The RYA Yachtmaster is a good test of advanced seamanship, but the best sailors know that there will always be lessons to be learned from experience
Yachtmaster Plus – Lessons learned from experience Part 6
SEASICKNESS
The very best cure
Bill Anderson
Bill Anderson
YM’s seamanship guru Bill Anderson is the former RYA training manager who redesigned the Yachtmaster courses
On the first cruise of the season most people will suffer from seasickness to some extent. I am certainly not immune from it, but over the years I’ve found ways to minimise the misery, if not curing the ailment. No single remedy works for everyone. I find that Stugeron is helpful, although it’s not a sure-fire preventative.
After a couple of days at sea my balance mechanism and stomach seem to settle down and very few people are sick after a third day at sea. So the very best cure for seasickness is to keep sailing!
Psychological approach
Tristan Gooley
Tristan Gooley
Tristan Gooley is the only living person to have flown solo and sailed solo across the Atlantic
Most people know that anyone feeling seasick can be helped by going on deck and looking at the horizon, because seasickness is usually the result of the motion and senses clashing. But there is often a little psychology in the mix, too. Seasickness is often associated with a feeling of lack of control. So, instead of just giving mundane jobs to crew who are suffering, consider giving them responsibility, ideally above deck. For example, ask them to watch the set of the sails, and encourage them to make small adjustments. If they are above deck and feel they have some input and control over events, seasickness will quickly disappear.
The centre of motion
Nigel Calder
Nigel Calder
Nigel Calder is author of the best-selling Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual
The most comfortable spot on board in rough weather is on the saloon sole where you are closest to the centre of motion in both the fore-and-aft direction and the athwartships direction. If you have any crewmembers who tend to be prone to seasickness, it is worth ensuring that you have cushions that can be wedged into this area so that they can feel secure and comfortable. You can give them more support by wedging them between the settee and table base.