Gribble

fisherman

fisherman

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A friend is hosting some of these, he reckons they die after 48 hours out of water. I think this is unlikely, as is his assertion that "It's no worse than last year". Comment? He may also give them a toasting with a blowtorch.
 
I reckon you could clear the problem with a season of freshwater sailing. I'd reckon the period out of the water would have to be a fair bit longer than a couple of days though.

But then you've got the issue of what to do with all those little tunnels now in your planking. And then you need to solve the issue of stopping them from returning.

Your friend seems to be unconcerned over what is potentially a major problem.
 
When I was at Lowestoft you would see the odd fishing boat (rufty tufty north sea type) anchored in the broad (Oulton) for a month or so. They did it now and then to kill off the gribble, as there is lots in Lake Lothing.
 
Woodlouse said:
Your friend seems to be unconcerned over what is potentially a major problem.
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That's my view, but I don't want to be a prophet of doom all the time. And it's the bottom of the keel. I'm suggesting he gets it sliced off and replaced tootsweet, along with the keelbolts and iron, but what do I know, mine's GRP. The visible damage is the same as last year, but it may be too late if they have extended their accomodation upwards internally.
 
The gribble, limnoria, is as I understand it is a small crustacean, related to the woodlouse.

One of their annoying habits is that they absolutely love tar, creosote and suchlike, which they seem to find quite delicious.

Some people say they don't go deep into wood, but this depends on what you mean by deep into the wood - they won't go as far as teredo, but they will go several centimetres.

I would want to have it attended to.
 
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fisherman said:
That's my view, but I don't want to be a prophet of doom all the time. And it's the bottom of the keel. I'm suggesting he gets it sliced off and replaced tootsweet, along with the keelbolts and iron, but what do I know, mine's GRP. The visible damage is the same as last year, but it may be too late if they have extended their accomodation upwards internally.
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From what I understand, it does initially just tunnel away just under the surface of the wood. However, once it's pretty much destroyed that, it will venture deeper in to fresh stuff. I heard somewhere a solution that consisted of pumping sikaflex into the little bore holes until it squeezed out of another hole. Not something I'd personally like to do, but possibly worth considering.
 
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