Orcas attacks in Spain. How strong leisure crafts really are ?

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by Alan Cattelliot, Jun 16, 2023.

  1. Alan Cattelliot
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    Alan Cattelliot Senior Member

    More than 500 interaction events recorded since 2020, 28 damaged ships, three sunken. The spike in aggression towards boats is a recent phenomenon. A female orca called "White Gladis" may have a grudge after being left nearly-dead after the collision with a boat or entrapment during illegal fishing, in Galicia. Sociable, and able to share knowledge among entiere colonies, scientists estimate that it is possible that the "Matrone" may have take the lead of a gangster group of orcas, targeting boats.

    A german sailor, victim of an attack, explains what happens. Orcas have not been playing with the boat, but deliberately aim at the boat rudder, which has been ultimately damaged, as well as the hull structure in way of the rudder system.

    [​IMG]
    Le mystère des attaques d'orques, terreur des voiliers dans les eaux espagnoles - Sciences et Avenir https://www.sciencesetavenir.fr/nature-environnement/le-mystere-des-attaques-d-orques-terreur-des-voiliers-dans-les-eaux-espagnoles_171855?utm_source=pocket-newtab-bff
    Orcas have sunk 3 boats in Europe and appear to be teaching others to do the same. But why? https://www.livescience.com/animals/orcas/orcas-have-sunk-3-boats-in-europe-and-appear-to-be-teaching-others-to-do-the-same-but-why
     
  2. fallguy
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    fallguy Senior Member

    Only solution far out at sea is harpoon, sorry to say. Protection of life is the job of the captain. Closer to shore; run for the shallows.

    But, I wonder if the sound of a baby orca or some other sound could ward them off more peacefully. They do use sound to communicate; so perhaps some type of yelp may work. We have foghorn yelp settings. Or perhaps a horrible sound they duslike say perhaps at the top or bottom of their audible range.

    It'd be pretty cool if we could play a sound to ward them off peacefully,
     
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  3. Will Gilmore
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    Will Gilmore Senior Member

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  4. rangebowdrie
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    rangebowdrie Senior Member

    1, Drop a hydrophone in the water and crank-up the Heavy Metal, (or perhaps the theme song from Green Acres).
    2, Toss in a stick of dynamite.
     
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  5. fallguy
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    fallguy Senior Member

    I'm not sure the explosion is a horrible idea. A quarter stick or M80 might be enough to drive them off..dropped on the surface; it might not hurt them, but scare away?

    Some biologist really ought to find a humane way to fend them off.
     
  6. comfisherman
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    comfisherman Senior Member

    At first the seal bombs work (now a controlled solution but in the USA you can get them still or at least we can in ak and we had boxes from the California fish and feathers when we squid fishes)

    But they desensitized to it quickly, we eventually uses floating road flares in conjunction and that was out beat bet. But they were after our boats just our fish. Boat at the time has a 2 inch captured shaft rudder with a plate of 5/8 stainless plate down the middle so it was safe.
     
  7. Alan Cattelliot
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    Alan Cattelliot Senior Member

    Excellent return, thanks comfisherman. Is there any chemical repulsive, like for sharks, that could be also be used ?
     
  8. comfisherman
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    comfisherman Senior Member

    Non that were available then. I'll be honest the biologist most gave us some parameters and we worked within those. There are a few whale pincers on the market designed to keep them out of our nets. They work for a while then they acclimate. Our nets pose little risk to them as they can swim through them without even slowing down. Some have figured out how to use the nets to eat the fish in the trap end. It's fun to see them work until you realize it's your income they are eating and your net they swim into.

    Maybe the pinger devices are worth a try, we used to leave them on our nets all the time, I now only use them sporadically in an attempt to not acclimate them.
     
  9. Will Gilmore
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    Will Gilmore Senior Member


    Maybe they just need a better toy to play with. Set out a few moorings with some sort of interesting floating rattle/tug-of-war toy they could amuse themselves with.

    They are very smart, maybe we can figure out how to simply ask them to stop.

    -Will
     
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  10. Tiny Turnip
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    Tiny Turnip Senior Member

  11. philSweet
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    philSweet Senior Member

  12. rangebowdrie
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    rangebowdrie Senior Member

    I knew all that "Save the Whales" and "Free Willy" stuff would come back to haunt us.
    D*mn ingrate whales.;):rolleyes:
     
  13. comfisherman
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    comfisherman Senior Member

    I've watched them rip the fins off minke and humpbacks to kill them. Similar mechanics but this time they are moving slow as the boat isn't thrashing around and making blood. Kinda amusing to see them do the same bio mechanics but on a hull....

    For some reason it makes me chuckle
     
  14. philSweet
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    philSweet Senior Member

    Maybe the guys adding cayenne pepper to their bottom paint are on to something. But seriously, there has to be something cheap and fast that will make an orca sneeze or irritate their eyes or taste really bad. How about diatomaceous earth? It comes from the sea and is the worst stuff to get in your eyes.
     
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  15. Will Gilmore
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    Will Gilmore Senior Member

    Amazing stuff. Indispensable for a farmer.

    -Will
     
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