Spending time on the open sea, enjoying your freedom, and relaxing in gorgeous weather is the best part about yachting. The worst part is being worried about whether you will get seasick on a yacht. Unexpected nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and sweating are a surefire way to make those wonderful plans lose a lot of their luster. But what is the reality?

Can you get seasick on a yacht? Yes, you can get seasick on a yacht. Seasickness is possible on all types of vessels and water conditions. However, there are some common precautions you can take to minimize the likelihood that seasickness rears its ugly head and threatens your time on the water. 

There is no exact way to know for sure if you will get seasick on a yacht, as the triggers for seasickness can vary with several factors. Those who appear to be at the highest risk are younger females (early twenties and younger) who have never had experience riding a vessel out on the sea.

How to NOT get seasick on a yacht

But, if you want to minimize the risk of getting seasick on a yacht, follow the below tips:

#1 – Gain some experience on the water

Like most things in life, time and experience tend to be a cure for what ails you, and it appears that seasickness falls neatly into this category.

If tested in a clinical environment, it is believed that prepubescent females, ages 2-12, would be the demographic most likely to experience seasickness. However, as people reach their 30’s, this gap between the sexes narrows rapidly and disappears altogether, moving into the 40’s.

In addition to age, experience on the water is another factor that can significantly influence your level of seasickness. If you have never felt the motion of a water vessel or the rocking of a wave, even the mildest of sailing conditions can make you feel woozy.

Therefore, before hopping onto a yacht, get some experience on the water to become acclimated to the sensation of rolling with the waves.

If you have access to one, try taking a small boat out onto a lake and feel how the water moves. If you are near the sea, try taking a boogie board into the waves to at least get a feel for what wave motion is like.

Can you get seasick on a yacht

Do people get seasick on a yacht? Yes, all the time, so it’s about how you manage it

#2 – Stay in the middle of the yacht

Seasickness is just another form of motion sickness, and the side-to-side sway and up-and-down sensation of the water provides a neurological shock that can quickly make you feel ill in the same way that some people feel sick when riding a rollercoaster.

In the same way that those with motion sickness are advised against riding in the very front or very back cars in a roller coaster, those prone to seasickness should avoid hanging out in the extreme ends of their yacht.

Rocking, rolling, and bouncing sensations will be felt more acutely in the extreme ends of the vessel, so hang out near the midline for a more peaceful ride.

#3 – Grab a bite to eat before the yacht trip

You are more likely to feel seasick on a yacht when you have an empty stomach than you will with a little something in your belly. However, you also will want to avoid any foods that may upset your stomach, such as a particularly heavy or spicy meal before jumping on the yacht.

If you want to avoid getting seasick on a yacht trip, it is best to have a snack that consists of bland, light foods, such as a soft pretzel or unseasoned popcorn. Moreover, you will want to eat this snack with some water or a mild soft drink, such as Sprite, ginger ale, or sparkling water.

#4 – Change your focus point

People tend to get seasick on yachts when they spend too much time focused on the same thing, such as the roof of their cabin. While it is natural to go into a trance-like state when you are not feeling well, this can actually make your feelings of seasickness worse.

Staring at the ceiling, reading, or looking at a tablet, activities that cause your attention to be focused on a single point for an extended period, are the type of activities that can actually make your seasickness worse, as they throw your body into equilibrium.

Your brain tells your body you are peaceful and focused, while your inner ear feels the violent rocking of the waves and wants you to do something to stabilize the situation.

These two contrasting messages are a shock to the nervous system, and the symptoms of yacht seasickness are your body’s attempts to try and reconcile the signals it is receiving.

Therefore, looking out the window is a good idea to start, as following the waves can narrow the gap between what your body is seeing and feeling. If you feel up to it, taking a trip outside of your cabin (if your yacht has one) and feeling some fresh air on your face can be refreshing and help you feel less seasick on the yacht.

#5 – Get in shape for your yacht trip

The point of a yacht trip is all about relaxation and enjoyment. Therefore, you probably do not want to feel like you have to go through a boot camp to get ready for your excursion.

Nonetheless, the reality remains that the better conditioned you are physically to handle the unpredictability of the sea, the less likely you are to feel seasick on your yacht. Some basic ideas that can help you get ready for the trip include the following:

  • Do some cardio or aerobics training: While you do not need to be able to run a mile in under five minutes to ride a yacht, some running, biking, or swimming will help limit the likelihood you feel seasick. As sweating and heavy breathing are symptoms of seasickness, you will want to raise your threshold and get experience with the sensation.
  • Practice proprioception: Proprioception is training your body’s stabilizer muscles, such as the core, lower back, and ankles, to brace your body on unstable surfaces. Doing activities like hopping on one foot, hanging from an overhead bar, and doing pushups on a squishy pad can help your body stabilize itself and feel more comfortable when your yacht sways.
  • Get rest: If you are sleep deprived and exhausted, you are more likely to be triggered to feel seasick. If you know you are at risk for seasickness, treat your yacht ride just like you would the big game the next day and get to bed early and get plenty of rest.

#6 – Avoid conditions that trigger nausea

Even though sweating, dizziness, vertigo, and disorientation are common symptoms of seasickness, let’s be honest—it is the nausea and vomiting that most people are afraid of, as nobody wants to be the person who spoils the party by throwing up on the yacht.

If you are prone to motion sickness, you can avoid nausea-inducing scenarios by considering the following points:

  • Limit alcohol: Alcohol is a diuretic, and dehydration lowers your body’s ability to resist the symptoms of seasickness. Furthermore, the dangers of overindulging in alcohol should go without saying: overserving yourself leads to feelings of nausea, yacht not included.
  • Ventilation is key: It has already been noted that fresh breeze blowing across your face can have a calming effect on the symptoms of seasickness. If you are in a cabin or other part of the yacht in which noxious odors are prevalent, you will need to move somewhere else or create a situation where fresh air flows more freely.
  • Stay away from other seasick people: There is something about seeing someone else retch or vomit that induces a chain reaction in people. If you are prone to seasickness, avoid areas of the yacht where there are other people experiencing episodes.

Conclusion

Regardless if you’re on a small water vessel or a yacht, seasickness can be a very likely scenario, especially if you have never been on a boat before.

Fortunately, by following the above six tips, you can reduce the likelihood of getting seasick on a yacht and continue to enjoy your time out on the water.

Whilst I hope you don’t get seasick on a yacht, if you do then here are some additional guides that I recommend you print out and keep.