Keeping birds away

[gvaughan]

I recently moved my sailboat to a new community and within a day I learned I was going to have a battle on my hands; my sailcover and deck is riddled with bird droppings.

Martins, swifts, swallows or somesuch (chimney swift, my best guess) are hanging out on my masthead; the highest vantage point around. They are so bold I just went out to try to scare them off, and one wouldn't leave even after I tried rocking the boat around. It is amazing to see four of them at once balancing on the moving, 8 inch vane of my wind indicator, and a couple more below them on the masthead itself.

I expect in the end, the solution will be a tarp tented over the boom.

I pulled out my Chapman's and didn't see any distilled wisdom on boats and birds. In boating catalogs I see a number of solutions; plastic owls, beach balls with big eyes, streamer tapes, supersonic noisemakers, spikes and spider like contraptions.

Does anyone have any insights on what might work well for my very specific problem area (the masthead?)

Further, I'd be interested in creative, homebrew solutions to bird problems in general. I find great pleasure in walking around marinas to observe other peoples' ingenuity.

I confess, in weaker moments, a pellet gun is one approach that has crossed my mind! I would most likely put out a window of the house across the canal.

 

[muskie hunter]

Re: Keeping birds away

Use the air rifle, Correct a few and the rest will get the Idea that they need to leave.

 

[gvaughan]

Re: Keeping birds away

Maybe I could get a fake little birdie from a craft store, and affix him to the masthead with feet in the air.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Keeping birds away

they get use to anything. they owl works for a while.

 

[fishmen111]

Re: Keeping birds away

3" mag #9s. There is not a whole lot you can do. I have seagulls and turkey buzzards here and very little seems work unless you get a cat to sit on your mast.... yea, right.

 

[sunaj]

Re: Keeping birds away

Put a plastic Jesus on the highest point on the boat. It wont keep the birds away but it will be a source of support for you, the next time you look up and say "Jesus! Look at all that crap!'

 

[gvaughan]

Re: Keeping birds away

There is not a whole lot you can do. I have seagulls and turkey buzzards here and very little seems work unless you get a cat to sit on your mast.... yea, right.

If only cats didn't crap, you might be onto something here.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Keeping birds away

Rigging? Why do you have any rigging for them to sit on? Just make sure you keep your sterndrive in the water so they don't......

Oh, it's one of those "wind powered" boats. Geez, get yourself into the 19th century dude

Seriously, I'd get a list of 5-6 things like the owl, streamers, windmill, etc. and keep rotating/moving them... they'll get used to things, but if you keep changing it up...

Either that or kill 'em all, which might not be legal.

 

[BamaAlum97]

Re: Keeping birds away

I've never used this on a boat before, but I have had success otherwise...

Get yourself some old CD's...tie a string to it, and tie to the area you are trying to protect...the wind blows the CD around and also the reflection from the shiny side of the disc will help keep them away...

Not a perfect solution and admittedly a little tacky looking, but like I said, I have had some success with it previously...

 

[tommays]

Re: Keeping birds away

There is all manner of things done in Northport


The latest is a spiked plastic installed on top the spreaders along with the all the various things that spin in the wind (like birds don't pop when the wind is not blowing )

Mothballs placed in the storage areas seem to put out a steady fume that they do not like


I find a good rain once a week is pretty effective

 

[gvaughan]

Re: Keeping birds away

Oh, it's one of those "wind powered" boats. Geez, get yourself into the 19th century dude

.

Been to pump lately? It's a new paradigm. As eco friendly conspicuous consumption for the rich, and affordable fun on the water for the rest of us; Invest in Dacron. Sailboats are the FUTURE!

 

[jennis9]

Re: Keeping birds away

I can loan Ernie out to you... he has a pfd and loves to hunt. That extra thumb doesn't hold him back either!

 

[gvaughan]

Re: Keeping birds away

I can loan Ernie out to you... he has a pfd and loves to hunt. That extra thumb doesn't hold him back either!

I think the halyard would hook onto the loop on the pfd just fine.

(I would wager that Ernie is named for a writer who kept six toed cats...)

 

[jennis9]

Re: Keeping birds away

yep.... in my avatar - the troublemaker has extra digits like the Hemmingway cats in the keys. He's very regal, but quick as a cheetah!

wish I had a good solution to your problem, I fear you are right - a cover may be your best bet for saving that deck from the guano.

 

[marine4003]

Re: Keeping birds away

Had same issue with my boat at dock,found a motion detector operated sprinkler...works great..birdie lands...sprinkler fires up...away goes birdie. Now you need to figure how to make that work 30 feet up, perhaps rig it to a clay pigeon launcher,
or even better..how about a tennis ball machine,at least there retrievable.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Keeping birds away

Rubber Snakes worked for me. Friggen birds would sit on my bow rails excercising their bowells. After putting about 5 of them in different locations,,,,no more birds..........Worked well until some kids thought they were cool and stole them. By then, the birds learned to stay away due to fear of the snakes.

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: Keeping birds away

I spent a lot of time trying to work this one out at a local marina where my brother had his boat.

I don't think anything really works to keep them things away, except maybe Ernie.

I even hooked up a four speaker ultrasonic noise maker up with speakers all around the boat. They didn't really care.

Nothing like staring down pelicans on the bow.

My vote is Ernie in 08'