SKIPPERS’ TIPS
Prevent seasickness • Check your halyards • Flush the outboard
Seasickness develops when your senses get confused. The information processed from your vision is at odds with the information received from your ears (balance). At sea, our ears tell us we are in motion (sailing along – balance is disrupted) but our eyes tell us we are stationary inside the boat. This leads to varying levels of seasickness.
Seasickness remedies work differently from one person to the next. Try them all and find the one that works best for you.
Medication such as Kwells contains hyoscine hydrobromide, which works by reducing stimulation to the inner ear (a children’s version of the drug is available for over 4s). Antihistimanes such as Sturgeron contain cinnarizine, which also blocks messages sent from the the inner ear to the area of the brain known as the vomiting centre. This can be used for children over five. Medication should be taken before sailing but be aware it can cause side effects such as a dry mouth and drowsiness. You don’t want to fall asleep on watch!
Some of the common home remedies for seasickness are ginger (fresh, biscuits or in tea or sweets), bananas, grapefruit juice, boiled sweets, acupuncture and pressurepoint wristbands.
Don’t give up! Repeated short bursts of exposure help your senses get used to the experience of sailing. Often, sailors experience seasickness a few times only and then their body adjusts. Keep busy on board – helming, trimming the sails and working on deck. Some find the opposite works best though, such as controlling your breathing, sitting still and staring at the horizon. Don’t forget that the best treatment is an understanding skipper and crew!
Polly Philipson