Detering swimmers

[PabloPicasso]

People, mainly teenagers love jumping and swimming in the harbour. A few of them misbehave and clamber on the boats. Not usually nefarious, more of a nuisance in general. Sometimes though downright disrespectful, and occasionally over the years doing damage.

What practical measures can be taken to deter the swimmers climbing onto unattended moored boats (swinging moorings and fore/aft). Especially those with sugarscoops.

Is posting "no access"/"please repect my boat, do not climb aboard" type signs of any use? (Passive approach). What about more assertive prevention like a rough edged net or rope strung accross the stern opening?

Perhaps if its awkward they just won't bother climbing aboard?

Any other practicle approaches?

 

[RivalRedwing]

Take it up with the Harbour Master if there is one

 

[billskip]

A wire across the area with an electric fence sign on it....and another sign saying " remember you are wet"

 

[Davy_S]

 

[Refueler]

Passive such as a Video Camera sign hung on the boat .....

Keep Off and other similar signs are generally ignored ... but the thought of being on camera ?? I know there are some real yobs out there that will 'play' to the supposed camera ... but most will not want it.

You could of course visit local Livestock Merchants and buy the 12V electric fence gear ! Believe me - if it can keep cows and horses in - it will certainly ZIZZ the swimmers !!

 

[RupertW]

Do they damage the boats? If not then I’d chill.

 

[Refueler]

Do they damage the boats? If not then I’d chill.

My weekender has a burn mark in centre of cockpit sole ... where some yobs swam out to it .. climbed on and did whatever they did ...

 

[DreadShips]

(Or just a bucket of chum and let nature do the rest, I suppose...)

 

[DreadShips]

(just realised Davy_s had made a similar suggestion - apologies!)

 

[Sea Change]

My weekender has a burn mark in centre of cockpit sole ... where some yobs swam out to it .. climbed on and did whatever they did ...

I'm impressed they managed to keep their ciggies and matches dry enough!

 

[ylop]

What practical measures can be taken to deter the swimmers climbing onto unattended moored boats (swinging moorings and fore/aft). Especially those with sugarscoops.

You need to make your boat less attractive than your neighbours - guano? I guess the other option is to make it seem occupied? A radio and a cabin light run from a solar panel/timer?

Is posting "no access"/"please repect my boat, do not climb aboard" type signs of any use? (Passive approach).

I think there are two types of people that do this sort of thing. The first would respect your sign, but are least likely to damage your boat anywat. The second would see the sign as a provocation and are the ones most likely to cause damage in the first place.

What about more assertive prevention like a rough edged net or rope strung accross the stern opening?

If you string something across make sure that if they use it to haul themselves out that its attached to something that can take the load or you might actually make it easier for unintentional damage!

Keep Off and other similar signs are generally ignored ... but the thought of being on camera ?? I know there are some real yobs out there that will 'play' to the supposed camera ... but most will not want it.

I'm not sure that will make much difference these days - so used to being filmed everywhere.

One option - could be to work with your neighbours and/or harbour master and add a small raft or other easy to board stable floating structure to act as the "magnet" for them.

 

[Sandy]

Any other practicle approaches?

Move the boat to a mooring with a 3 knot ebb tide and an armed harbour patrol, it works for me.

 

[Roberto]

Don't use antifouling

 

[Stemar]

Don't use antifouling

Better still, paint your topsides with anti-climb paint

 

[RunAgroundHard]

You can buy a device that takes a blank shotgun cartridge and connects to a trip wire. Connect the wire such that it is convenient to grasp which then fires the blank. That should scare them off.

Perimiter trip alarm Amazon.co.uk
12 Gauge Blanks for above Amazon.co.uk

You will need a firearms certificate.

 

[DreadShips]

A few of these on a bit of fishing line should do it ...

 

[billyfish]

Tin tacks

 

[Alicatt]

My question is how to deter the local cat from sleeping under the cockpit canopy and then marking it's territory. Went to the boat on Monday opened the tent and nearly choked

 

[Refueler]

My question is how to deter the local cat from sleeping under the cockpit canopy and then marking it's territory. Went to the boat on Monday opened the tent and nearly choked

Local pet shops usually have spray you can use .... used to be called : Dog OFF ... Cat OFF .....

Doesn't always work - but may do.

They don't like Pepper .. if you can put up with sprinkling a bit of that around ?

 

[Stemar]

My question is how to deter the local cat from sleeping under the cockpit canopy and then marking it's territory. Went to the boat on Monday opened the tent and nearly choked

The traditional remedy for cats is lion poo, but in this case the remedy may be worse than the disease.

I get round the problem by mooring 100 yards off (HW) and sitting on sticky mud (LW), but that didn't keep me from finding a squirrel on board one dark evening. The bloody thing frightened the life out of me when I took the cockpit cover off!

It moved to the foredeck, so I put some oats (all I had that I thought it might eat), and some water for it. Next morning, I tried to catch it, but it took off and was last seen swimming east, which was unfortunate because my mooring is on the west side of Portsmouth harbour, and Portchester's a good bit further than I'd want to swim