Seasick & Singlehanding

[daydream sailor]

Ahoi All -just wondering, what do you do when you're singlehanding out at sea and you get seasick? Anone had this experience.

[sea_hunter]

I'm always inspired by the NH motto; "Live free or Die"

[SimonV]

You will not die from sea sickness, drink a cup of water each time you up chuck, keep a bucket handy and just get on with it. It will pass.

[hellosailor]

"You will not die from sea sickness,"
Actually, Simon, you CAN die from it. You can wind up rupturing part of your gut and bleeding internally, and it can become a fatal problem.
I you're simply disabled by seasickness, you can still die because there's no one running the boat and they don't all run themselves.

So...if you have meds you take them, and you really ought to have taken along meds and tried them beforehand to find out which ones work. If you've got no meds and you're really disabled, you hit the red buttons and bring in SAR, and write off your boat. (Another reason not to singlehand.)

Yes, it can be fatal. If you've never been that badly off--consider yourself lucky.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by daydream sailor

Ahoi All -just wondering, what do you do when you're singlehanding out at sea and you get seasick? Anone had this experience.

As previously noted, prolonged sea/motion sickness can have fatal results due to dehydration et al. If one is prone to sea-sickness for other than a short period, one would be ill-advised to undertake the effort.

Fortunately, most people that suffer from sea-sickness usually recover within a short/moderate period as their bodies adapt. Some medications will moderate the effects but I wonder whether these also delay adaptation. In many cases, homeopathic remedies are as effective as drugs--i.e. Ginger et al and may have less side effects. Frankly, I also think some may mistake anxiety induced discomfort for sea-sickness but that too normally dissipates as/if one adapts. In any case, it would be wise for one to explore and understand one's own tendencies before setting off, no?

FWIW...

[SimonV]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

"You will not die from sea sickness,"
Actually, Simon, you CAN die from it. You can wind up rupturing part of your gut and bleeding internally, and it can become a fatal problem.
I you're simply disabled by seasickness, you can still die because there's no one running the boat and they don't all run themselves.

So...if you have meds you take them, and you really ought to have taken along meds and tried them beforehand to find out which ones work. If you've got no meds and you're really disabled, you hit the red buttons and bring in SAR, and write off your boat. (Another reason not to singlehand.)

Yes, it can be fatal. If you've never been that badly off--consider yourself lucky.

I do suffer quite badly from sea sickness, usually for the first 12, 24 hrs guaranteed if I haven't been at sea for a few months. I agree you can do some serious damage to yourself if you don't prepare, most problems seem to be around the esophagus. I don't take medication because I have always prepared for the onslaught, drink lots of water, water comes up quick and easy, once I have chucked I drink a sports bottle of water and sure as eggs about 15 min later up it comes, then I drink some more If you have something to bring up you don't end up straining or dry reaching as this is what can cause some of the rupturing. With the right mind set you can do what needs to be done around the boat and try to stay in the cockpit. But you must keep the fluids up if you bring up a litre then drink a litre. I have found that ripe bananas are excellent as they taste good going both ways.

[daydream sailor]

someones advised was to drink sea salted water, dont know what kind of remedy this would be.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by daydream sailor

someones advised was to drink sea salted water, dont know what kind of remedy this would be.

Can you define Purgative? When someone is in danger of severe dehydration would you add salt to their belly? Look up/Google "Colonoscopy, Preparations for".

[Cruisingdad]

Originally Posted by daydream sailor

someones advised was to drink sea salted water, dont know what kind of remedy this would be.

That person that advised you wasn't like an ex-wife or something? Right? (snicker)

I will sometimes suggest a coke or ginger ale. The bubbly helps. Ginger helps my wife, as does pepermint. I cannot stand it.

Phenegren works ok but will knock you on your butt. We carry scopolamine patches but they need to be put on before hand. Also, scope will screw up your vision (it does mine at least).

Brian

[Cruisingdad]

btw, I am going to move this to a different (more apporpriate) forum.

Brian