20 Tips to Help Seasick Guests

Seasickness is an unpleasant reaction to motion and it can happen to anyone even in mild boating conditions. When what you see and what your inner ear senses don’t match up, the result can range from slight nausea to vomiting and weakness. Here are 20 seasickness remedies and steps you can take to prevent seasickness* when entertaining on your Boston Whaler boat. 

1. Get a gut check
Ask your guests if they think they’re likely to be seasick when you invite them. Knowing people’s sensitivities ahead of time will help you pick a cruising route and plan a calmer itinerary for the day if needed.

2. Prevention = relief
Ask your guests to take seasickness medicine the night before and stock some on your boat for emergencies. Dramamine, Bonine or scopolamine patches work for most people. Beware of drug side effects or interactions and don’t mix these with alcohol.

3. Or go natural
For people who don’t tolerate medicine, keep ginger candies or acupressure wristbands onboard.

4. Educate your guests about seasickness
They should let you know if they’re feeling unwell without hiding their discomfort and they shouldn’t go below into the head or cabin because enclosed spaces make nausea worse.

5. Eyes on the horizon
Tell guests who are nauseous to look at the horizon, inhaling through their nose and exhaling through their mouth.

6. Stay cool
Put a nauseous guest where cool fresh air will flow over their face. Hot and stuffy spaces exacerbate seasickness.

7. Switch their focus
If in a safe area and at low speeds, you may want to put the affected guest on the wheel to drive because it will give them something to do and take their mind off not feeling well.

8. Heads up
Tell your guests to skip reading or watching their phones if they’re unwell and to look out and off the boat.

9. Balance is best
Load the boat so it rides on an even keel and stays well balanced.

10. Location, location, location
Put guests prone to seasickness close to the midpoint of the boat where pitch, roll and yaw are minimized.

11. Warm up
Hypothermia can bring on seasickness so make sure guests are warm and dry. Bring extra jackets or towels just in case.

12. The nose knows
Minimize strong odors from the galley or from engine exhaust. Pivot the boat so exhaust fumes move downwind and away from the cockpit or cabin.

13. Clear the air
Don’t allow anyone to smoke aboard because that may contribute to their or others’ nausea.

14. Keep it light
Don’t serve spicy, acidic, and rich foods or excess alcohol during or before the outing. Have dry crackers or bread and plenty of water available.

15. Just don’t mention it
Don’t put the idea of seasickness into your guests’ minds. The power of suggestion is strong, especially with kids. If they’re fine, let them be fine.

16. Watch their back
If someone is vomiting, they’ll fatigue quickly so have someone else sit with them to make sure they don’t get hurt or go overboard.

17. Take it easy
Try to minimize the boat’s motion when you drive. Sometimes that means running with the wind and waves rather than into them or keeping the boat moving rather than wallowing in rolling waves and big wakes.

18. Take a different angle
To minimize the effect of oncoming waves, drive toward them at 45 degrees off the bow to keep the boat as steady as possible.

19. Hold steady
When all else fails, drop anchor in a calm cove or head back to the dock to continue the party there.

20. Act with caution
Don’t downplay the effects of serious seasickness. The dehydration that comes with seasickness can become a life-threatening condition.

Some people are prone to seasickness while others are not, but it can strike anyone at any time. Kee these tips in mind and remember, the one who’s feeling unwell may be you.

*The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

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This is for general information purposes only. Your use or reliance on any of the information in this Blog is solely at your own risk. Under no circumstance will we have any liability for any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of any of the information provided.

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