Beware of Spiders

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Apr 5, 2010
565
Catalina 27- 1984 Grapevine
Anybody out there have suggestions for keeping the exploding Jihad spiders off my deck? I understand the EPA outlawed all the good stuff.
 

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
I used digital controls for spiders, wasp and other unwanted insects.
 

LuzSD

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Feb 21, 2009
1,009
Catalina 30 San Diego/ Dana Point, Ca.
ohhhh, I see you are in Texas. We visited a boat dock in Texas (Lake Texoma) and I have never seen such spiders in my life....... I don't think I would do well with those guys, they were so big and so black and thick and everyone seemed to be so comfortable whacking them and leaving those huge black blotches everywhere. And their webs.......sticky and those suckers are fast web builders! And they drop out of nowhere........ Is THAT the kind you are talking about?
 

Ctskip

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Sep 21, 2005
732
other 12 wet water
Any of the commercial sprays from the box stores will keep them at bay. I spray my boat inside once a year and outside once a month and nary a spider can be found. I even do the fingers and the sides of them. I buy the gallon container with the pull out spray handle and it lasts all year. It makes the wife happy. No staining, nor is there any odor. I spray the sail covers and life lines and the bimini and along the gunnels. A walk around spraying the vessel once a month does it. The bird droppings are a different problem all together.

Keep it up,
Ctskip
 
Sep 25, 2008
615
Morgan 415 Out Island Rogersville, AL
I'm afraid killing spiders is a lost cause on my boat. Spiders are the true liveaboarders.
 

BobM

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Jun 10, 2004
3,269
S2 9.2A Winthrop, MA
Move to a mooring

I'm afraid killing spiders is a lost cause on my boat. Spiders are the true liveaboarders.
I have few to no spiders, but I keep my boat on a mooring.

Perhaps you are taking the wrong approach...maybe if you feed them up they can catch the seagulls pooping on your boat :laugh:
 

Ctskip

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Sep 21, 2005
732
other 12 wet water
I had spiders at home. I have salesmen ring my doorbell asking if they can sell me a program where they come by every month and spray my house. I decline. I understand the best way to get rid of anything (even house guests) is to eliminate the food they eat. Killing the bugs (spiders eat bugs and other flying creatures), gets rid of the spiders. The spiders won't return. What I found amazing is that spiders climb to the highest point they can find and spin a long thread of spider web, till the wind takes the spider aloft and it goes up into the atmosphere, miles high and freezes and drifts half way around the world then thaws and falls from the sky half a world away. Absolutely amazing. Spray your boat once a month and kill the bugs and the spiders will not return. It works.

Keep it up,
Ctskip
 

DougM

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Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
Even in Michigan spiders are a problem outside the boat. Inside I have found that they don't seem to like dryer sheets. I put them in all if the storage areas... no spiders.
 

jfmid

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Jan 31, 2010
152
Oday 27 LE Manahawkin, NJ
thank god there's no pictures on this thread. LOL I will be spraying inside and out on my boat now.
 

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Spiders are hunter trappers. Just as we don't hunt or fish where there is no chance of getting food neither will spiders. The inside of your boat should be pretty barren hunting ground for a spider. If you examine the webs early in the morning you will find that the critters have been busy all night.
 
Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
I just put dryer sheets in my dodger the week before last and there were no spiders this past week. I did not put them in my bimini and it was loaded with webs.

I will be driving the bastards out this weekend with another application of Downey Dryer Sheets.

Arrrrgh!
 

zeehag

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Mar 26, 2009
3,198
1976 formosa 41 yankee clipper santa barbara. ca.(not there)
we have constant spidey problem and as some may be deadly bastids, i spray then enter my cabinetry lol...i have been sailing on another persons boat for a near year and when i got home---lol-----overcome--lol in and out of my boat were nested --the inside ones were just cobwebs but the outside was active--LOL----busy kids--so i spray then go into a cabinet......LOL.....oh--they can have the deep corners i cant reach but if they come out and i feel them...they die!!!!!
 
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Nov 9, 2008
1,338
Pearson-O'Day 290 Portland Maine
I am SO glad I'm in Maine! No spiders worth worrying about. No snakes that you can't pick up. If we had spiders like that, I'd have to wear Depends!
 
Mar 25, 2010
64
Cal 29 Lake Saint Clair - SCS
I am in Michigan and we are dealing with Fish Flies right now. When we go out to the boat, it is COVERED with fish flies. Can't do anything about it though. I just hose them off and go sailing.
 

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zeehag

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Mar 26, 2009
3,198
1976 formosa 41 yankee clipper santa barbara. ca.(not there)
lol--you will love this--i received a solar panel from somwhere in the desert kind of area southern usa....i had it sitting on my lazarette----and i see this big , furry evil lookinjg spidey coming right at the companionway ----aint getting into my boat, buddy--sprayed him ded...yuuukkkkkkkk,,eeeewwwww!!!!!!!!!!! ---
 
Oct 14, 2005
2,191
1983 Hunter H34 North East, MD
Spider patrol...

Every time I get down to the boat, I take a deck tour to see where webs are. After dark, giving the buggers time to reoccupy or restring their nets, I hit the deck with a flashlight and a can of flying insect spray. Every boarder I find gets a shot of "gas" and I watch them drop to the deck. The ones as big as my thumb take two or three shots. In the morning I clean up the webs with a spoke wheel brush (an oversized bottle brush for you younguns), hose off the deck, and enjoy the rest of the day spider free. Home Defense sprayed around under the toe rail lasts only about two weeks then it's back to the patrol routine to clean out the newcomers. Even boats on our marina moorings have spider boarders. This year seems milder so far.
 

Ctskip

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Sep 21, 2005
732
other 12 wet water
I tell ya the spiders drop from the sky, after traveling half way around the world. Being so high in the atmosphere, that at one time in their wordly travel, they are frozen, then thaw and fall to earth.

Keep it up,
Ctskip
 

zeehag

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Mar 26, 2009
3,198
1976 formosa 41 yankee clipper santa barbara. ca.(not there)
what a thought--frozen spidey..lol...popsicle spiders....
 
Feb 1, 2010
210
Hunter 33.5 El Dorado Lake, Kansas
We us HOT SPOT in the cabin, you can hang it any where you like and we have no spiders. When we stay on the boat we put it in a plastic bag.
 
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