Bird Crap!

[broadbent]

I've just got back from Poole Harbour where my boat is on swing moorings..
It was lovely and clean when it arrived, but the birds have got to it.
I'm sure this is an old chestnut, so I apologise in advance, but what advice do you people have to possibly prevent it, and then just to clean it.
Thanks in advance.

 

[longjohnsilver]

CD s on strong twine seem to deter them, even better if they rattle together. Watch out for the string/twine/thin rope fraying and make sure the cds don't hit your coachroof, they can mark it especially in strong wind when they flap about like mad.

 

[zefender]

Try a search (though I'll leave the choice of words to you!) since there have been a few posts and lots of suggestions. Val Doonican seems to be the most effective.

 

[oldgit]

Stuffed Owl.

Service with a snarl.

 

[broadbent]

The only owl I've seen on a boat (artificial not stuffed) had birds sitting on it and crapping all over it!

 

[jfm]

Some kind of ultrasonic sound. Lymington marina has big loudspeakers pumping out this stuff and we never ever get bird crap, all year long. (Dont get many dogs either, those that you do see seem to be doing their nut....)

 

[syd]

One of the fellas in our club has a plastic owl stuck on the top of his boat, he reckons its the dogs goolies for scaring birds.
I use Starbrite Marine Teflon Polish, does'nt stop the crap but its a dam sight easier to remove, just wipes off.
Syd

 

[dangcharios]

Hi I had same problem it dont work 100% but the owl is the best solution
Alan

 

[adarcy]

Left our boat on the mooring 2 winters and the fordeck was covered with fish and mollusc remnants and loads of c**p. Bought 1 plastic owl and now 2 winters and it's almost clean. Owl investment strongly recommended.

BTW are birds good shots from on high? Had a black car and it was always getting covered now a light one and v much better. On the boat, we get more "hits" on the brownish flybridge cover than all of the whiteish decks. Do they aim for earth/dirt ie dark colours?

Anthony

 

[BarryH]

Drape an old fishing net over the boat, then they dont have a firm perch to er.. perch on. Failing that a shotgun can be quiet effective!!!

 

[byron]

You have to be cruel to be kind in a situation like this. Find where they live and go crap in their nest. Then they will realise that what is good for the Goose is good for the Gander and go elsewhere to their bodily functions.

ô¿ô

 

[ari]

Darker canopies like brown or navy blue always attract more bird sh*t then white ones because they absorb heat rather than reflect it so it is a nicer place for birds to sit. If you look in marinas the seagulls are always on coloured canopies...

Not quite sure how that works with cars though!

Ari

 

[Medskipper]

You could borrow my shotgun at a very reasonable rate!

Barry

 

[oldgit]

Crikey had no idea that all those boats in long rows belonged to people and could move.Always thought they were something that the RSPB had put there for the dicky birds to have a nice rest on when not raiding rubbish tips etc......

Service with a snarl.

 

[Guest]

Unsolicited silvery CDs on line; as bird scarer.

 

[Trevethan]

We had a pigeon problem when living in the US. Raiding the garden cr***ing on car, washing, paths, everywhere.

Horrible and macabre as it sounds a friend suggested shooting one and hanging it up. Said friend came round and dispatched one and pigeons no longer worried us.

Of course I think that it may have been thanks to the buzzards that circled the property for a week but pigeons never came back....

hmmm maybe forget the owl and get a big inflatable redneck holding a gun and smelling of beer?

 

[KevB]

I thought the speakers at Lymington intermittently mad the sounds of a bird of prey which scares of the seagulls?

Politically incorrect and proud of it.

 

[muchy_]

You could always sell the boat and buy a submarine?

 

[broadbent]

If it carries on, I'll soon have one

 

[piratequeen]

Try skicking all those freebee Cd's off yachting magazines onto the top of the radar, apparantly they don't like anything that shows their reflection....it works on our boat, but we may just have very ugly seagulls round here.