Bird Proofing Your Boat for the Winter

Time to bird proof your boat for the heavy winter months ahead. Fail to do so and you can expect the usual avalanche of bird droppings on your canvas covers, biminis, antennas, windows and all over your decks.

Without effective bird control, large birds like geese, ducks, cormorants and gulls will perch, roost and nest on and around your vessel. Come spring and summer, you’ll be stuck with major cleanup chores. Dried bird droppings are very hard to remove.  And they can cause your antenna gear to seize up and your canvas to tear up. It won’t be easy or cheap to bring your boat to ship-shape condition. You’ll wish you had installed some bird deterrents to keep the pesky birds away. The time to act is now. And what to use are the many effective and humane bird deterrents currently available to boat owners.

Here’s a sampling of what today’s bird control experts recommend:

Wind-Powered Bird Spiders

These devices really work in keeping birds, large and small, off your vessel. Easy to set up wherever birds have become a problem, Bird Spiders’ flailing arms whip wildly in the breeze to swoosh away birds. No more gulls, pigeons or cormorants perching on your deck or roof. Bird spiders come in 2-, 4-, 6- and 8-foot diameter arm lengths to create ever wider circles of protection. The best bird spiders are made in the USA and feature a glue-on base for easy mounting. These will also have a U.V.-protected polycarbonate base for lasting durability in punishing weather. A removable sand bag base lets you position a spider on virtually any surface. Additional mounting bases allow you place spiders on masts and radar units.

The Repeller 360

Similar to Bird Spiders, the Repeller 360 was specifically designed to keep large birds like gulls, cormorants and raptors from perching and roosting on the flat areas on and around your boat. The device features big, reflective “predator eyes” that intimidate birds and prevent them from landing. Since it too is wind powered, the Repeller 360 is easy to set up and requires no electrical power. It rotates continuously, sweeping the area clear of birds and covering a 6-foot diameter.

Stainless Steel Bird Spikes

The ultimate anti-perching, anti-roosting pest bird deterrent, Bird Spikes will deny pest birds access to any lofty area on and around your boat. The most durable bird spikes are made in the USA and guaranteed for 10 years. They’re made of stainless steel embedded in a U.V.-protected polycarbonate base. The spiked strips come in 1”, 3”, 5” and 8” widths and have a 1.5”  base for convenient mounting on narrow ledges and other “tight” areas. The spikes to look for will already come with a glue trough and pre-drilled mounting holes for fast, easy installation. Plastic bird spikes can be equally effective and come in a variety of colors.

How Keep Pest Birds Off Your Stored Boat

If you store your boat on the side of your home, you probably cover it to protect it from the weather. But if you’re like most boat owners who keep their boats at home, you’ve had to contend with bird droppings on your masts, antenna arrays and canvass covers. 

If you live close to any body of water, or if your boat is docked next to your home, bird problems multiply quickly. Gulls, cormorants and geese love to perch and nest on your canvas covers.  Over time, even the toughest covers will become brittle and tear if bird droppings are not washed off frequently.

Leave your boat uncovered and you risk even greater damage to outboard engines, antenna arrays, windows and sliding doors. To keep pest birds away from your boat, professional bird control experts recommend the following:

Bird Spiders

Set up one or two Bird Spiders on “bird problem” areas of your boat and forget about pest birds. Spiders have numerous spindly arms that whip about in the slightest breeze to whisk birds away. Gulls, cormorants, pelicans and pigeons will simply avoid your vessel and move on. Bird spiders come in 2-, 4-, 6- and 8-foot diameter arm lengths so you can match he spider to your specific area frequented by birds. The best bird spiders are made in the USA and feature a glue-on base for simple mounting. There’s even a removable sand-bag base that lets you place a spider on uneven or angled surfaces. Additional mounting bases let you place spiders on masts and radar units. The best bird spiders will feature a UV-protected polycarbonate base for lasting durability. 

