This is for the birds...

Kermit

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Jul 31, 2010
5,657
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
So, y'all may remember the problems I've had with ospreys roosting on my boat. I've been using a pigstick that I hoist all the way to the top when we leave the boat. So far that's been working but it's more trouble than I want to go through. My boat is in my backyard now with the mast down. Upon inspection, I found that the previous owner had installed a windex but then removed it. I don't want a windex but the mounting piece is still there. After looking at a bunch of commercially available devices and getting lots of thoughts from all y'all, I realized that a coat hanger would fit nicely in the mounting bracket. I straightened the hanger to fit but then bent it around to cause the most problems for the birds. I added another long straight one to extend even higher.
So, I have a question. Does anyone see a problem with this? The 2 potential problems I can think of is being whipped around real bad while on the road and tearing up my masthead light. The masthead is pretty much unreachable while the mast is down. I got to it today on a stepladder with the mast in a dogwood tree. Yes, very unsafe but I did it. The other is corrosion from non-marine-grade coat hangers. (I don't understand why my dry cleaner can't use marine-grade coat hangers.) Thanks.
 

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Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
Good grief Kermit, that looks like hell! Do a search on bird spikes. They are stainless and can be riveted to the mast crane and wire-tied to the light.
 
Apr 13, 2015
156
Catalina 309 Port Charlotte
Kermit - we have a lot of similar problems with the birds (in season). I finally climbed the mast and mounted plastic Bird-b-gone spikes on the mast-head, plus a lot of electrical wire ties with their plastic ends sticking up. The top of my mast (and spreaders too) looks like a porcupine now. This has not 100% eliminated all the 'bombers' but has drastically reduced them.

sorry I don't have any pics right now.

Hope that helps - Dave - Tampa
 
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Kermit

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Jul 31, 2010
5,657
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
Good grief Kermit, that looks like hell! Do a search on bird spikes. They are stainless and can be riveted to the mast crane and wire-tied to the light.
You think that looks bad. You should see me in shorts! But seriously, I'm sorta hoping it won't show with the mast up. But if it does it'll be a pain to get all that stuff off. (And yes, I did ask for comments. Thanks.)
 
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Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Why don't you want a windex at the top of your mast? They sell windex's with bird spikes too.
 

Kermit

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Jul 31, 2010
5,657
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
Why don't you want a windex at the top of your mast? They sell windex's with bird spikes too.
I can't see the top of my mast while sailing. So I see no reason to spend the money on it. Plus even if I did have one they're prone to wind and hail damage. As funny as what I put on might look I think a busted windex looks worse. I thought about putting up a VHF antennae but I can't see buying something I really don't need. If I ever install a VHF then I'll need one.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Hmmm

Might not be practical but it might be fun to invest in an air soft pistol and shoot little foam balls at the birds.
 

Kermit

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Jul 31, 2010
5,657
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
Hmmm

Might not be practical but it might be fun to invest in an air soft pistol and shoot little foam balls at the birds.
That would work if I were there when they were there. And there's this pesky little law about harrassing birds of prey. But yes it would be fun.
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,040
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
I've said, locally, with regard to cormorants , that the best treatment is for one person to shoot at the bird on the mast/spreader with a BB or foam pellet. And for another person to blam it with a 12 to 20 gage shotgun as it flies off. Sort of like trap shooting. But without the sport. The object is to kill Cormorants, which have no redeeming social value.
 
Oct 1, 2007
1,857
Boston Whaler Super Sport Pt. Judith
I would advise against a windex. In our marina the windex just pisses them off and they chew it up and/or just sit on it. What I have done is deny them a place to land at the mast head by using Bird B Gone attached with small SS screws and/or using stainless wire to run across the flat areas which are good landing spots. I would also advise Bird B Gone on the spreaders. They have also chewed up several wind cups because it annoys them when they perch on the extension arm for the wind speed/direction system.
 
Aug 29, 2014
11
Catalina 18 Columbia City
You should not use coat hangers. You will get erosion of the aluminum mast from dissimilar materials, and the coat hangers will suffer too.
 
Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
You can get aluminum rod at Lowes in many gauges.
 
Oct 28, 2013
678
Hunter 20 Lake Monroe
A pig stick Kermit? Doesn't that keep the Misses away Buddy?
Darn birds, that looks like a nasty mess all over your boat. Luckily our problem was never that bad but we did have an issue last year where the dirty buggers started sitting on our lifelines and doing their business. I made simple streamers
streamer.jpg
that simply clip onto the lines with clothes pins. They flap around in the breeze and keep the birds away, as long as their is a breeze. Cost maybe 5 bucks. Maybe you could make some similar and attach it to a rod on top of your mast. Even if it just lasted a season, five bucks is pretty cheap to keep that mess off your boat. Luckily between the streamers and the windex we are, knock on wood, bird free.

Sam
 
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