Thinking of moving to the dark side

[P4Paul]

Good morning,

We have been thinking about moving to the dark side for a number of months and are now getting to the point where we need to decide what we are going to do.

Some background may help:

As a family (Mum, Dad (me) and teenage daughter) we tend to use our South Coast based 42ft yacht as both a weekend retreat as well as a sporting hobby. The downside being that my daughter suffers badly (very badly at times) from seasickness and there is nothing worse than just leaving a marina with an long trip in front of you and she starts feeling ill. The guilt I feel for making her so ill is impacting upon our enjoyment to the point where we no longer go sailing much.

There is no doubt that she will feel ill on-board any vessel but the thoughts behind moving to a MoBo is that at least we will have minimised the time she will feel ill.

We would want to use any replacement as a weekend retreat so space is a major consideration. Budget would be around £120k.

So to my questions:

1) In the opinion of the team, is there a hightened risk of seasickness by moving to a MoBo?

2) Are we looking at the right type of MoBo, currently looking at Fairline Phantom 38, Jeanneau Prestige 36 Fly, Sealine F37?

3) Is the ride better in a Flybridge or a sports boat?

4) Am I right in thinking that shafts will give a better ride because of weight distribution or is there no real difference?

Advice from anyone greatfully received especially from those who have moved from sailing to motor and therefore can objectively comment on the comparative sea kindliness of both.

 

[sarabande]

the key to your search, I suggest, lies in sorting out your daughter's seasickness problem first, as there is little point in making the change, to find out that she still suffers - or worse, cannot sustain even a small whiff of exhaust or diesel.

There are various kinds of therapy available, and websearch will give you guidance.


Perhaps a big cat might be a compromise answer ? Giving you sailing (at which you have obvious skills and experience) plus lots of accommodation, and a better motion at sea for 90% of the time than single hull mobo. There some pretty competent cat motorboats around as well.


Gludy is the guy who made the change the other way round from mobo to raggie cat.

I don't know anyone who has gone from big sailboat to big mobo.

 

[tinkicker0]

Well for starters, a planing hull will tend to roll far less than a displacement one.

 

[P4Paul]

the key to your search, I suggest, lies in sorting out your daughter's seasickness problem first, as there is little point in making the change, to find out that she still suffers - or worse, cannot sustain even a small whiff of exhaust or diesel.

There are various kinds of therapy available, and websearch will give you guidance.

I agree that finding a solution or 'cure' would be preferential but after 4 years and the help and advice of many people including doctors she still suffers.

On a positive note, she is no longer car sick!

 

[sarabande]

that's good news, and may show that vestibular accommodation (i.e. getting used it !) is taking place.

Based on experience with young nieces, they tend to be slightly concerned at the seemingly uncontrolled power and suddenness of actions on board; as soon as they grow to be happier with life in general, they do become more in control of balance and the horizon doing funny things. BTW does your daughter wear specs ?

 

[Reverend Ludd]

Have you seen those anti seasickness glasses that are being advertised?
Could be worth a try.

http://www.guycotten.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=32_138_268&products_id=430&zenid=i9l4puu4ld4lhlm6k5ocom9ai7

 

[P4Paul]

She doesn't wear glasses, her eyes were last checked at the start of the season following a lot of advice surrounding eyes, glasses and ENT.

The strange part is that the suffering increases the longer she is afloat, so at the end of a two week sailing holiday it is highly likely that she will be ill on every trip. This year we are only taking single week cruises and it seems to be helping. We can run into a rough sea and as long as the boat is only pitching fore and aft she is fine, the moment there is any roll, she is leaning over the side and saying goodbye to her breakfast!

The Doctor has precribed Scopoderm which seems to be fairly successful in stopping her vomiting although she still feels that she will vomit at any time. Putting her on the helm helps for a short while but once she starts to feel ill there is nothing we have found that can arrest the rapid decline to seasickness.

 

[longjohnsilver]

How about chartering or going out with someone who has a similar boat to yours. As has already been said not much point changing if yr daughter is likely to feel just as sick on a mobo, otherwise yr back to square 1.

 

[Reverend Ludd]

She doesn't wear glasses, her eyes were last checked at the start of the season following a lot of advice surrounding eyes, glasses and ENT

I dont think that they are to help her see

My wife had had similar problems and has been to see someone doing the EPLEY manoeuvre. This helped her a lot.

 

[P4Paul]

I dont think that they are to help her see

Should have used quote's to ensure my answer identified the question

 

[P4Paul]

How about chartering or going out with someone who has a similar boat to yours. As has already been said not much point changing if yr daughter is likely to feel just as sick on a mobo, otherwise yr back to square 1.

She is sick on friends MoBo's, it is the shorter journey times and therefore less time feeling ill that are the driving force behind considering a move to the dark side.

When the conditions are perfect she loves sailing and has a real natural talent for helming a yacht. It is a huge shame she suffers seasickness so badly although she quite likes the idea of a MoBo. In fact both the females in my life believe they are better suited to lounging in the sun on a flybridge than throwing themselves around a winch, less chance of chipping a nail!

 

[rafiki_]

Is she sick when she is busy helming? I found I was far too busy on a yacht for anything other than making sure the right bit of string was tight,..........or loose,...........or something in between.

 

[Dyak]

You could always get your daughter to do what my teenage son (otherwise known as Igor)does when on passage on the boat. He stays in bed all day. Saves on the sea sickness and "are we there yet?" questions.
Seriously though Paul I hope you can get it sorted as I've seen the clearing up you've had to do!
Cheers

 

[rubberduck]

I had a similar problem with SWMBO, though not as bad, on the first two boats we owned, 26 & 32 ft planing hull's, but now have an Absolute 41 & SWMBO is fine. She is a 41ft planing boat with a wide beam, handles everything very well apart from when Trevor who sold her to us is driving when I flew off me seat. Nicky also takes stugeron which is very good, but dont think she needs it now.

 

[Greg2]

My wife sometimes suffers from seasickness and like your daughter, it is rolling that she doesn't like. Fore and aft pitching is okay most of the time.

We had a semi-displacement round bilge Broom for a couple of seasons and that had a tendency to roll in a beam sea so she was sometimes ill. Our last boat was planing sports cruiser and most of the time she was fine on that under way. The motion of a planing power boat is quite different from a yacht so making the switch may help.