Repeller 360°

This is another wind-powered device that gets the job done. Easy to set up, the Repeller 360° features two "sails" mounted at either ends of a 6' stainless steel arm. Each sail has a reflective bird predator eye. When the wind spins the arms a full 360°, they intimidate and frighten any birds daring to land on your boat. The wind powered arms rotate continuously, covering a full 6-foot diameter to prevent even the most determined pest birds from landing on your vessel.

Stainless Steel Bird Spikes

The king of bird deterrents, Stainless Steel Bird Spikes have been used by boat owners for years around the world. These anti-perching, anti-roosting devices won’t allow pest birds--particularly large birds like gulls, cormorants and geese--access to land anywhere you place them on your boat. The best bird spikes are made of stainless steel embedded in a UV-protected polycarbonate base. They're made in the USA and guaranteed for 10 years. The spikes come in four different splay widths--1”, 3”, 5” and 8”, yet each can be mounted on just a 1.5”  narrow base. These quality made spikes will feature a glue trough and pre-drilled mounting holes for fast, easy installation.

How to Keep Birds Off Your Sailboat

By Alex A. Kecskes

You just got a new sailboat for the summer. And you plan on taking it out with friends and family, maybe even the boss. The boat’s all shiny and new. The sails are spotless. Every inch of your new boat says: I care about this vessel.  But then you look at the boats on either side of your dock. They’ve been around for awhile. And they’ve endured the ravages of pest birds—the seagull nests, feathers and droppings, the dead fish scraps. You ask yourself: Will my boat be next?

If your boat’s moored in the Cape Cod area, you can expect an invasion of cormorants from the end of August till sometime in October. These annoying birds will sit on any thin, horizontal wires or structures. They don't sit on decks but on your spreaders and create a huge, smelly mess. The mix of fish fat and calcium from fish bones is worse than any glue. The only way to get it off is to sand it off.

If your boat’s moored on the other coast--in San Diego--you can expect major problems with Sea Gulls, Pelicans and Blue Herons landing on your fore deck, dodger and bimini. You may also have occasional problems with Pelicans landing on the masthead.

The solution is to implement an effective bird proofing strategy for your boat. Do this and while you may have an occasional dropping from a fly-over, pest birds will no longer just sit and poop on your boat. Here are a few simple time-honored pest bird deterrents that you can use to keep your boat clean and sanitary:

Bird Netting. Often sold to growers to protect trees and plants, lightweight bird netting can be highly effective in excluding pest birds from your boat. The netting is typically black and hard to see from a distance. Some sailors drape a section of netting over the boom and clip it to the side rails with clothespins. You can cut off a section for the fore deck and attach at several key points—leaving just a bit of slack. You’ll find that most birds simply won't land on the unstable netting. Best of all, netting is easy to put and take down in minutes. Good bird netting will last you for several seasons.

Bird Spiders. Gulls, especially, hate these devices because the flagellating stainless steel “arms” whip around in the breeze and that makes them extremely nervous. Spiders are available in 2-, 4- and 8-foot diameter arm lengths to offer ever-expanding areas of protection. They are easy to install and have no moving parts to wear out. Choose bird spiders that have a U.V.-protected polycarbonate base—they will last longer. One manufacturer offers a bird spider that comes pre-assembled.  Some spiders come with a glue-on base, so they can be glued down permanently to most flat surfaces. You can also get railing mounts for easy attachment to boat rails. Other attachments include a bag base that gives you the freedom to place the spider practically anywhere, including on your canvas covers and biminis.

Visual Bird Deterrents. These include reflective foil banners and strips as well as blow-up balloons. The strips and banners tend to crackle in the breeze and sparkle in the sunlight, which makes pest birds think twice about landing on your boat. Balloons covered with large predator eyes are no less intimidating. These devices are inexpensive and simple to install. One tip: string banners every few feet from your fore and aft halyards.

Solar Bird Repeller. This is for all you boat owners who like hi-tech gadgets. Yet unlike many high tech gadgets, this one really works to sweep pest birds off your boat. Best of all, it does the job on solar power!  The continuously rotating 5-foot diameter arms keep even the largest pest birds at bay—including gulls, pigeons, and crows, cormorants and vultures. The two adjustable “arms” turn continuously at 30 RPMs. Solar Bird Repellers can be placed wherever they're needed to deter pest birds. They can even store the sun's energy to keep turning all night.

