sea sick

L

lasereng

Member
Hi,

At this weekends UK qualifier I got the same feeling I have had at the last couple of opens - sea sickness. I become so weak I cant sail and this weekend i had to come in half way through the first race. i'm not used to such big, far apart waves but waiting in between races seems to kick it off.

So the crux of it is...what tablets/ preventions can any similar sufferers recommend?

Cheers
 
There are more sea-sickness remedies than there are sailors.

That being said, over-the-counter seasickness remedies based on antihistamines (Dramamine, Bonine, Mirazene, etc...) work pretty well for many people without having a lot of side effects.

You have to follow the directions and take it considerably before the motion begins (e.g. take it before you leave the house, or before you start rigging your boat.)
 
I'd suggest trying whatever you end up trying on a non race day first... One Dramamine pill pretty much knocks me out for a few hours (and I'm 6'1" / 230lb... it just hits me hard for some reason)
 
Hola...I get sick (too often sometimes)...on off shore races or overnighters I take a bonine!! I love them...the only gotcha, they dry me up so I drink lots of water to keep up....1 hour before leaving the dock. Advise...once you get sick..don't fight it...throw up like a drunk, freshen up and keep going!!
good luck
Antolin

ps I don't get sick on the laser but on big boats...sometimes...that diesel smell...bah
 
Were you sailing much this season before the qualifier? I always find that it usually takes me about a week to get my sea legs back. The first day I'm fairly woozy but over the next few days it always tapers off into nothingness as my body gets used to it.
 
Unfortunately I have some experience with sea sickness. I allways get sea sick when I go for a trip offshore. I sail offshore for more than 30 years and tried several kinds of medicine and other treatments. Most medicine make you sleepy.

The medicine that works the best for me is Touristil. I never had side effects. It won't make you sleepy, as most others do. You must take it in one hour before leaving, and take the next one as soon as you start to feel weaker.

I don't know if its available in the UK. As a Dutchman I travel to Belgium to buy is. But it's worth it.
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I am fortunate in that I only very occasionally suffer and even then only on large boats and only briefly. However, from my large boat days several people used to use patches they stick behind their ears. Those using them would swear by them and most tended to cut the patches in half and only use "half doses" - so they must have been pretty strong. I remember that at one time in the UK I was told they were prescription only, but that there were "over the counter" in the US. No idea about the situation these days - not even if they are still available but may be worth investigating.

Whatever you do, do stick at it as many people who do suffer will gain their "sea legs" over time.

Is all your sailing on the sea or do/can you sail on inland waters as well ?

Ian
 
I’ve been lucky to dodge sea sickness all my life, but I’m not naïve enough to think that I can’t get sea sick. Everyone does, it’s just a matter of when.

So I can only provide observations, but I’d like to point out with Dramamine or any drug that there can be side effects. One rare side effect of Dramamine is hysteria, a good friend of mine had a crewmate that really wanted to jump overboard during a Chicago to Mackinac race. So if you go this route I’d suggest that you try one at home on the couch first.

That being said I’ve seen and heard good things about Ginger, some things in life need more than a home remedy but my observation is that sea sickness isn’t one of them. Everyone I’ve seen that took Ginger be it because of a hangover or motion sickness has had good results.
 
Deimos said:
I am fortunate in that I only very occasionally suffer and even then only on large boats and only briefly. However, from my large boat days several people used to use patches they stick behind their ears. Those using them would swear by them and most tended to cut the patches in half and only use "half doses" - so they must have been pretty strong. I remember that at one time in the UK I was told they were prescription only, but that there were "over the counter" in the US. No idea about the situation these days - not even if they are still available but may be worth investigating.

Whatever you do, do stick at it as many people who do suffer will gain their "sea legs" over time.

Is all your sailing on the sea or do/can you sail on inland waters as well ?

Ian
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I've used the patches (transderm-scopoamine) on two differents trips across the gulf on a j41 and C&C37. They worked well for sea sickness however they have some substancial side effects...blurred vision up close, dry mouth, and people will open up and confess all their sins and "whatever" happens to be on their mind!
If you find someone wearing one...ask them anything...and they WILL tell you.
 
Thanks everyone for your advice, very helpful. I'm going for the ginger route first as it is the one with no side effects and will see how i get on. Otherwise I may have to go for a more powerful alternative....or take up another sport.... I sail on the sea it was simply the motion of the waves last weekend, huge and very far apart plus i have always been susceptible to travel sickness and think this kicked it off.

thanks again
 
Yep, bonine is what I use. I don't really get sick any more when fishing, doing big boat racing, or my laser; maybe because in my past I have been a commercial fisherman.

Try waves, knowing you going out to sea for weeks at a time, diesel, hydraulic fluid, oil, fish guts, and other smelly fisherman.:D

arm said:
Hola...I get sick (too often sometimes)...on off shore races or overnighters I take a bonine!! I love them...the only gotcha, they dry me up so I drink lots of water to keep up....1 hour before leaving the dock. Advise...once you get sick..don't fight it...throw up like a drunk, freshen up and keep going!!
good luck
Antolin

ps I don't get sick on the laser but on big boats...sometimes...that diesel smell...bah
Click to expand...
 
yeah i completely sympathise with people who have sea sickness as it can damage performance big time. my friend took stugeron but felt shattered. i've seen all these ideas on here but as this is quite old is there any new products anyone has good experiences with?

peace and love
 
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