Fancy a 60-80ft boat abroad, but a major hurdle to overcome

Fancy a 60-80ft boat abroad, but a major hurdle to overcome

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S1M VP

Original Poster:

949 posts

233 months

Thursday 10th July 2014
quotequote all
Hoping that there is some help and advice to be found here ....

First off, I know nothing about boats, other than I've always loved being on the open water and every time I've been on boat trips when on holiday, I always end up hankering after owning one myself one day. The best holiday I can remember was spending a whole week on a guilet boat in Turkey ... It was brilliant.

I really fancy a 60-80ft boat, something like a Sunseeker Manhattan, Sealine Phantom, or similar.
Something similar to these ....
http://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/1999/Sunseeker-M...
http://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/2001/Sunseeker-M...

Likely to keep her somewhere like Vilamoura or somewhere similar (we love it there and think a villa and a boat in the marina would be the ideal get away place for us.

BUT .... I have a major hurdle to overcome .... The wife!

The Mrs got very sea sick when we went on a day trip 7yrs ago .. on a c70ft motor boat / yacht, when we were in Cyprus, which has really put her off.

She didn't wear bands or anything, we arrived on the boat with around 20-30 others and headed straight out to cruise the coastline.
The sea was quite choppy that day as soon as we got out to open water - and she was pregnant at the time - but it really put her off boats as she spent 3hrs at the back of the boat with her head in a plastic bag.

I've since read that it's good to get used to just being on the boat for a good few hours before heading out, wearing bands and taking a travel sickness pill. I don't know if her being pregnant had any influence or not.

I'm toying with the idea of chartering a boat for a day, with an experienced skipper, next time we go on holiday and convincing her to give it another try ...., idea being that we can go at our own pace and ease her into it. If she likes it ... Then I'm away!

I've been googling and see they charter similar boats down at Southampton, but I'm guessing that the English water around that area is not as smooth as abroad ?? (I was invited to Cowes week last year and a few of the guys felt a but seasick as it seemed quite choppy there).

So my real question at this stage is, can anyone recommend the best place for me to go and charter a boat for a day or two, with an experienced skipper who can help us, ideally where the water is quite calm and she's least likely to get sea sick

I've only got one shot at getting her on a boat again. If she gets sea sick again, it'll scupper the idea completely.

Also, do the bands and tablets work?

Thanks for any advice.




Penguinracer

1,593 posts

205 months

Thursday 10th July 2014
quotequote all
I think you need to get her involved in helming the boat. Once your concentrating on operating any craft (car, bike, aircraft or boat) and have a good horizon on which to focus, motion sickness often subsides.

Besides,getting her to skipper the boat will get her more involved & feel more empowered in the whole process/activity/decision.

When you're operating any car/bike/boat/plane you're anticipating the motion (as you read the road/water/turbulance) and you're controlling the directional changes - it's unexpected/unanticipated motion which makes most people feel ill.

I found having an instructor demonstrate an aerobatic manoevre was often more uncomfortable than flying it yourself - well certainly the first time anyway.

Benjaminpalma

1,214 posts

181 months

Thursday 10th July 2014
quotequote all
My job is to help people buy yachts – but I don’t sell them.

I'd urge you to exercise a little caution.

Definitively charter, and for more than an afternoon, and more than once. Experience watching the sunset while at anchor and enjoy a cool dip in the morning before breakfast. And get a handle on the costs and headaches involved.

My fiancé has a habit of thinking herself into seasickness. The tablets make her sick even before we go to sea. The bands seem to help but may be a placebo. All is well after an hour or so once she relaxes – no matter what she does or doesn’t do. Sea legs are something you develop over time. I’ve only been seasick once back on land after several days at sea but this goes after 20 minutes.

All waters can be choppy. The Solent is green and cold, not blue and warm, and slightly less predictable hour-on-hour. Go to the Med to really live the dream.

Partners definitely tend to buy into yachts more once they realise that it’s a desirable lifestyle - as well as a plaything.

Fishtigua

9,786 posts

194 months

Thursday 10th July 2014
quotequote all
Charter a boat for a weekend to see if she still feels iffy when sailing. Get her up on the flybridge where she can see the horizon, not on the aftdeck with the smelly fumes or down below in the cabins.

http://www.turkey-yachtcharter.com/motor-yachts-ch...