Keeping Pest Birds Away from Your Boat

by Alex A. Kecskes

You’ve decided to get your boat ready for all the spring and summer outings and parties. Problem is, after spending the day removing all the covers and cleaning inside and out, the next morning, you realize you’ve got unexpected visitors—pest birds.  

Seagulls, cormorants, and even pigeons are perched on your mast, spreader and canvas sail covers. You know from past experience that you can shoo them away with air horns or water hoses, but they’ll be back as soon as you leave.  And what a mess they make.

The powerful uric acid in sea birds can discolor paint, stain canvas and eventually erode steel. There’s also the health risk of bacteria and parasites that live and grow in bird droppings. These can carry and transmit any of 60 known diseases. Not good for the all eating you plan to do on your boat.

Fortunately, there are a number of pest bird deterrents that have proven effective in keeping birds off your boat.

Create an Optical Distraction Zone Visual Bird Deterrents

Known as Visual Bird Deterrents, these include Iridescent Reflective Foil or Flash Tape that you affix to masts and radar units and other elevated areas of your boat. Inflatable Balloons and Scare Eye Diverters also fall into this category.  These have large intimidating predator eyes to keep birds away. You can easily attach these to masts and radar antennas.

Create a No-Landing Zone with Bird Spiders & Solar Bird Repellers

If birds are using your canvas covers to eat, roost, and poop on your boat, you might try placing a few of these in areas where birds tend to gather.  Solar Bird Repellers keep birds from landing via rotating, motor-driven “arms.” The best bird repellers come with adjustable arms that extend to cover a 5-foot diameter.  You can also get Bird Spiders, which feature flailing arms that bounce in the breeze to disscourage pest birds from perching and nesting. Bird spiders come in 2-, 4-, 6- and 8-foot diameter arm lengths to protect increasingly wider areas of your boat. The best bird spiders have a U.V.-protected polycarbonate base for lasting, maintenance free performance. Better spiders will also have railing mounts for easy attachment to boat rails. There’s even a sand bag base for easy positioning on canvas and Biminis.

Create a “Bird Danger” Zone with Sonic Bird Deterrents

Easy to set up and use, these weatherproof devices emit bird distress and predator calls that resemble normal bird sounds to humans. They make birds feel very uneasy and eager to leave. One popular sound bird deterrent emits distress and predator calls for 22 different species of birds. Its built-in speaker covers up to one acre. The unit can be programmed to turn on or off at night, and you can even adjust the volume. Incidentally, ultrasonic bird devices are largely ineffective, for most birds simply can’t hear them.

How to Keep Birds Off Your Boat

by Alex A. Kecskes

It’s spring, and if you’re a boat owner, it’s time to open up your boat for all those parties and excursions with friends and relatives, and for those racing events that bring trophies to your mantle. Unfortunately, unless you implemented some effective bird control measures last year, your pride and joy will be covered with bird droppings from bow to stern.

Acidic bird droppings can stain and degrade canvas covers and damage rotating antennas and other electronic gear. Bird droppings can also create a dangerous slip-and-fall hazard for you and your guests. Removing dried bird droppings is no simple task, even with powerful cleaners. There’s also the problem of dead fish and bones that gulls leave on your decks and covers. If you host a party on your boat, you’ll have to be ever-vigililent for birds dive bombing for food and annoying guests.

Either way, if you failed to protect your boat with bird deterrents, you’ve got a number of problems on your hands. But you won’t make the same mistake this year. You’ve learned your lesson: keep birds off your boat with effective bird control devices—the kind the professionals use—or suffer the consequences of pest birds.
Here are two effective bird deterrents the pros use to keep birds off their boats:

Solar-Powered Bird Repeller

This nifty device uses rotating, motor-driven “arms” to harmlessly prevent birds from landing on your boat. You place the unit wherever pest birds tend to gather most often and the repeller does the rest. Its arms spin around continuously at 30 RPM to deter even the most determined birds. The best bird repellers feature adjustable arms that protect up to a 5-foot diameter area of your boat. And since the unit is solar powered, it saves energy. It even works at night because it has the ability to store electricity during the day.

