How to Prevent Seasickness on Your Boat

Something that can ruin a boat trip very quickly is seasickness. This common ailment is known as “motion sickness” when felt on land, and it has to do with your body’s reaction to being in motion, where your inner ear, your eye, and your brain are basically in disagreement over what’s going on. All of this confusion results in your sensory processing going haywire, causing you to feel dizzy, lightheaded, nauseous, and generally pretty terrible. Seasickness is something that everyone wants to avoid on a boat, so here are some strategies to quell it.

Don’t Drink Alcohol

It might seem fun to crack a beer on the water as a passenger (obviously, the operator of a boat should never drink while in control of the boat or beforehand!), but the problem with alcohol is that it can dehydrate you and also make you feel queasy. If you’ve ever overindulged in a night of drinking, then you know the feeling. To that end, you should probably try to avoid drinking for a few nights before your boat trip, just to be safe, so that you don’t have any alcohol in your system.

Eat Lightly

While it’s not good to eat a massive feast before you board your boat, you shouldn’t starve yourself, either. Having some food in your stomach will help counteract acid production and keep things settled. Make sure you have a light meal before or during your boat trip that consists of gentle foods that aren’t likely to upset your stomach, such as bananas, applesauce, toast, crackers, or granola. Also, make sure you’re drinking enough water to avoid dehydration, as this will only add to your ill feelings.

Try Herbal Remedies

Ginger and peppermint are two folk remedies that have been used for centuries to alleviate feelings of dizziness and nausea, as they are thought to settle your stomach and help clear your airways with their powerful aromas. They aren’t likely to produce any adverse effects, even if they don’t provide a lot of help. Try sucking on candies with these flavors or having some peppermint or ginger tea to ease your woes.

OTC Solutions

Children under the age of 12 cannot use the following remedies, but adults can try them after consulting with a doctor to make sure it’s okay. Medications at the drugstore like Dramamine are designed to help you manage nausea from motion sickness. You’ll just need to take them in advance of boarding the boat.

Avoid Strong Odors

One cause of nausea in general can be bad odors, and when paired with the effects of motion sickness, the feelings can be pretty intolerable. Do what you can to avoid any strong or bad smells on your boat. Perfumes, cooking food, trash, and caught fish are all potential triggers.

We hope that these tips help you to have successful boat outings. When you’re ready to purchase a new or used boat, visit our dealership in Timmins, ON, to see what we have available. J&B Cycle & Marine proudly serves the entire province of Ontario.