Take a dramamine pill in plenty of time before the trip, these too can make you feel a bit whoozy the first time, same as the patches behind the ear.

S1M VP

Original Poster:

949 posts

233 months

Thursday 10th July 2014
quotequote all
Thanks chaps.

Will leave the uk shores and look at the charter options in the Med then.

When I was last in Vilamoura a helpful girl explained about how the hot wind and cold wind directions make a huge difference in terms of the likelihood of feeling seasick.

I think I'm best to charter a boat and do a short afternoon/sunset trip first, then an overnight one, then maybe a few days .... All only possible if the first ones goes ok.

It'll also give me a bit more about what I'm actually looking for, rather than browsing on the iPad.


TTwiggy

11,499 posts

203 months

Thursday 10th July 2014
quotequote all
I might have a yacht in Vilamoura some time in the next 12 months. It will be a 33-36ft long sailing yacht, so you could always come out on that - after a few hours healed over at 25+ degrees your wife will think that anything you buy is a cruise liner by comparison! wink

eztiger

836 posts

179 months

Thursday 10th July 2014
quotequote all
Not much to add but I found the pills worked. And after a while a chance you don't need them once you've built up your 'sea legs'.

I also know people, with a stronger fortitude than I, who have just powered through sea sickness. Kept sailing through it for months or years until it stopped bothering them pills or not.

It's all *very* individual though. I'm no sailing master but have been on a boat a reasonable amount of time (and offshore UK so not the nicest weather) with a wide spread of different people and everyone reacts differently. Both in terms of how sick they get (if at all) and how they then choose to cope with it. Being blunt sometimes seasickness isn't just about motion sickness but just fear of the situation if things get rough. And I'll hold my hand up and say my first encounter of a force 9 in the dark had me crumble on deck out of fear. As previously mentioned empowerment, involvement and understanding really help a lot.

I would be prepared for it just to be a no-goer. Some people will never get over it and some will not have the inclination to go through the ordeal of doing so which is fully understandable.

Calm med seas, sunny day, under motor with a few drinks is, however, a world of way from even a bit of chop. So if you can restrict your outings to that...happy days! smile

S1M VP

Original Poster:

949 posts

233 months

Thursday 10th July 2014
quotequote all
TTwiggy said:
I might have a yacht in Vilamoura some time in the next 12 months. It will be a 33-36ft long sailing yacht, so you could always come out on that - after a few hours healed over at 25+ degrees your wife will think that anything you buy is a cruise liner by comparison! wink
Ha ha ... Whilst. I would be well up for it, I think that might just about finish the dream before it even started !!! biglaugh

mrloudly

2,815 posts

234 months

Thursday 10th July 2014
quotequote all
http://virgintraders.com/

Do it properly and she'll love it ;-)

Foppo

2,344 posts

123 months

Thursday 10th July 2014
quotequote all
Some women never take to water.My wife isn't that keen.Took her once on the Blue Bell a jolly trip out of Bridlington.A bit of a North Sea swell she always reminds me of the trick I played on her.>smile

I have been on a coaster in a force ten gale I was to scared to be sea sick.

MOTORVATOR

6,991 posts

246 months

Friday 11th July 2014
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There is a food test.

Good greasy breakfast washed down with Bucks Fizz.

If you return to shore with it still inside you after a force eight journey then you are born for a life afloat. If not stick to knitting. wink

In all seriousness though if you have someone on board prone to seasickness give them a job to do as a lookout. Keeping the eyes on the horizon helps the balance senses. It can also help for them to be standing as the legs then have to work with the motion and seems to keep everything in check. Invariably in my experience people that have done this seem to go on to never experiencing it again.

tezzer

983 posts

185 months

Friday 11th July 2014
quotequote all
I used to get dreadfully sea sick on anything rougher than wet grass, seriously, the only cure at the time was the shade of an oak tree.

Then for work I had to do a day / coastal skippers course and have never felt the slightest bit queasy since, either as crew or as a passenger.

Cured me !

Jaguar steve

9,232 posts

209 months

Friday 11th July 2014
quotequote all
Mrs JS used to be pretty good at timing her barfing between tacks. She's been so ill that more than once we've abandoned the trip, turned back and gone home.

