# Need some advice



## chris2034 (Apr 22, 2017)

I have no experience whatsoever with sailing but have a strong desire to do so. I live on the Gulf of Mexico and want to start by making trips along the coast from Florida to Texas, spending days at a time or maybe even more than a week on my boat. Eventually I want to sail to a Carribean Island and back.

There is one worry that I have, however. I have a problem with motion sickness. The last time I was on the open ocean on a fishing boat I was miserable. It's worse than a hangover. 

I know that there are drugs you can take to help. I have the money to buy sailing lessons and a decent boat. But should I really go forward with my plans despite my proneness to being seasick?


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

When sailing, with the pressure of the wind on the sails a boat's motion is much less chaotic than on a fishing boat trolling slowly in a seaway. You may find that you have less of a problem with it than you think.

If you are prone to car sickness too, then perhaps you're tempting fate.

Before making any investments in this, try to get a ride with someone, or charter a boat with a skipper for a half day to see how that goes.


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## BillMoran (Oct 1, 2016)

Definitely find somewhere to go out a bit before you spend any money. If you live on the coast, you should be able to find a club that you can join, and you can go on trips of various lengths with other club members.

Seasickness is one of those weird things that science likes to pretend it understands, but really doesn't. For me, I get massively seasick, then after about 6 or 8 hours it just goes away and I'm fine. (I do get landsick when I get off the boat, but it's not nearly as bad).

I read a lot to try to understand how to manage my seasickness; and the best advice I've heard so far is that everyone is a little different. Make a list of all the remedies you can find out about. Cross out any that sound outright dangerous or whatever, then order them in whatever order you want and just start trying. Don't waste much time on any one of them if it's not working. The one takeaway I have from all my research is that not everything works for everyone. I saw one video in particular, where a woman suffered with seasickness for years until she finally found an obscure prescription medication that hardly anyone knows about that just worked for her. At the same time, that medication was so obscure because it doesn't work for most people. Just keep trying things until you find what works for you.


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## Markwesti (Jan 1, 2013)

Fishing boat and a sailboat are two different things . Try this , find a good pill , take it 18hrs. before you sail also take one the next day a couple hrs. before you sail . Do not drink in excess before you sail , not at all if you can . I get sea sick but it's because I have a hang over . With a sailboat , you can (sometimes) keep moving , heeled over , and a nice fresh breeze in your face . Try to avoid going below , do not read below . Also don't go out if it's really lumpy . If there is a sheltered place ( like behind a break water wall ) start with that . If you start feeling bad don't fight it go back in . IMO get the lessons , see how it goes and buy that boat !
PS What kind of boat interests you ?


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## Turnin Turtle (Jun 25, 2016)

Start out by renting or buying a cheap small boat and learning basics on a shallow small lake. Or take lessons.

You don't start out by making a trek from Florida to Texas.

To check your tolerance before buying.... Volunteer to crew (as "rail meat" or self propelled ballast) on a few boats for short races. Good way to learn some and to see how you handle actually being out on the water. If you turn green they can tie you to a convenient (to them) spot until they can pass you to a safety boat or the ride is over.


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## zedboy (Jul 14, 2010)

A nice heavy keelboat is indeed often smoother than a light bouncy sport fisher.

In addition, for a lot of people (including myself, and my 12-year-old daughter) taking the helm is a quick cure.

A little Gravol doesn't hurt either.


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

Out of the thousands of folks I've met who have done passages of a week or more I've only known of a handful who didn't get over their seasickness after three days. If this is really your dream, then rent a bareboat if you are qualified, or charter a crewed boat and sail some distance, say Grenada to Puerto Rico or Jamaica, non-stop.
Sure, it might be expensive, but surely it's a lot cheaper than investing the time/money in learning to sail, buying a boat and outfitting it for offshore sailing, only to find you cannot physically handle the sailing.
There are hundreds of remedies, meds and items sold to combat seasickness, but other than drugs like Bonine (which often cause drowsiness), none seems reliable enough to say they work on all folks, all the time.
One friend I knew in the SoPac back in the 70's ate only bananas when sailing because, he said, "They taste the same coming up as they do going down." He was one of those very few.


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## Aimlessness (Apr 22, 2017)

Listen. Listen. Listen. Don't doubt your dream; live it!

I went out on a "deep sea" fishing charter in Key West and spent the entire day bent over the rail blowing chunks. The standing joke was, "hey we've already chummed." Ha Ha.

I have NEVER sailed. Never been on a sailboat. Last year I bought a Bristol 40 in pristine condition whose cabin I am sitting in while writing this. I have sailed her a total of about 65 miles since I bought her in November last year. I went into deep water out of sight of land I did not get sick! 

If it's your dream then just do it. Everything will work out as it is meant to be. If you wait and wait in fear you will allow your life to pass you by. "Always do what you fear" Emerson.

For the record: I still don't know how to raise the main! But, I got 6 knots on the Genoa in a 20 knot wind with gusts to 30. It was an amazing experience!!!!!

Recommendation: Buy a full keel heavy boat like the Bristol 40. Don't buy into the "get the smallest boat you can be comfortable in" BS. Get a big heavy boat with a full keel she'll run on rails and ride smooth. I should also say that I am solo.


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## ronaldinho123 (Apr 24, 2017)

This life has so many good things to turn to, live like today is the last day you live


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## fallard (Nov 30, 2009)

I knew a fellow who had a 34' sailboat that he raced in the Bermuda one-two (single handed out; double handed back to Newport). He also sailed on others' boats on ocean passages. He joined me as my first mate on my delivery trip to New England, where we did 2 offshore segments of 2 and 3 day duration.

Well, I didn't realize it when he agreed to join my delivery trip, but he was susceptible to seasickness. But he loved sailing enough to overcome it by using Scopalomine patches (about 20 yrs ago). It recall he was susceptible for 3 days or so and it would pass, but the Scopalomine worked. I didn't use anything when we sailed offshore from FL to NC and I did get a little green after a day, but it passed. At least I kept the food down. (I suspect that can of Dinty Moore beef stew was not a good idea!). Watching your diet and limiting alcohol is important. 

I agree with previous posters' good advice: sample the waters before you buy in. Pick your conditions and start with shorter trips. Put off the FL-TX dream until you know if it can work for you.


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## boatpoker (Jul 21, 2008)

My wife and I have been out in some scary weather over the years in our trawler. She never got seasick. After one hour on a catamaran she was violently ill. We tried cat's several times and the result were always the same, she got damned near instantly sick. All boats have different motions.
Give it a try.


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