Sea Sick Cures!

[Zagato]

I always find comfort in the fact that even the "sailing greats" suffered from sea sickness at one time or another, Sir Francis Chichester immediately comes to mind.

I have only day sailed, so not eating in the morning does the trick for me! How do others cope with it, have you any tips for my crew (wife and kids).

I don't ever remember feeling seasick on any rugby tour involving rough ferry crossings but then we were all hammered anyway - I can't see an obligatory pint of Guinness going down to well with the family before each sail, well not with the kids anyway

 

[johnalison]

I once threw up on a grotty ferry called Cote d'Azur in about 1953 and have since taken great steps to avoid it. The greatest contribution has been modern electronic navigation which means that I never have to spend a long time below with my head over a chart.

So, my advice is to spend as much time in the cockpit and preferably at the helm as possible. Failing that, Stugeron works pretty well.

The greatest sea-vomiter was Nelson.

 

[capnsensible]

Some years ago, I was on a Service yacht on passage from the Azores to the UK. In the spirit of adventurous training, as a technician I was obviously awarded the job of ships' doctor.

We had a particular crew member who suffered quite badly for a couple of days, as did several others, but who, after a few more days was suspected of maybe shirking a bit.

The skipper was getting a bit concerned, so invited me to resolve the problem. There is an extensive inventory of medicines on these yachts plus detailed instructions on their use. I discovered that for those badly incapacitated, there was a reliable remedy to be applied by suppository.

After a few words with the sufferer, she was soon back on watch despite not feeling 100%.

 

[VO5]

I once threw up on a grotty ferry called Cote d'Azur in about 1953 and have since taken great steps to avoid it. The greatest contribution has been modern electronic navigation which means that I never have to spend a long time below with my head over a chart.

So, my advice is to spend as much time in the cockpit and preferably at the helm as possible. Failing that, Stugeron works pretty well.

The greatest sea-vomiter was Nelson.

That is correct. Anything above Force 3 and Bloop !

It is recorded that he was determined to overcome the affliction and spent 4 years aboard without ever going ashore in his attempt to finally conquer it, but he did not ever succeed.

Some people are more subceptible to the malady than others.

 

[Poignard]

Sit under a tree.


Seriously, avoiding big meals the night before going to sea, or a large breakfast that day, works for me.

 

[Philiz]

Ginger taken as a tincture seems to work quite well. Available from herbalists.

 

[PlanB]

I always eat beforehand , take Stugeron and stay up top so I can see the horizon.

 

[colingr]

Not sure why but Ginger in various forms seems to crop up as a cure. Ginger biscuits, crystallised ginger or whatever.

 

[Chris_Robb]

I heard of someone - definitely not me - trying a week splif. The target person, normally badly seasick, managed to cook breakfast at 5 in the morning on a rough channel crossing. I believe that this is a well known property of that drug.

 

[30boat]

I suffered badly for most of my life and picked up a few tricks.Coffee is very bad as is alcohool.Avoid fried foods,chocolate,anything acid and stick to rice or pasta.Rest is important .As was said no large meals the night before.There are many medicines available so you'll have to find one that works for you.Boots travel medicine helps me.

 

[snooks]

Kwells worked for me in everything but a liferaft.

When I'm skippering it's rare that I succumb, but I usually take Kwells and I'm usually kept busy

I've tried Scopoderm patches, but have gone off them in favour of Kwells which last for 6 hours a tablet, so one for a day sail, and 2 for a cross channel.

They are easy to get hold of, contain the same active ingredient as the patches Hyoscine Hydrobrimide, they are easy to take they can be sucked or chewed or swallowed whole, the first two are very handy if you start feeling sick or are being sick, as tablets don't tend to stay down

But everyone has their own solution.

