'rassed by the rozzers and messed about by a queen - in Portsmouth of course

Sounds like a great day out!

MrsSC - one of the biggest factors in seasickness is not being able to see the horizon; try to stay in the cockpit if possible(or not sub-zero!), but otherwise try to look out of the window, and avoid doing complicated things where you have to look at what you're doing (crocheting, engine maintenance :-), etc.).

Another big factor is nervousness. Once you get more familiar and confident with the boat (and the skipper?!) that should ease. Some people never get past that point - sick because they're nervous, then nervous next trip because they think they might/will be sick. It does ease (for almost everybody) in time.
 
Soft floor dinghy.
Ikea single bed slats. They have rubber protection on the ends. Cut to size and fit curved side down make great improvement. Cut and fit before inflating.
 
It was funny to read all those little anecdotes, thanks people! Made me feel slightly better.
HOWEVER - today was a catalogue of calamities.
Son and I sent down to the marina to pick up the flubber and get he boat off the Hammerhead and to it's pontoon, only to discover that in my tired and probably mildly hypothermic state last night I dumped the flubber on a jetty, then tied it off to the PILE! Suffice to say when we arrived today with the tide in it was vertical, and half submerged. The skinny dip with a knife to cut it free was punishment enough for committing the most obvious and cardinal of mooring sins. That though, was merely the beginning...
Braving the wind, and the chop even so far up the river, we climbed aboard, a paddle each, and edged forward through the pontoons. As soon as we were out of their wind shadow we were going backwards despite furious effort, so we caught a pontoon, and got back out. We needed to get upstream against a strong wind, but even with the slack tide it looked impossible. So we walked the riverside, all shored up from ww2 in huge concrete sections serving as 12 inch wide icy walkways until we reached the spot where it ended, upstream of our goal, in a mass of rubble and stones ramping into the river. After 15 minutes of struggling, carrying, and then towing the flubber we finally hopped in, and paddled like fury towards the middle of the river, our reasoning being the wind would send us about 45 degrees downriver. Fortuately we were spot on, and landed exactly on the end of the pontoons mid river. Much patting of backs ensued, and comparison to the escape from Alcatraz. We made our way gingerly along until we reached Bambola, and climbed aboard. getting her underway was no problem at all, and we chugged slowly the few hundred metres towards the mooring running a gentle course to bring us precisely around the mudbank and slowly in to the mooring. A boat's length from the pontoon, I put it in to reverse to gently brake, but it did not slow, so I upped the revs.
That is when we re enacted the raid on St Nazaire.
The boat shot forward with a sudden burst of speed, ramming the pontoon and riding up it. My son who was on the bow made a token attempt with the boathook, but all was lost. i put the boat in neutral, but I could still hear churning. Hitting the stop button and looking down into the engine bay revealed the problem, at the vital moment the yanmar gearbox linkage had come apart. No real damage done fortunately, and nobody hurt, but not the best of days on the water.
 
I found the issue with the reverse lever to be the end fitting was barely screwed on, and the morse cable was not adjusted to allow it to be screwed on further. thus it stripped its threads inside the end fitting. Correctly fully screwed on and locked, and the cable adjusted so neutral actually is in the correct position on the hand control, the whole thing works freely as it should.
Next thing to replace is the raw water hose, it looks like hopepipe, has gone hard, and runs a torturous route for about 8 - 10ft to cover a an actual 4ft needed, including laying perilously close to the propshaft. i think it was old pipe just reused when the boat was re engined as other parts and controls remain in the engine bay.
 
solent clown said:
Son and I sent down to the marina to pick up the flubber and get he boat off the Hammerhead and to it's pontoon, only to discover that in my tired and probably mildly hypothermic state last night I dumped the flubber on a jetty, then tied it off to the PILE! Suffice to say when we arrived today with the tide in it was vertical, and half submerged. .
Click to expand...

And you didn't take photos? :)
 
Mister E said:
If you were down below and crocheting then focusing on that could be the cause. I get seasick on the IOW ferry but take Stugeron and that helps. Plus you do get used to the motion of the boat.

A certain Mr Nelson got seasick as well, so you are in good company,
Click to expand...

