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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/boat-co-mistaken-for-seasickness

Early carbon monoxide poisoning on a boat is often mistaken for what?

Seasickness: headache, fatigue and nausea.

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  1. Sunburn
  2. A sprained ankle
  3. Seasickness ✔

Why: CO poisoning causes flu-like symptoms such as headache, fatigue and nausea, so people often blame seasickness. CO is odorless, colorless and tasteless, and it comes from engines, generators and grills.

Huh, didn't know that: NASBLA recommends installing and maintaining marine-rated CO detectors in living spaces.

The dad joke
Why did the boat see a doctor? It felt a little under the weather.
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References

Answer: Seasickness. CO poisoning causes flu-like symptoms such as headache, fatigue and nausea, so people often blame seasickness. CO is odorless, colorless and tasteless, and it comes from engines, generators and grills.

  1. NASBLA ESP TR 103-2022 Basic Boating Knowledge, Core Plus Power higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com/NASBLA/76594a34-f3a1-4916-95ac-1e9c872170cc/UploadedImages/education/national-education-standards/ESP_TR_ESP_103_Core_Plus_Power_2022_06_01FINAL.pdf
    Symptoms include flu-like symptoms, such as headache, fatigue, and nausea. CO poisoning may be mistaken as sea-sickness.
    Checked 2026-10-09.

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