While I was feeding the fish out the side of a liferaft Chris was wearing one of those electronic wrist bands, the only time he felt a bit queezy was when it had come off his wrist. If you find something that works for you stick with it

 

[jimbaerselman]

Prevention and cures for those affected are:

1. Exposure. More time bouncing around, less likely to be affected.

2. Avoid conflict between the motion the eyes see, and the motion the body feels (the cause). Either a. Keep a good, all round view of the horizon, or b. keep your eyes shut if that's not possible. If potentially affected, do not go below decks and keep your eyes open. (bad news for the incontinent!)

3. Disconnect what your eyes sense from what your body senses by using a drug. Antihistamines do the job, with varying levels of drowsiness arising (helps the eyes closed solution, bad for night watch though!). Splifs come in this category, as do all the brand names so far mentioned.

4. Ginger is probably a placebo, actually working through the mechanism of exposure

5. My first skipper used to tell us that the best cure was to swallow a lump of bacon fat, with a piece of string tied to it, then pull it back out. The story worked - I puked on the spot - but the momentary relief allowed exposure to work its charms.

 

[allangray3]

How I was Cured

Many years ago before Health & Safety went mad I was given the chance to have a pleasure tip as it was called then on a Trawler . I was fine until we left the Humber, no sooner had we cleared Spurn I Started a close relationship with the starboard rail. After 12 hours I was ordered to the skippers cabin and told to Eat a Large Orange He pointed to.
The Orange had been sitting on his Cabin Heater and was difficult to peel due to the Heat.
At twelve you do as your told and boy was I Ill. Ithink I was so sick my Hob Socks Came Up. But low and behold Half an hour Later I was in the Galley eating a grand fried brackfast and have never suffered seasickness in the last 45 years.

 

[upthesolent]

Food, alcohol and activity - never staying in the cabin too long!

 

[30boat]

Food, alcohol and activity - never staying in the cabin too long!

Do you recommend alcohool?

 

[alant]

Better out than in!

Many years ago before Health & Safety went mad I was given the chance to have a pleasure tip as it was called then on a Trawler . I was fine until we left the Humber, no sooner had we cleared Spurn I Started a close relationship with the starboard rail. After 12 hours I was ordered to the skippers cabin and told to Eat a Large Orange He pointed to.
The Orange had been sitting on his Cabin Heater and was difficult to peel due to the Heat.
At twelve you do as your told and boy was I Ill. Ithink I was so sick my Hob Socks Came Up. But low and behold Half an hour Later I was in the Galley eating a grand fried brackfast and have never suffered seasickness in the last 45 years.

I am one of the lucky people never to have suffered, but have often recommended a pork pie with lashings of English Mustard as a remedy.

Seems to have similar effect as the "the best cure was to swallow a lump of bacon fat, with a piece of string tied to it, then pull it back out.", but eliminated the need for a length of string.

Seriously though, its important to mention to any fertile female crew, during your safety brief, that vomiting due to S/S could invalidate any regular medication they might be taking.

 

[Zagato]

Thanks for the replies, a light pasta meal the night before and travel sickness tablets seem to be the way forward.

I wonder how effective the wrist watches are that give you small electric shocks that interefere with nerve activity that cause nausea. It blocks sickness messages between the stomach and the brain. Anyone else had any joy with these?

 

[mjcp]

I heard of someone - definitely not me - trying a week splif. The target person, normally badly seasick, managed to cook breakfast at 5 in the morning on a rough channel crossing. I believe that this is a well known property of that drug.

I couldn't think of anything worse! the 2 occasions I've had the mindlessness to try have both ended up with a very ill feeling in the stomach (followed by a horrid sore throat a few days later), needless to say 2 hasn't become 3 in the last 20 years!

mjcp

 

[Ubergeekian]

5. My first skipper used to tell us that the best cure was to swallow a lump of bacon fat, with a piece of string tied to it, then pull it back out.

That advice is given by Bill the cabin boy in Peter Duck published in 1932. I wonder if Ransome invented it or if he too had been given the advice? Has anyone here tried it? I find that just thinking about it is quite effective.

 

[johnalison]

As I think I've posted before, eat tinned pineapple - it tastes the same on the way up as on the way down.