Just what I thought when I read that you retired to the cabin. Eyes on the horizon, ideally also hand on the tiller, best seasick preventers. That and chewing ginger according to SWMBO
 
Regarding the seasickness as others have said it's all about a state of mind together with what your eyes can see. In my case when I first started sailing the nerves were the overriding factor, I was worried so much about doing something wrong I could feel seasick on the pontoon. As my confidence improved so that issue eased. However if I am below much for the first day I can still get queasy from the motion, day 2 is better and by day 3 I can be down below without any problem in any conditions
If I know it will be rough on day 1 I take a stugeron and a zantac (an antacid) and stay topsides as much as possible, it works for me.
Oh, and stay warm :encouragement:
 
MRS SC,

the advice about staying in the cockpit is tops, only go below if you have to then get in your bunk immediately keeping warm with a handy bucket.

If actually being sick, it's important to keep hydrated; the small mineral water bottles with a spill proof ' teat ' to suck are by far the best, a trick I learned on small aircraft, not from being sick but being bounced around.

Have plenty of water handy as some will go straight into the bucket.

Orange squash can make it taste better.

Once the worst is over, Dioralyte sachets are designed to replace the important salts and minerals the body loses and they do boost recovery; 4 sachets in a packet from chemists, about £4 last I saw, a pleasant blackcurrant flavour - you mix it in a tumbler of water.

As others have said apprehension is likely your real snag; nobody likes to be unable to control things as a helpless passenger, so TOP priority is to get his nibs to give you lessons on how to handle the tiller, start the engine, select gears and use the VHF ( sorry I get the idea you're not doing these ) - I bet you'll feel much better. :encouragement:
 
Seajet said:
MRS SC,

the advice about staying in the cockpit is tops, only go below if you have to then get in your bunk immediately keeping warm with a handy bucket.

If actually being sick, it's important to keep hydrated; the small mineral water bottles with a spill proof ' teat ' to suck are by far the best, a trick I learned on small aircraft, not from being sick but being bounced around.

Have plenty of water handy as some will go straight into the bucket.

Orange squash can make it taste better.

Once the worst is over, Dioralyte sachets are designed to replace the important salts and minerals the body loses and they do boost recovery; 4 sachets in a packet from chemists, about £4 last I saw, a pleasant blackcurrant flavour - you mix it in a tumbler of water.

As others have said apprehension is likely your real snag; nobody likes to be unable to control things as a helpless passenger, so TOP priority is to get his nibs to give you lessons on how to handle the tiller, start the engine, select gears and use the VHF ( sorry I get the idea you're not doing these ) - I bet you'll feel much better. :encouragement:
Click to expand...

This misses the main thing, staying warm is essential to preventing seasickness, and, despite the feeling that you can't possibly go below if you get below and horizontal fast (head nearest the centre of pitching of the boat -for most boats this is the aft end of the saloon), you WILL feel better, but you DO need a bucket if you've left it too late to go below.

As a sufferer, I have been amazed how good it feels after the 24 hours or so you need to get over it...
 
solent clown said:
yes was my mistake, must hold my hands up for that. We were fortunate not to hit anything. I will not be maikng the same error again :D It was a good trip, Karen got scared when the wind picked up and I refused to reef, it was just too much fun. She perked up towards the end, and it was a really good day. There are always so many anxieties with an untried boat, but we knew the wind was with us all the way - even if it was whistling a Siberian folk tune through the shrouds as we ploughed on
Click to expand...

If I can offer any advice at all, it will our be that if you want Karen to sail with you be very careful of scaring her!
 
john_morris_uk said:
If I can offer any advice at all, it will our be that if you want Karen to sail with you be very careful of scaring her!
Click to expand...

Yes mate, I took that on board today, we have been out for a few hours with her learning the ropes. We stayed fairly close to the moorings, so every time she lost confidence we went back for a few mins rest and dry runs on the pontoon. On the upside she was not seasick!
She has been learning to winch today, and despite my best efforts to teach her good habits she wrapped the sheet around her hand once and got bitten! I expect she will be on soon to recount her adventures, but seems the sickness was anxiety based.
 
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