Keeping birds off boats. How?

[Submarine Tom]

Keeping a pet peregrine falcon would do the trick.

-Tom

Edit: Of course you'd have to teach him not to poop on the boat!

Go to Tractor Supply and get a 12 Volt Cattle Fence Charger.

Put up a little Electric fence on your cabin roof and over the cockpit.

Kinda like a Bug Zapper

Come to think of it adding some Black Lights may look Kinda Kool!

[jimisbell]

OK, if that works, why not connect the output to the rigging, mast, boom, lifelines and all. That ought to keep the buggers off the boat!!!!

If your rigging is not grounded to the keel...AND IT SHOULD BE...then you could use a shore powered fence charger. OR, put an isolator in the AC line and charge even grounded rigging.

Just be careful when getting on board and dont touch anything until you shut the charger off.

I have thought about getting a car spark coil, powered from a small oscillator, to charge the deck and hand rails (oposite polarity) at night in a strange harbor (salt water on the deck really conducts well). A 12v fence charger would do just as well. The switch could be below, near where you keep the 12 ga. flare pistol that you will use to repel boarders.

[Angélique]

Originally Posted by WickedGood

Go to Tractor Supply and get a 12 Volt Cattle Fence Charger.

Put up a little Electric fence on your cabin roof and over the cockpit.

And put a cable to earth on all birds . . ? ?

Kinda like a Bug Zapper

Ahh, and ask the birds ‘‘would you please be so kind to sit on two wires and NOT on one ?’’

Angel

[Stumble]

Hmmm,


all the work I do to eliminate stray eletrical current on my boat and you want to add one?

[hoytedow]

Use some anti-fowling paint.

[peter radclyffe]

celine dion, madonna, elaine stritch, any worthless brutal neurotic diva at full chat

[masalai]

Hey wait on a minute, what kinda 'bird' are we trying to keep off ones boat? - those with a name like "Angélique" should be at least given a chance to assert that they are 'civilised' and will clean the brightwork if they make a mess on it?

Then What 'males' boat is kept in a spotless and pristine condition and begrudge occasional visits of the feminine gender? The feathered variety (monotrine?) is another topic and needs to address various myths associated with killing albatross and other species, lest the deities of the Oceans become angry...

[baboonslayer]

I'm not an expert at pest control, but I used to live in the middle of the city where pigeons were abundant. On weekends when I got bored I would sit on the porch in my back yard and wait for birds to land in the yard or on the nearby power lines. I had a loaded pellet gun, and you probably now the rest .

Might wanna try high freq noises, (I'm not sure if it works) like this:

http://www.soundgrenadepro.com/

If you have a computer aboard your boat, try hooking up some speakers and placing them strategically around your boat. It MIGHT work...

just my opinion...

Oh yeah, and if you like the pellet gun idea, look here:

http://www.pyramydair.com/s/m/Stoege...fle_Combo/2121

Maybe this would work on your boat?

[baboonslayer]

WG, what is that?! I'm guessing some sort of dog (wolf maybe?)

[Lurvio]

Thank you guys, I've laughed my ass off reading this thread. Somewhere in the middle I had an idea, why not pull a tarp cover over the whole boat. Of course there's problems like masts on sailboats, but on motor boats it should work. You could have two covers, stuff the used one in a trash bag and wash it with a pressure washer on the lawn when you get home. You sure would have a stronger grass than your neighbour.

L

[Calico Jack]

Originally Posted by Dave 65

We have a real problem with ducks and geese on our docks. We tied cds to a string and placed them around the dock. Not a single bird has come back.

yep 100% works, local alotments are full of stings with old cd's, birds hate the reflections and movement, just make sure they are free to spin in the wind

[WestVanHan]

Originally Posted by Angélique

Ahh, and ask the birds ‘‘would you please be so kind to sit on two wires and NOT on one ?’’

Angel

I figured this concept out when I was 11 years old-two bare wires would be placed a few mm apart so the bird completes the circuit when on the roost

[Lurvio]

I can say I have done my share on controlling the local seagull population. And it's not even been intentional, mostly. I've actually caught two seagulls with a tractor and not even with any great speed, just doing ordinary field work. Two years ago an adult seagul got greedy with worms or something and got stuck on some grass I was cutting. The latest incident was this summer as I was cultivating a field and a young seagull flew in front of me, suddenly dropped down and ended up cultivated.

Thought I'd share this grim tale with you guys.
Lurvio