Scared of Birds ?

[Guest]

The problem of having a summer mooring in a secluded bay in Jersey is the seagulls. I have never known them to be so persistent with settling on my Doral for hours taking in the sun and doing what comes naturally to birds.....yes , all over the deck and awning. I have tried everything from humming line, to a life size owl swinging inches above their heads while they doze or simply munch on shellfish.

I am now lead to believe that an electronic birdscarer that runs off 12v maybe be the answer. Can anyone recommend one or an alternative but reliable deterrent?

Your ideas would be gratefully received so that I might spend more time boating than scrubbing it!!!

Yours,
Barracuda

 

[Guest]

electircal wire-ties, fixed around the guard rails with the long ends poiting vertically seems to deter them from landing. Otherwise, a gun.

 

[hlb]

Re: Cats!!

Get half a dozen cats and leave them on the boat.
What ever you do dont feed them.
That should get rid of the birds.

Haydn

 

[Chris_d]

Re: Maybe not!

what about the cat s**t, can you train them to use the head?

 

[longjohnsilver]

Try some netting about 6 inches above awning etc, it prevents the bu###rs from landing in the first place. I've also seen CD's strung up but how effectice these are I don't know.

 

[david_steward]

Re: I once..

knew a man who trained his dog to give head. Is that the same thing?

Dave S

 

[Strathglass]

Re:This really works

I foind it difficult to believe but, I have found a real use for the ISP CD that I continiously seem to collect. String them fore and aft from the bow to the stern of your craft at about 600mm/24" just about 39"/1000mm above the deck. The visitors see their reflection and do not land and more importantly do not deposit on your deck. It is quite amazing to see two craft together on moorings , one with CD and no mess and the other one with no CD and massive droppings on the deck. I am fitting out a hull and the mess under the guardrail was very bad untio I fitted strings of CD. IT WORKS VERY WELL.

 

[Chris_d]

Re: I once..

there's no response to that, what a way to talk about another mans wife.

 

[jfm]

Re: Ultrasound and marmite

The only simple answer (I mean, that doesn't involve putting mesh or barbed wire or cats on your boat each time you moor) is to get the marina to fix it with those ultrasound loudspeakers. I don't know about other marinas but Berthon in Lymington uses big pa type speakers that blurt out continuous ultra sound that scare birds away. It really works, we virtually never get bird crap on the boat. Do other marinas do this, does anyone know?

Dave Steward, I knew a bloke who did that too, really, I wonder if the same bloke, did your guy use marmite as a training aid?

JFM

 

[david_steward]

Re: No , I think it was...

Fish Paste !!!


Ugh.



Dave S

 

[ToMo]

Re:This really works

Your boat isn't in Looe Cornwall is it?
Someone here has done what you suggest and I can vouch that it really does work!

ToMo