I like to fish when I have a rare day off and my honey-do's are done. Rarely do the seas cooperate. Unfortunately, some of my fishing buddies get very seasick in less than ideal conditions. Not being fond of going fishing alone, I try my best to get some of those fishing buddies help before the misery starts and the "chumming" begins.
During my research for this article, I have come across too many motion sickness remedies to list. I have also tried many of the remedies over the years, often with limited success. I have also come to realize many people try some types of motion sickness treatment with no success at all and then determine fishing out of a boat is just not for them. Unfortunately, my wife falls into this category.
I am not going to say the widely advertised wrist bands, bracelets and watches intended for the prevention of motion sickness are bogus. But I will say I have not experienced very good results using them on my boating expeditions. I have also not seen any published data reporting the efficacy of these remedies. I will, instead, focus on remedies and preventative measures that are known to work for the prevention of motion sickness.
Prevention The first thing you can do is to take better care of yourself. By this I mean getting intoxicated or being fatigued before going boating is just not a good idea. Also, staying as cool as you can while you are out there is paramount. A good way to do this for us boaters who don't have air conditioning is to use an insect sprayer filled with water to mist yourself and cool down when you feel yourself over-heating. (I'm sure that I don't need to say this, but ... make sure nothing other than water has ever been in the sprayer!) Drinking copious amounts of cold water will also help you from succumbing to sea sickness especially when it is hot and there's not a ripple of wind. Drinking caffeinated or alcoholic beverages while boating or in the heat of the day can cause dehydration and thus lower resistance to becoming seasick. However, if you are one of those unfortunate individuals that get seasick despite doing all of the above, there are some medications that can help you if used properly. The key word in the above sentence is: properly. Many individuals feel some medications just don't work for them. I believe this is probably true but more often; I think the medications must not have been taken properly. There are some individuals who should not be taking many of the motion sickness medications at all. I will try to expand on that further in the article.
The Cause (over-simplified version) Motion sickness results from confusing and contradicting information being sent to the brain. Your inner ear has a sensory organ that helps in the control of balance and spatial orientation (your position with respect to gravity.) Your eyes also play a role in this control although to a lesser extent (which is why you can still walk with your eyes closed). When you are sloshing around in a boat, your ears and eyes are sending your brain all kinds of incorrect information. This in turn makes some of us sick!
Medicinal Remedies Dimenhydrinate is known to most of us as Dramamine, in the original formulation. For most, it has been a great standby if taken well in advance. In fact, I believe it works best if taken before you go to bed and then taken again at least 30 minutes before getting on the boat. The biggest problem with this drug is either you won't wake up in the morning or you can't keep your eyes open and stay focused. That's a big problem if you are the one being depended upon to get the crew back home safe. I doubt the FAA allows pilots to fly after taking this medication. This medication should be taken with caution by those individuals with seizure disorders, acute angle glaucoma, and prostate enlargement.
Meclizine, also known as Bonine, Antivert and Dramamine in the non-drowsy formula is known to be less drowsy than dimenhydrinate (less, but not non-drowsy!). It has similar effectiveness when compared to and taken the same way as the original Dramamine. However, you stand a better chance of not coming home with a missing crew member or running into a sea buoy when you take it. I have used it on occasion and still do get a little tired, though.
Scopolamine is probably one of the most effective medications used for the treatment of motion sickness. For our purpose, it comes in a patch that is typically worn behind the ear at least 4 hours before getting on the boat. It can be worn for the next three days if needed. If you start sweating heavily, be aware the patch may fall off. Unfortunately, scopolamine also has quite a few cautionary statements. Use with caution if you have a seizure disorder, glaucoma, gastrointestinal problems, kidney and liver dysfunction, a psychiatric disorder, problems urinating or are elderly. Common side effects include: dry mouth, drowsiness, blurred vision, dilated pupils, disorientation, dizziness, confusion and hallucinations--to name a few.
Scopace I have recently become aware of a new formulation of scopalamine, called Scopace. It comes in pill form and has a three-times-faster onset of action than the patch. It will be a great alternative for most people and likely more effective with fewer side effects than the scopalamine patch. To start with, the dose can be titrated or changed to minimize undesired effects of the medication while retaining the same effectiveness as the patch. The cost is also cheaper at a mere 35 cents a pill versus $5.25 per patch on average.
Because the onset of action is only one hour, Scopace can be taken on an as needed basis or prophylactically and doesn't have to be used before the boating trip begins unless you are one of those unfortunate individuals guaranteed to have sea sickness.
Neither Scopace nor the scopolamine patch can be bought over-the-counter. You must have a prescription. Scopace has the same side effect profile as the patch although it is apparently less likely to give you any problems.
Final thought I have been on many a boat where the boat's captain would not head back to the hill when clearly most of the passengers had nothing left to heave but bile. This can be a dangerous situation due to eventual dehydration if left untreated.
For charter boats, I understand this is due to the loss of revenue if they cut the trip short. The casual or private boater, however, should really consider heading back home if any passenger has intractable vomiting from seasickness. If you are one of those fortunate individuals that have or will never experience seasickness, try to remember the last morning after you tied one on with ol' Jose Cuervo. Only then will you begin to understand.