Like others have said meclizine is the active ingredient in a great over the counter med often called Bonine or Dramamine. You can also use Scopolamine patches, but I believe you will need a prescription for these patches. So see your Doctor before going if you'd like some. The benefit of the patches is that they last for three days. So you have continual protection if you are going to be staying on a boat day and night.
One warning, if you do use Scopolamine be careful and wash your hands after you apply it and take it off. If you get it in your eyes it will dilate your eyes for a few hours and you won't be able to see well.
Also if you are an older gentleman and have trouble with prostate enlargement you many be safer with Meclizine. Scopolamine can cause inability to urinate and more likely the older you get. You wouldn't want to be stuck out on the ocean not able to pee. That would be quite the uncomfortable ride back to the hospital.
I never used to get Sea Sick... then I started kayak fishing and puked my guts out a few times. So I started using Meclizine. Works fantastic.
I don't mean to be rude but with my background I would favor the efficacy of a medication over a Wrist Band.
There is some interesting research on the P6 acupuncture location for improving Nausea and vomiting syptoms related to pregnancy and post operative.
Seems like studies very though with some showing slight effect and some none.
I found one study on the efficacy of Sea Bands on Motion sickness... no difference from placebo. Make of it what you will. The placebo effect is real and well documented. Goes back to what KyJelly44 was saying, the mind is a powerful thing to heal or destroy the body.
I hope you find something that works for you.
Here is the abstract from the one small study on Sea Bands.
Acupressure and motion sickness.
(PMID:2339974)
Abstract
Citations
BioEntities
Related Articles
External Links
Bruce DG, Golding JF, Hockenhull N, Pethybridge RJ
Institute of Naval Medicine, Gosport, Hants, England.
Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine [1990, 61(4):361-365]
Type: Clinical Trial, Controlled Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Comparative Study
Abstract Highlight Terms Highlight biological terms.
Chemicals(2)
The effectiveness of the "Sea Band" acupressure band compared with placebo and hyoscine (0.6 mg), also known as scopolamine, to increase tolerance to a laboratory nauseogenic cross-coupled motion challenge was assessed using 18 subjects. The results showed that the subjects had a significant increase in tolerance with hyoscine but had no increase in tolerance with the "Sea Band" or placebo. Possible reasons for the failure to show any significant protection from the use of these acupressure bands are insufficient movement of the wrist to provide continuous stimulation, and/or the likelihood that only a minority of the population would show non-negligible benefit as experience with medical acupressure would suggest. The application of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation may be worthy of study.