Preventing and Managing Seasickness

Hello All,

  I found the lecture notes from our Safety at Sea/Offshore Survival Training class instructor.  I will scan it and send it to whomever wants it.

  The following points are what John and I accepted as the bottom line:

 1) Each crew member should have an understanding of what medication works for them.  He said he does not allow anyone on his boat to go with the claim, “I have never been sea sick, therefore do not need anything”.  Experimentation with medications should occur before stepping onboard.  Pick a day when you can be home and try the medication to check out side effects.

  I appreciated this advice and how firm he was on the point since I was torn about whether to experiment with drugs or not.  Before this lecture I was one of those folks who believed since I have never been sick I never would be.  Growing up with my dad’s fishing boats, having been in 2 storms, one that repeatedly lifted his 65 ft Hatteras out of the water like a skiff,  being the one to go downstairs and make lunch....
BUT I know my turn is coming.
 
  I tried the patch and besides some dry mouth that forces me to drink water and stay hydrated it seems to work great for me and I have been in 4 heavy weather situations where I stopped to think, “I should really be sick right now, this med must be doing something”.

  John did not like the patch, prefers Dramamine all day less-drowsy.  Active ingredient: Meclazine.

2) The captain should know what medication you plan on using.  This sounds prudent to me.  If someone is loopy best that crew mates know what might be up.

3)  Use the medication for the first 2 to 3 days of a long passage.  The start of a voyage is not the time to miss a shift.

  Again, I appreciated this advice and he was very adamant about this.  He bragged that he has done over 10 ocean crossings and he has never had a sick crew member!  His point was better to have it in your system at the start then to attempt to take something if the need arises.
  We had the opportunity to see this.  We shared this advice with our Bermuda crew.  One chose to ignore it and he was sick, “for the first time!” one hour out.

Hope this sounds reasonable.