuca or the North Sea in early Spring can be brutal. If I could go topside (rarely) it wasn't an issue. The biggest problem I had was the stench from all the people heaving in any receptacle of convenience.
If I did get a little queasy stretching out in my rack for 1/2 an hour would set me right again.

Jackdaw · May 15, 2016

Rick Webb said:
I also had the same issue in a CH-47 but not in anything else. I figure it is because of the motion, the tail end kinda wallows behind the front.

The dreaded 'dutch roll'. Everyone hates that.

Kermit · May 16, 2016

rgranger said:
But the one time I've ever gotten sick on a sailboat was a time when I went into the cabin to fix the crew lunch and we were sailing through some very rough chop. As soon as I got out of the cabin and back on deck, my stomach settled down.

There's your answer. Your brain was NOT confused. Your brain knew exactly what was going on. It's your cooking.