re: Any tips to avoid sea sickness?

All good advice given so far. I get car sick really easy so when I went out I was really concerned. I took Dramamine the night before then I did the patch. I stayed on the upper deck the whole first night. I brought ginger ale Bonine. To me the bonine didn't make my drowsy so I stayed on that. We spent 2 nights out there and I never got socks. Granted we had calm seas but I was fine the entire trip.

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Advice is all over the place.

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Yes, it is.
But take the meds before you get out there.
It makes a difference.

For me, I find sea sickness is more of a mind game than anything. When you start feeling sick out there, you get nervous about the possibility of being the one who will puke. I think when you get nervous, your breathing tends to become short, and the lack of oxygen can make you feel even more nauseated than you already are. (I have zero medical background and probably just made half of this shite up but I think it's half arse accurate lol)

If I start feeling sick, not only do I focus on the horizon but I also concentrate on steady deep breathing in and out. I try to tell myself that I'm out there fishing having a damn good time and I need not be worrying about puking. I usually pop one Dramamine the night before and one before I get on the boat. No alcohol. Many of times I've been close to getting seasick but this routine has always seemed to pull me back out of it before puking. Knock on wood, haven't puked yet lol.

Bonine. Without it I'm yacking the entire time. Take it tonight and in the morning.

every time i take dramamine, the ride out is rough and i have a hard time staying awake.

last time i didn't take any dramamine and i felt fine .

A teaspoon of ginger and some ritz crackers

I never got seasick until I sat in my truck on the Chalmette ferry...something to do with being surrounded by a structure and the boat going one way and the tide going another way and the boar turning.

Point being, stay out the cabin.

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One word of advice, this is probably the one time when throwing up does not make you feel better. Do everything in your power not to. But once your actually fishing and have your mind on something else, it'll be alright.

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Eh, I've seen it both ways. One time I got drunk the night before. Well, not drunk, but probably had too big of a meal and maybe 1-2 drinks too many. I was sitting in the back corner of the cabin on the ride out, propped up on a pillow against the window snoozing. The boat came to a stop and bucked around a few times after the captain killed the engine. Me and another guy got up and both were puking in a large trash can in the cabin. After that we drug it outside, I hung it over the edge and he grabbed the hose and washed it out. Dropped a line, cracked a beer, and started catching fish. Never felt sick again.

Another time, this poor younger guy felt sick on the ride out. Ends up blowing chunks over the side. Kept giving him cold water to sip on so he wasn't dry heaving. We thought he'd be fine once we started fishing. He almost dropped a pole in the water because of puking. My dad's a doctor, and always brings his little medical kit with him on trips. After an hour of this guy being sick, he gave him a shot that knocked him out, and we woke him up when we were back at the docks. He was fine at that point but missed 9 hours of a 12 hour trip.

Find a doc to prescribe you some scopolomine. It is what they give cancer patients to fight nausea from Chemo. I use the nasal mist and it works better than anything I have ever tried.

I've heard only a few guys who felt better afterwards. Almost all were like you situation, large meal, drinking the night before, sick right before or as they were stopping, usually to fish.

Most were like scenario 2 (including my one and only 25 years ag or so). For me it was a work trip and I got sick early in the trip, a sort of confluence of the worst scenarios. Cross current, diesel fumes in the cabin, couldn't go outside. It was the most miserable experience of my life. I have literally taken dozens of boat rides, both work and pleasure, and have never gotten sick again, though it was touch and go a few times.

I always tell people I know why you are not allowed to bring guns on crewboats, because I think I would have shot myself if I had one with me.

Hope the OP has a great trip.