A day on the boat is relaxing, but we can’t ignore how much water we need when we’re afloat. Being on a boat requires alertness and attention, but high temperatures and sun glare can lead to dehydration, which in turn causes headaches, muscle cramps, fatigue, and disorientation. Those symptoms can ruin any day, especially one in which you need to stay aware (think being the skipper or having to act fast in case of a mishap).
It’s easy to overlook the importance of hydration. Our bodies are about 60 percent water — that water plays a vital part in regular functions such as circulation, digestion, cell production, energizing muscles, cushioning cartilage, protecting the spine, flushing toxins from the organs and our skin, creating saliva, producing tears, and regulating body temperature. Stores of water are depleted day and night through breathing, sweating, and elimination. Fluid replenishment depends on your overall health, the time of day, whether you are out in the sun or shade, your activity level, the temperature, and the humidity. We know we need to drink water, but busy people often overlook or delay taking in lots of water so they don’t have to keep visiting the bathroom as life passes by.
Obviously, drinking plain water is the easiest way to, well, get enough water. Drink as soon as you wake up — it helps banish the fogginess. A large drink before every meal hydrates you while helping you feel fuller, faster. Add lemons or lime slices to transform plain water into a beverage! Swapping out your regular-sized coffee (or tea) cup for a giant mug is good, too, as the water used to make caffeinated beverages counts towards your nutritional needs (so long as you treat them as refreshing or energizing beverages instead of a delivery system for sugar, syrup, and cream).
While fruit juices do contain fluid, swigging them to increase your fluid intake also ups your calorie intake. Try slicing an apple or an orange into a pitcher of water and eating the fruit when all the water’s gone. It’s refreshing and nutritious and is a lot less expensive than the same amount of fruit juice. Freeze grapes, blackberries, and watermelon cubes, and bring them on the boat in a cooler. They make a refreshing treat on their own and add some zing to water.
Beer, wine, and distilled spirits cannot be counted as fluids, as they actually have a detrimental effect on the body. Soda contains water but also sweeteners and/or chemicals. If you won’t drop soda despite its health drawbacks, never drink from a can or bottle — instead toss lots of ice into a glass and drink that melted ice after the soda is gone.
If you’re sweating, your body is losing electrolytes and potassium, so consider making a sports drink one of your beverage selections.
Don’t rely on how you feel to replace lost fluids. Thirst is an indication that your body is running low on needed fluids, but it’s not the only one. Symptoms like headaches and cramps may arise before thirst starts to nag at you. That’s why preventing dehydration is best, so keep a steady stream of healthy fluids flowing in by tweaking your intake upwards all day.
