How to Prevent Seasickness on Your Hamptons Boat Ride: Tips to Prevent Motion Sickness and Avoid Getting Seasick on Your Charter

Read on for Yacht Hampton’s official guide to avoiding

seasickness, and our go-to seasickness remedies. 

Looking forward to your Hamptons boat charter, but nervous about getting seasick? You’ve come to the right place. The crew at Yacht Hampton are experts in everything boat-related — and that includes preventing seasickness. Whether it’s yourself or someone in your group that you’re worried about, we’re here to help. Read on for a simple explanation of what seasickness is, and our top tricks for keeping it at bay.

What is seasickness — and why do people get seasick?

If you want to prevent yourself from getting seasick, you first have to understand what seasickness is. The good news? It's not that complicated. If you’re prone to seasickness, you’ve likely experienced motion sickness in other forms. Boats, cars, buses, trains, planes — even amusement park rides — can all cause motion sickness. And anyone prone to one form of motion sickness tends to be more susceptible to another. 

The most common symptoms of seasickness are nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headaches, and cold sweats. But interestingly, the condition is caused more for psychological reasons than physical ones. When you’re aboard a boat — especially a larger yacht or cruise ship (and even more so when you’re inside the cabin) — you may not actually see any movement, but your inner ear and sensory nerves can feel it as you travel across the water. They’re sending signals to your brain that you’re moving, but your eyes are sending back mismatched signals that there’s no movement at all. The conflicting information is what causes the physical symptoms of seasickness, not necessarily the movement itself.

Of course, these symptoms can be anywhere from mild to extreme. It depends on your overall health, seasickness susceptibility, and the conditions on the water. Regardless of these factors, there are some preventative measures you can take in preparation for your Hamptons boat charter or cruise. Here are our top suggestions and travel tips on how to prevent yourself or someone else from getting seasick.

How to prevent seasickness.

Get some extra sleep and avoid exhaustion.

You're probably sick of hearing it, but a good remedy for most problems is getting more sleep — and it's no different for seasickness. Show up to your Hamptons yacht charter well-rested, and it'll make a huge difference. Exhaustion can worsen virtually every symptom of seasickness, so to help avoid it and prevent motion sickness, you'll want to get some extra sleep before you head out on the water.  

Take medication to treat any seasickness symptoms.

There are a ton of over-the-counter medications that can help prevent seasickness and motion sickness. Dramamine is a popular go-to, as well as Bonine. You can try using a motion sickness patch from your local pharmacy, or try bringing some ginger chews or ginger gum on board with you. If you have a history of extreme motion sickness or other medical factors at play, your doctor may write a prescription for medicine stronger than these drugstore staples. Even if you're not sure you'll need medication, it can be good insurance to have some on board. 

Wear a wristband to prevent motion sickness.

Another way to combat motion sickness is with a motion sickness wristband. You can pick up a classic Sea-Band wristband at your pharmacy, or opt for a more high-end option from brands like Reliefband or EmeTerm. Seasickness bands use acupressure on your wrist to reduce nausea, and while they're not necessarily as strong as certain medications, many people swear by them for boat travel. Attempting to prevent motion sickness can be tricky, but this is a pretty simple option whether you're preparing to board a small dingy or a large cruise ship. 

Step outside for some fresh air. 

One of the best seasickness remedies? Getting some fresh air. Avoid staying inside the cabin with other travelers for an extended period of time, and make sure to step out onto the deck and take in some deep breaths of the fresh ocean air. Similarly, try staying on the deck for the beginning of your charter to better acclimate to the motion and try to avoid getting seasick in the first place. 

Keep your eyes on the horizon. 

For some people, nausea and some other seasickness symptoms can be lessened by simply keeping your eyes on the horizon. Unlike the waves and helm of the boat, the horizon is a steady subject to focus on, and it stays still even as the boat bobs up and down. With your eyes on a stable target, you may be able to minimize any motion sickness symptoms that you're feeling. It's only one of many remedies, but it works for many people.

Have a light snack to settle your stomach. 

Starting to feel motion sick? Saltines and ginger ale: the age-old seasickness remedy. While you don't want to eat a heavy meal or greasy burger if you're experiencing seasickness, a completely empty stomach can feel just as bad. If you feel nausea coming on, stick to a simple diet and opt for a light snack like salted crackers or some plain toast. This will help get something in your stomach and reduce that queasy feeling without making you more nauseous in the process. Similarly, stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Ginger tea might help reduce nausea, and something bubbly like ginger ale or seltzer can help to settle your stomach as well. There's no perfect formula for what to eat when seasick, but the simpler the better.

Try to stay towards the middle of the boat.

It may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people forget to follow this simple tip for preventing motion sickness. The next time you travel by boat or go on a quick cruise, stick to the middle of the boat. Why? The center of the boat is the most stable part. Reduce the rockiness you feel by avoiding the front or back of the vessel, and minimize the sea-saw feeling you might get – especially on a smaller boat. If you're on an overnight charter, be sure to choose a cabin in the center of the boat. One with a window or porter will help too – that way you can keep your eyes on the horizon even when you're indoors.   

Choose your boat charter carefully. 

If you're prone to seasickness or motion sickness, let us know in advance when you're booking your charter. We take your health and comfort seriously and know seasickness can be a serious medical issue. The crew at Yacht Hampton can help you choose a vessel that's least likely to trigger any unwanted seasickness symptoms. Here are the main factors to consider when choosing your boat.

Opt for a larger ship. 

If you're between a couple of boats, it's best to go with the larger one. It's simple: the bigger the boat, the less rocky it'll feel. It may be worth it to size up even if there aren't a ton of people in your party. Scroll through an online photo catalog of different boat options for your Hamptons cruise, and check out the dimensions listed below each one to give you a better idea of size. 

Select a newer ship.

The newer a vessel is, the more updated its stabilization systems will be — and the smoother your cruise will be. The modern technology in new stabilization systems reduces the motion you feel and causes fewer of those conflicting psychological signals that we mentioned earlier. Ultimately, it can make a huge difference in minimizing your seasickness symptoms. 

Stay in calmer waters.

While this has more to do with the course your charter takes and less with the boat itself, it's still one of the most important steps to avoiding seasickness. Tell your captain you'd like to try to stay close to calmer waters, and they'll likely know which crowded coves and high-traffic stretches to avoid. In general, booking your boat ride for a less busy time — earlier in the morning and on a weekday vs. a weekend — can make a huge difference in avoiding choppy and overcrowded waters. 

Whether you're planning to travel out of the United States on a cruise ship or simply taking a 4-hour day trip with Yacht Hampton, it's important to put your health and the health of the people you care about first. 

Contact Yacht Hampton today to book your Hamptons boat charter, and feel free to get in touch with any concerns about how to prevent seasickness during your day on the water.