Bird Spiders

These devices feature wildly flailing arms that bounce and whip about in the breeze. No bird worth his salt will go near one of these bad boys. They’re maintenance free and easy to set up on decks, rooftops, and virtually any flat surface of your boat. They'll keep gulls, cormorants, pelicans and pigeons off your boat covers and canvases. Bird spiders come in various sizes--including 2-, 4-, 6- and 8-foot diameter arm lengths to create ever widening diameters of protection. Look for bird spiders that feature a glue-on base for easy mounting. Some spiders come with railing mounts for easy attachment to boat rails. Other attachments include a removable sand bag base that makes it easy to place them on boat canvas and Biminis. Additional boat bases let you mount spiders on masts and radar units. Bird spiders are easily moved to areas wherever pest birds tend to gather on your boat. The best bird spiders have a U.V.-protected polycarbonate base for lasting durability in harsh sea weather.

A Bird-Free Boat for Summer

by Alex A. Kecskes

 As a boat owner, you want to keep your boat in ship-shape condition, ready to sail without a lot of clean-up or maintenance. That means your radar units, canvas covers, masts and Biminis must be free of bird droppings and debris.  If you're an experienced boat owner, you know that preparation is the key to keeping your boat in tip-top condition.  You know that an ounce of prevention now can keep you boat free of pest birds for all those summer excursions, harbor cruises and parties. The last thing your guests want to see is bird droppings all over your boat as they snack on food and drinks. You also don't want your guests--especially landlubbers--to trip on your deck because of bird droppings, which you know can be slipperier than a banana peel.

Problem:  Unless you're prepared with effective bird control measures, your boat can easily become the victim of many types of pest birds. These include egrets, blue herons, crows, doves, and seagulls, even an occasional pelican. Some species of seagulls, such as the Heerman's gull are protected by law. Destruction or removal of a nest may result in legal penalties. So the idea is to keep birds from gathering and nesting on your boat in the first place. No matter which species invade your boat, you'll have quite a mess on your hands. The droppings and food scraps they carry can be both annoying and destructive, especially if left to gather on masts, spreaders, and riggings. In most cases, the droppings, once dried, can be nearly impossible to remove from certain surfaces. Cormorant droppings, for example, can be like epoxy. The worst part is, the high concentration of uric acid--extremely high in sea bird droppings--can erode stainless steel, discolor paint, and permanently stain your jell coat and blue covers. Bird droppings can also carry any of 60 known diseases, so if you're cleaning off the dust, be very careful.

Fortunately, there are ways to keep birds off boats. But you must act now before your boat becomes home to these pests.

Solution: To whip birds away from those high areas of your boat that birds find irresistible, consider investing in Bird Spiders. These popular and highly effective bird deterrents typically have stainless steel "arms" that wave wildly in the breeze to discourage all manner of pest birds. Birds don't like to feel threatened and bird spiders make them feel unwelcome. They come in 2-, 4-, 6-, and 8-foot diameter arm lengths to cover ever-increasing areas of deterrence. They're easy to place on masts, spreaders and railings. Some spiders come with an optional base, so you can literally place them anywhere pest birds tend to gather. They're also easily removed and stored when you're ready to set sail.

For the very tip of top of masts and other high areas of your vessel, consider installing some Bird Spikes. These intimidating looking bird deterrents simply won't allow birds to land. They come in stainless steel and in 3-, 5- and 8-inch widths to deter virtually any size pest bird. The best spikes feature a U.V. -protected polycarbonate base, which is 1.5-inches wide, so you can easily attach it with zip ties. Bird spikes won't harm birds and have been approved by humane groups worldwide--including the U.S. Humane Society and PICAS (Pigeon Control Advisory Service).

Related articles

• Get Rid of Pest Birds with Stainless Steel Bird Spikes (birdspikes.com)
• Bird Proofing Your House or Boat (getridofbirds.info)