Another Seackiness Question

[jetdrvr393]

Hello,

My wife and I are going to take the basic keelboat class on lake erie next month. We sail our boat on a small inland lake with almost no wave action. Once as a child I got very sick fishing in a power boat on lake erie.
I now fly airplanes for a living and have never had even a bit of airsickness, should I worry about our class on lake erie? I don't want to assume I'll be fine and then have my class ruined.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Minnewaska]

Keep your eyes outside the boat, just like you do in the plane. At first you may be head down trying to find the right line, but that changes fast. Eyes on the horizon.

[rockDAWG]

Go to Rx and get some dramamine 50 mg. On your day off, take a dose and see if it affects you mentally. Most people will have no CNS side effect. On the day of sailing, take 50 mg of dramamine a few hours before getting on the boat. You should be fine. Just avoid alcohol. Good luck.

[arknoah]

We've used Bonine rather than dramamine because folks don't tend to get drowsy from bonine. I can buy it at CVS or other pharmacies over the counter, and I believe the little chewable pill (it tastes a little like the old chewable St. Joseph's Aspirin for Children -- yuck!) lasts for the entire day. Be sure to take it an hour or so before getting on the boat. That applies I think to all the medicines for motion sickness, since they work to help prevent sickness, and aren't very effective if you take it after already getting sick.

[rikhall]

Originally Posted by arknoah

We've used Bonine rather than dramamine because folks don't tend to get drowsy from bonine. I can buy it at CVS or other pharmacies over the counter, ... lasts for the entire day. Be sure to take it an hour or so before getting on the boat. That applies I think to all the medicines for motion sickness, since they work to help prevent sickness, and aren't very effective if you take it after already getting sick.

+++ - that's what we use. Works for us.

Rik

[Jeff_H]

I second much of what has been said, but in particular my wife is prone to seasickness and has had good results with Bonine without showing signs of drowsiness. As others may have suggested, you should probably try one before your class to see how it affects you. Other helpful tips (some already mentioned would be to:

• try to keep your eyes on the horizon, ideally in front of the boat rather than abeam,
• try to stay near the middle of the boat (fore and aft),
• do not drink alcohol before or during the trip,
• bring and sip ginger ale which tends to settle ones stomach,
• eat small snacks which avoid greasy foods and bring baked (such as Triscuits or Carrs water crackers) rather than fried snacks (such as potato chips or Ritz crackers),
• get lots of sleep before hand,
• and try not to worry.

Given your flight experiences, you should be fine, but if not, do not feel badly about getting sick; almost all of us have experienced mal-de-mer at some point during our sailing careers. Seasickness can be really miserable, but it will pass, and over time you will learn what you personally need to do to avoid the problem. In the worse case, there are a pretty wide range of very powerful prescription nausea suppresants that are extremely effective, but hopefully it won't come to that.

Jeff

[Minnewaska]

mini pretzels are great too. An old retired USCG captain told me that trick probably 20 years ago now. Just nibble.

A salty (not fatty) snack will also temporarily interfere with your kidney function and keep you from having to go below to visit the head as often. That's an old long distance pilot trick. (when there is no head at all!)

[jetdrvr393]

Thanks for all the great advice. Does anyone think I will just be ok without taking pills? I did sail on the lake last summer for about 2hrs with a friend in 1-2' waves and was totally fine without taking anything. I realize though that we will be out much longer this time and there is the potential for larger seas than 1-2.

[rockDAWG]

I think you should be fine considering you drive a Jet plane in real life. . If you feel a bit motion sickness, do as other say. Look at the horizon, have wind blow in your face, be a helmsman for awhile, don't go below deck and never stare at your own feet when standing.

[msmith10]

In my experience, it's very situational. It will depend on water conditions and your activities on the boat. As others have said, concentrate on the horizon and things off the boat. Don't go below any more than necessary. It wouldn't hurt to take something first time out and see how you do, or take it if the water's a little rough. Those things all work far better pre-emptively than after-the-fact.