SeaSickness and Comfort
Seasickness (or motion sickness) if the number one reason people tell me they are scared to go sailing. Seasickness results when you receives conflicting information from your eyes, inner ear, and muscles about the relative motions of your body and the surrounding world. Seasickness affects most people including professional sailors and many instances can be managed. The most important thing is choose the best day to minimize the chance for sickness inducing rolling. Generally medications and other remedies are minimally effective but if you do plan on taking medications, they should be taken 4-6 hours before getting on the boat.
SeaSickness: Things to Consider
1
Sailboats ae typically more stable than power boats as long as their is wind.
People often look at sailboats leaning (healing) and think they are unstable and more tippy then power boats. This is true when the sails are down. A power boat's flat bottom gives it stability against tipping in a flat sea state. However, once the wind is on and the sailboat is pinned over on its side, it will remain stable for as long as there is wind. This means the worst conditions for seasickness is some time after a storm when the seas are high and the wind has gone away. These conditions can be miserable, but on a day with some wind and flat seas, sailboats are very stable.
2
The sea state is governed by wind speed and direction.
The wind speed will typically determine the maximum possible height of waves, however, a more important factor for our purposes is wind direction. When wind opposes a current the waves become tall and steep. When the wind goes with the current the waves are long and flat. The next factor is fetch or the area the wind is able to blow over. If the wind is coming out of the south there are only.a few 100 feet coastal water before it powers our boat. That is not enough room to generate any wave action and the sea state will be calm. The more waves, the less comfort and the more seasickness. Generally a southerly wind, regardless of wind speed will create a flat and pleasant sea state in Rochester. A north-easterly will create a washing machine.
3.
The more sick you feel, the harder it will be to overcome
Seasickness often starts as a slight uneasiness or queasiness and can progress to full born retching However, there are things that can be done to minimize the effects of boat motion. If you are starting to feel ill, the skipper can find a more comfortable point of sail, more sheltered water, or Hove to (park the boat) for a second and let the feeling subside. Simple things like raising the sails early and lower them late in sheltered water can also help. But if you don't say anything and try to touch it out, the sickness can build Once you are feeling very ill, it is hard to do anything about it. The good news is that most seasickness, even in the most uncomfortable situations, resolves after three days. Although, I assume you are not interested in spending three days on board. If you do find the feeling is overbearing, a final strategy may be to lay down and close your eyes. This removes vision as a potential sources of conflict to your brain. This is best done above deck in the cockpit.
4.
If you're worried about sea-sickness, take the wheel.
Seasickness comes about when your brain experiences a disconnect between what it thinks should be happening and what it is experiencing. So a great way to overcome this is take control by steering the boat. This way, your brain starts understanding what is happening. This is the reason why drivers almost never get car sick but passengers do. Although you may have started the day with no desire to steer. taking the wheel will often help keep seasickness at bay. Conversely, the worst place to go is down bellow. A simple trip in the cabin can cause sensory-discontinuity overload and push you over the edge. If you are prone to seasickness, make sure you use the restroom on shore before shipping out and do everything you can to avoid going down below, reading, or looking into the boat as oppose to out over the horizon.
5.
Stay engaged
Even if you don't want to steer, the more task focused you are the less the feeling of seasickness will take hold. I recommend asking to do a job, such as actively trimming the sails or looking out for incoming boats. The more task focused you are the less opportunity your brain will have to get confused.
6.
Medications and magnets typically don't work.
There is no medical or alternative cure for seasickness. Neither anticholinergics (dramamine or scopolamine) nor magnets placed on the wrist or otherwise change the inconsistent inputs your brain is receiving. If you plan on taking medications, it is best to take them 4-6 hours before departure. if you take them when symptoms start, it is already too late. We carry scopolamine patches and dramamine on board, but it is best to have taken these at home before showing up if you feel you need them.
7.
Land sickness is as big a problem as sea sickness.
For me, the sensation the boat is still rocking when coming ashore is a bigger problem then seasickness per-se. This can often last for a couple of days. In general I don't feel as nauseated from land-sickness, but it can still be an unnerving feeling.