Bird deterrents

[WillieC]

I poked around a little on the site and learned a bit about fishing where the birds are, but I know most of you have this problem:

Bird excreta all over the boat.

We are anchored in Hood Canal for the summer months, with occasional fall forays. I know we are in their habitat and so we lose, but dang! Quite the mess to clean when we go out.

Here is what we have now. A string of mule tape (retired electricians never throw anything away), heavy flat pulling line for measuring conduit for wire length. Essentially a flat 1/4" rope. This line is strung from the pennant hook on the bow up and attached to the light mast and then back to a piece of 3/4" PVC stuck into the aft pennant receptacle at the stern. See picture.

To this we simply have tied lengths of reflective mylar tape of varying lengths meticulously calculated to sway and shimmer in all winds. We recently switched to cheap white plastic tape like you see used in land survey stake markings. (Wonder of wonders, I had some of that left over as well.)

The reflective mylar seemed to work pretty well, but then it started breaking down and sloughing off into the canal, which, while not rabid environmentalists since we own a boat, we found troublesome. Thus the switch to the survey tape, which is less effective in my non-scientific opinion. The birds, mostly gulls and swallows are quite at home with the new decor. The tape has been effective for the herons.

So what works (and doesn't work) for you? I thought this might generate some interesting and humorous discussion. Please, weigh in!

IMG_0463.JPG

[DougSea]

Was the "Crappy pic." post a pun??

When we had the boat on a mooring we'd get the occasional seagull crabfest remnants. But nothing so bad we had to try to keep them off.

[WillieC]

How could I, lover of all things punny, ever have missed that?! Made my day, Doug. Thanks!
Actually I was so intent on getting the picture turned the right way, having taken it from my old iPhone and wondering if I would lose YET ANOTHER post due to timing out or whatever it is that I do to lose them, that I completely overlooked it.
Sitting on the porch with the afternoon sun presented a much clearer pic, but I am old, and lazy, so it will wait. Ah, retirement.

[rcwhite]

The gulls can really make a mess in short order especially in the spring
where we moor. We use 3 of these and found they work quite well. They used
to be harder to source but are readily available now.

[BobHaze]

RCWHITE: What are "these" and where do you source them? Does it just sit on the hatch, or is it secured somehow?

We have a Gullsweep on the cabin top, which was inexpensive and so far has been 100% effective. But it pivots on a mount that is screwed into the deck, and I don't think it will work on the foredeck, where the cormorants have been killing me. Your device looks interesting.

[RobS]

What rcwhite posted is a bird-b-gone bird spider 360 with the optional sand bag base. Both are available on Defender.

[BobHaze]

Thanks Rob - I think this is worth a try. The damn cormorants leave a mess that won't wash off - requires On/Off or deck cleaner or some other strong medicine.

[RobS]

Thanks Rob - I think this is worth a try...

That's pretty much my take on many things that don't require drilling a hole in the boat!

[rcwhite]

Sorry for the lack of detail. Thanks Rob.

I have seen gulls sitting (and making a mess) next to one of the rotating chasers
when there is no wind or just outside of them otherwise. They seem to have more difficulty
spotting the wires and if they find a spot on the boat they like we just move one over.

I have heard fishing line is equally effective for the same reason but these are easier
to deploy and store.

[Chris G]

I've used a 'Gull Sweep' in the past on my previous boat and it worked fine. There is always some wind here in the north so the Gull Sweep rotated all the time, thus keeping the birds away. I didn't have it screwed to the deck, as I made an aluminium base plate and put 4 holes in it, so the whole arrangement can be tied down and positioned wherever needed.
If you can, a good tactic is to moor beside sailing boats. The gulls have problems taking off and landing in areas where there are masts and wires etc. I've not been using the Gull Sweep this year, but a few days ago, I found a starfish on the roof of the cover. So either global warming has forced starfish to fly, or I've had a visit from a gull. I tend to think option 2 is the most realistic! So the Gull Sweep might have to come out of retirement.
Good luck with solving the problem.

[WillieC]

Now all I have to do is get all my neighbors to buy sailboats and install a marina where I can park in the middle of them! I like that.
I will have to try the swoopy wire thang RobS has more eloquently described. Went to pull the boat out for the season and the swallows have been having a s--t storm on the boat. I should market Artisanal Hood Canal Swallow Guano and sell it by the bushel. Might offset the Artisanal Hand Crafted Volvo Penta parts I need for the engine.

[DougSea]

...Might offset the Artisanal Hand Crafted Volvo Penta parts I need for the engine.

HA!!