T3SAIL

"Are you serious? Going offshore with a sailing yacht? Don't you get seasick doing so?" One can only fight all myths of seasickness by facing this phenomenon. Read everything you need to know right here and be prepared for a wonderful sailing cruise.

How big is the chance to get seasick?

For 20 years I am sailing as skipper and I had some 200-300 sailors on board. Based on this experience I can tell you, it only happens really, really seldom. Actually you just need the fingers of one hand to count the incidences. And when it happened, it was over before it really started. Also these exeptions didn't stick to the following hints.

So what about this seasickness? Is it all just panicmongering? Read the facts behind it:

How seasickness arises

When you are under deck and you do not see the horizon the optical sense tells you: everything is plumb-vertical, no motion at all. You just see the cabin around you and for your eyes, it is not moving. But your sense of balance is giving you absolute differing information. And it is right to do so :-D. Anyway - you now encounter two senses giving you different information and this difference is what challanges our system. Usually you get used to it really quickly by just favoring the sense of balance. It's all about your personal disposition. Some do instant and get "seaman's legs" right away. Some are more sensitive and will experience a light indisposition just before getting used to the new situation. Btw. I myself belong to the secound group ;-).

Anyway. It is not important what your personal disposition is, because you can push it very effectively in both directions:

So what is boosting seasickness and indisposition?

Scientific research showed that high and long undulations are perfect to experience seasickness. You will encounter these on huge ships not on sailing yachts. So if you know yourself getting seasick on ferrys, I can understand you. I tend to be seasick as well on ferrys.

Some of you might have been on motor yachts. If these boats are not moving through water (high sea fishing) they tend to be toys of the waves and just roll around. This rolling is perfect for seasickness, too.

Sailing yachts are very firm. They have the wind pressure in the sails and some tons of ballast down in the keel. They won't roll. Also they won't do high and long undulations as long as waves are not long and high. And they aren't in the Baltic Sea. If they are, we probably will stay in a save port.

You can also boost seasickness through other external stimuli, ie. odours (diesel, motor oil, or food odours at the wrong moment).

The most effective way to boost seasickness is the psychological way via suggestions. If you tell s.o. "Hey you already have a pale face! Are you going to throw up in the next minutes?" you will probably encounter "best" results. So don't! But also autosuggestion is working. If you are convinced to get seasick, that could work, too.

So if you want to give it a try and experience seasickness yourself, the above hints will help you to get there for sure what ever your disposition might be.

And how do you avoid seasickness? Easy:

1. Watch the horizon. That's the way the different sensations (optical and balance sense) won't challange you. At the beginning of the sailing cruise stay on deck until you get used to the typical movements of the yacht. You have plenty of fresh air there, too. So no disturbing odours. Don't just sit down and lean back passively. Try to balance the movements of the yacht and you get used to them pretty fast. If this doesn't help, ask the skipper to put you at the wheel. As passengers in a car on their way through the alps might encounter sickness, the driver never does.
   Once you got used you are immune. After 3-4 days you will get that used to it, that you will encounter difficulties when you go ashore and find yourself in small rooms (toilets). Then these rooms start to move in the typical yacht movements and you will find you on the floor, if you don't stick to some grip. And of course you will find yourself "ROFL" because it is just a strange feeling to watch your sense of balance going nuts! Good news: this "landsickness" doesn't make you feel indisponsible.
   
   
2. Tired? No problem. Just lay down and close your eyes. Absolute no problem. In this position you are save.
   
   
3. Keep your stomach busy. That is very important and helpful. Just chew on a peace of bread or have a peace of baguette at hand. You never should go offshore with an empty stomach. Admiral Nelson always had his sailors have a good breakfast before they went to a battle.
   
   
4. Keep an eye on your blood circulation and your fluid balance. Isotonic drinks will help you very much. It is also good to have some drugs at hand helping to keep the blood circulation / pressure up. Please ask your doctor about this.
   
   
5. Don't care about it and keep busy! We won't speak about seasickness on board to avoid the effect of suggestions and expectations. The skippers now about all the hints and will keep you all as busy as possible. This way you will forget about it at all!

What about anti-seasickness-drugs?

In my opinion these special drugs don't help much. They usually have adverse reactions in a way that you will get very, very tired. You actually could stay at home then, because you will sleep most of the time. Most of the drugs have to be taken long before you go offshore. So if you encounter indisponsibility it is already to late to take drugs. So please have a very close look if you think of taking some of these and get detailed information from your doctor.

Conclution

All the years of sailing sickness was just the absolute and rare exeption. When it appeared it was over before it really started. If you stick to the mentioned hints you will get around pretty fine without any drugs and you will enjoy the adventure in all it's beauty!

Fair winds,
Peter

PS: The danger of feeling sick after having too much to eat on x-mas-days is very much higher!