Seagull Droppings

[Brian_Sweeting]

Anyone got any tips on cleaning up after those damned seagulls have visited the canopy for a cr*p ?

I've tried gentle detergents and a scrubbing brush but can't shift the discolouration.

Just spent over an hour cleaning up the cover this afternoon and have finally installed the latest AOL CD's (free from any good supermarket) along with sticks and fishing line to try and keep the beggars off the boat.

 

[Johnjo]

Don't know about the cleaning, But down here in Cornwall ,
A large plastic owl left perched somewhere high does a
good job of keeping them off,
Mind you, You could always place some lead beside their left ear,
preferably out the barrel of a shotgun,oops, sorry not P.C these days
mike27

 

[yachtbits]

in the breeding season the s$@ding things nest on my office roof and tap on the skylight with their beaks, anyone got a spare shotgun? (before next spring please)



www.yachtbits.co.uk
sales@yachtbits.co.uk
marine electrical/electronics specialists

 

[Johnjo]

Sorry i'v built mine into the mast,Sit inside the cabin ,long pieceof string
just sitting and waiting
mike

 

[byron]

I like those large plastic Owls. A Slipper Launch at Henley has one. It always amuses me how the Ducks all huddle around it for comfort while they have a nap.

ô¿ô
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.freeware.mcmail.com/435.htm>http://www.freeware.mcmail.com/435.htm</A>

 

[jfm]

Re: anti Seagull loudspeakers

Get one of those ultrasonic bird scarers. Better still, if in a marina, get the marina to install an indutrial strength one. They work. We never get any bird cr@p on our boat, ever (well, we didn't, we have now left that marina so not sure what will happen in the new place...)

 

[tcm]

not sure how to clenem off - best is to avoid them turning up in the first place.

easiest non-technical ways are:

1 long plastic electrcial ties on the guarrails, with the long bits pointing upwards - inhibists birtds sitting on rails.

2. long thin bit of wire from radar arch to the bow - inhibits easy landing on canopy.

 

[markc]

Re: anti Seagull loudspeakers

I have one on flybridge - works a treat - 12V, it was about $100 from US web site.

M

http://www.geocities.com/jinto100/Jintopics.html

 

[Guest]

Re: Not P.C.

Quite right. Lead shot has been banned from wetland and coastal areas, as the birds may die from lead poisoning (I thought that was the idea, but whatever...). You can now only shoot them with steel shot. I think you can still use lead shot on seagulls, but you'll have to coax them inland. Try selling the boat and getting a small trailable one and keep it at home, then, when they crap on it, you can shoot 'em with good old fashioned lead shot.

 

[mustard]

Real problem in Cornwall - in Padstow yesterday wife was skilfully parted from her pasty....

Try this company
http://www.martleyelectronics.co.uk/birdscarers.html

Theirs combines ultrasonics with strobes. Heard its effective, but not to be used in crowded marinas apparently, the strobe is like lightening flashes....

 

[Trevethan]

When they get close enough to steal yer pasty, tis best to give 'em a punch on the beak. Works well against pigeons too.

Regards,

Nick

 

[brianrunyard]

CDs hung all over my boat worked for about a month, now the little b*##@~$ sit and look at their refections in the CDs while they cr?p all over the place.

Brian
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/brunyard

 

[coliholic]

Or try this one. Supposed to be very effective. Not cheap, but covers an acre, so maybe get the marina to cough up? Or a few of you club together and buy it?

http://www.nhspurchasing.com/nhsp_proddetails.asp?catid=3027&suppid=199

 

[mustard]

Came from behind -quick, clean, unseen. Crafty. Cornish, see. /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

Did it to me with a steak on the Barbie as well.

It is legal to shoot them, not protected, so have 163 contracts out on various birds, but no takers.....

 

[nicho]

Bloke next to us in the marina was always having birds crap on his boat, though strangeley we never did. Then he bought one of these plastic owl things and hauled it to the top of his mast. Thereafter, all the birds that approached and saw the owl at the last minute, crapped themselves with fear..........all over OUR boat!!

 

[dangcharios]

I tried bit of string. Windmills and all sort of stuff, but the plastic Owl is the most effective. not 100% about 90
Alan

 

[adarcy]

Re: ? smarter class of seagull

in the Hamble.

We have an owl which seemed to work for 2 years but the b****rs have obviously got used to it. B***dy things sit on the flybridge wheel while digesting everything!

We are now trying a cat's cradle of twine w CDs

 

[hlb]

Re: ? smarter class of seagull

Trick with owl, is to move it about now and then. Or seagull eventualy realises it dont move. I once had a stork type thingy, guarding my carp pond from the herron. Seemed to work but only if moved to keep herron on it's toes. No problem now though. Fish big enough to eat herron now!!

<font color=red> No one can force me to come here-----------
----- I'm a Volunteer! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Haydn

 

[Johnjo]

Mount the owl on a spring,So it sways in the wind.
oops what have i said?
mike

 

[foxgoose]

I've been fighting a battle to the death with the bleeders since I moved from a marina to a fairly remote river mooring this summer. After a two week holiday away in July, it took two days scrubbing just to get the thick brown stuff off.

My Botnia Targa has a high flat roof and this seemed to have attracted a colony of 20-30 of the bu$$ers from surrounding boats.

From my totally amateur observations of seagull sociology it seems they spread themselves around among all the all the surrounding boats for a bit of sunbathing and gentle cra&&ing during the day but come night or poor weather the entire colony huddles together on some poor sod's boat (mine in this case) for serious synchronised defecationary activity.

Once they've chosen their preferred spot - a determined effort is required to shift them. When I took the boat away for a couple of days they took their revenge by filling up the Dory I'd left on the mooring!

After trying a selection of the usual ineffective deterrents I've solved the problem by covering the whole boat with a 4 inch mesh net designed for pigeon protection. I haul the centre up the radar mast with a halyard and tie it down with shock cords all round, using a telescopic boat hook to lift it up in front of the pilot house.

Pigeon net is available from the website of a garden supplies company called Harrod (no not them) - about £ 50 for a 12 x 6 m net.

Takes about 20 mins to rig but solved the problem. Must be v. careful not to blunder into nett, get all trussed up and go overboard while fitting which could seriously ruin your day.