Seagull s***t !!

[Searush]

Fine fishing line around the boat across approach paths will keep them off. But it is a nuisance to put up/ remove. And it needs to be in a different location each time so they don't get used to a safe approach path.

I have also found a rubber snake ( about 5-6 quid from ToysRus) to be pretty effective if the head is supported by a nylon line to sway with the breeze/ waves. Oh, and it needs to be moved around the boat regularly too.

Bits of old filament netting would probably be a good approach if you can get them..

 

[tt65]

Go to a Garden Centre and buy a couple of sonic mole scarers. (C£15 each) Firmly attach to standing rigging as high as possible so that sound travels along the shroud. Seemed to work with squadrons of starlings last year for me! Course will only work it they do it sitting down, no good if they bomb you while in flight!

 

[mawm]

I have tried the fishing line above the boom, around the boat and in other sneaky places with no success. Eventually put up garden net which worked well but takes forever to set up and remove. Somehow they don't like my boat now and all I need is a few ribbons attached to the stays and my buoy (for my anchor if I need to leave it behind) with some fake eyes on it hanging from the boom.

 

[Billjratt]

Did I read somewhere that they target certain colours? I have a couple of employees with gold coloured cars and they make a beeline for those. The short straw is when you have to park your car between these two

First - Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but I think there is a glimmer of hope.
It's that time of year again and our boat is the favourite roost/latrine.
I have made a jaggy thing with SS wires which I hoist to the radar in order to deter lodgers. It seems to work, - but here's the (possibly) interesting information.
My new neighbour in the next berth asked what the funny aerial was for, then gave his solution : When he was in the Falklands cleaning up after the stramash, they painted the school roof light blue to keep it clean - and it worked. He mentioned that gulls prefer not to deposit guano on the sea if possible.
Now, I had a walk down the pontoon and sure enough the blue non-slip decks were clear. My boat is one of the few with grey deck/coachroof so I appear to own the avian cludgie of choice.
I discussed this theory with my son, who offered a Darwinian corroboration that the gulls are assisting nature by fertilising the ground and wasting chemicals by dumping at sea - conditioned to help maintain the environment around the nest?
Anyway, if you're bothered by this problem, you can assist by checking your pontoon for colour-prejudiced crapping, and let us know if there is a pattern, by posting here.
It may make all the difference if you were thinking of re-doing the non-slip anyway -go blue!

 

[dylanwinter]

cassette tape

string vhs or audio cassete tape around

let it flap i n the breeze

pull it off when you get to the boat, dispose of it well,

sting more out when you leave

works a treat

cheap as chips

d

 

[electrosys]

You might want to consider installing a self-launching bird-scarer kite. Here's a video of the effect they can have upon gulls ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbcI3FgO51Y

 

[stevensuf]

what about electric fence stuff like for horses fields, hook one on to the spreaders, zaaaapppp... dont know if it would do the boat much good , but im sure it would put the birds off coming back.

 

[onesea]

Use the boat then they do not get chance to

Seriously I leave my boat for periods of time due to work and when I do it is so much worse... When I am not working and using her I can leave her 1 week and nothing. When I get back to her after a little whist there are poop bones etc etc

 

[Easticks28]

I leave an old burgee at the mast head - that keeps them off the truck.

 

[Billjratt]

I'm retired. We are aboard more often than not, but they like my radome for some reason.
I'm still interested in any feedback re the colour debate as it is the only remotely logical explanation I can think of for my boat being singled out.

 

[Halo]

I used to moor in Whitby harbour close to where the grokels stood eating fish and chips. The seaguls would perch on my boat between courses cr*pping huge quantities. 2 things helped reduce the guano
1. Covering her with plastic sweet pea netting from the garden centre as mentioned in the first response
2. Modifying the anchor light so that a 4" length of M3 tapped stainless rod stuck up from the top to prevent perching right at the top of the mast
After a few seasons I gave up and went to a marina.
Hope this helps
Martin

 

[Lakesailor]

I have had great success with this toy rubber snake. It seems birds have an innate fear of them.

 

[monkfish24]

You could try one of these, seem to be quite popular on the Helford!

http://www.scaregull.com/

 

[chewi]

It may make all the difference if you were thinking of re-doing the non-slip anyway -go blue!

I have found far less guano on my burgundy fabric than on neighbours blue.

I'd say they love blue.!