Bands and tablets didn't seem to work for her but now she swears by ginger biscuits or strong flavoured crisps and has been out in some right scary weather without wanting to hurl any previously enjoyed Bombay Sapphire or Pot Noodle over the side.

Keeping warm and dry and feeling safe and confident is essential and as others have mentioned having a task to concentrate on is always good.

TTwiggy

11,499 posts

203 months

Friday 11th July 2014
quotequote all
I'd second the ginger biscuit idea. I've never suffered from sea sickness but I never sail without ginger biscuits for others!

hidetheelephants

23,731 posts

192 months

Saturday 12th July 2014
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In my experience Stugeron works as described, but you need to take it before you get on the boat/into the situation that makes you nauseous.

schmalex

13,616 posts

205 months

Saturday 12th July 2014
quotequote all
As has been said, get her involved in operating the boat and make sure she keeps a horizon. Once she has things to do, she will forget all about sea sickness

schmalex

13,616 posts

205 months

Saturday 12th July 2014
quotequote all
As has been said, get her involved in operating the boat and make sure she keeps a horizon. Once she has things to do, she will forget all about sea sickness

S1M VP

Original Poster:

949 posts

233 months

Tuesday 15th July 2014
quotequote all
Thanks for all the input gents. thumbup

I've booked us a holiday to Puerto Banus (we've been to Vilamoura many times and fancied a change) in August .... so I'm now on the case with chartering a boat for a day/half day.

I think we'd probably best to go for a 4hr afternoon cruise first. I think she'd feel anxious before we even got to the boat if she thought it'd be a full day.
I will ask if we can spend the first hour or so on the boat staying parked up in the mooring, learning about the boat controls etc etc, just to help her get a little used to the motion, then go out for an hour or two and see how we fare.
... I'd sooner do it gradually to build her confidence that she won't get sick, we can always go out several times then.

tezzer ... I can see why a coastal skipper course would be good, given what you've all said about 'give her a job to do and take her mind of it' ... but I can just imagine her face if I say .... Love, I've booked you on a coastal skippers course next tuesday ha ha !!!

Action Plan:-

1. Book a boat when weather is the best, with an experienced skipper, with the sole purpose being to get her back on a boat
2. Feed her;
* Tablets- Dramamine or Stugeron (either ok?)
* Ginger biscuits
* Strong flavoured Crisps
* Get some magnetic motion sickness bands
* Get Patches behind the ear
3. Spend an hour or so just on the boat in it's mooring
4. Give her a look-out job to do up on the flybridge (or get the skipper to get her involved with driving/steering
5. Keep my fingers crossed!


Moulder

1,463 posts

211 months

Tuesday 15th July 2014
quotequote all
S1M VP said:
Action Plan:-

2. Feed her;
* Tablets- Dramamine or Stugeron (either ok?)
* Ginger biscuits
* Strong flavoured Crisps
* Get some magnetic motion sickness bands
* Get Patches behind the ear
It is almost a shame that this is not a surprise, I would love to know the set of circumstances that you come up with to do the above without someone being aware.

Not sure what the area is like but could there be a contingency plan other than just head home if she does feel sick, e.g. a turn around stop/drink at another marina? That way if she does start to feel sick a bit of a break may be enough to carry on rather than bin the whole thing. Maybe not ideal when paying for the boat by the hour, but may make the difference between a pleasurable experience or not.


S1M VP

Original Poster:

949 posts

233 months

Tuesday 15th July 2014
quotequote all
Moulder said:
It is almost a shame that this is not a surprise, I would love to know the set of circumstances that you come up with to do the above without someone being aware.

Not sure what the area is like but could there be a contingency plan other than just head home if she does feel sick, e.g. a turn around stop/drink at another marina? That way if she does start to feel sick a bit of a break may be enough to carry on rather than bin the whole thing. Maybe not ideal when paying for the boat by the hour, but may make the difference between a pleasurable experience or not.
biglaugh ha ha ... I'm sure we all have ways of manipulating our ladies round to our way of thinking when it comes to all things power, cars, boats related etc .... but I'd probably struggle with this if I'd kept it a surprise !!

Spoke to Fairline in Pto Banus this morning and he said if she gets sick, best to stop the engines and go for a quick swim, so don't worry if she gets sick I'll put a life jacket over her head before I push her in. She's up for giving it a go!