I need some help from fellow sailors. I have a 97 Catalina 36Mk2. We really enjoy it. However, we have been overrun with spiders. Fortunately they seem to prefer the outdoors and have not been below decks. The problem is that they seem to hang out (literally) over the swim platform. After a week of feasting on less fortunate insect visitors they do not clean up after their picnics and the entire swim platform and the surrounding areas are covered by the remains on their happy meals, additonally they obiviously are not housebroken and the area is also awash in spider droppings. I have been trying to: 1. - Discourage them from using my platform as a party pad and hangout. 2. - Clean the remains of their weekly food fights. Any suggestions short of setting fire to the boat to drive them off would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Jack
- Status
At a local marina....
...near us, they haven't seemed to have found a solution, either. Each day a dockhand goes around with an insect sprayer and sprays each boat where he sees spiders. I would have thought they would use a permanent solution if there was one. So...good luck
.
...near us, they haven't seemed to have found a solution, either. Each day a dockhand goes around with an insect sprayer and sprays each boat where he sees spiders. I would have thought they would use a permanent solution if there was one. So...good luck
.Try Vikor
I once kept my boat on Lake Texoma which is the spider capital of the world. The only product I found that works (actually advice from others there) was a product called Vikor. It is a concentrate that you dilute with water and spray on the boat. You can't buy it at the large home and garden store chains, but I found it at a local do-it-yourself extermination store. It works better than anything else I tried (marine-grade spiders are about as effected by Raid as a sailor is by rum - some sort of immunity thing, I think). Don't forget to spray the dock lines and lifelines. Also, keep in mind that spiders eat mosquitos, bees, wasps, and roaches, so be careful what you ask for. Happy hunting... Mike
I once kept my boat on Lake Texoma which is the spider capital of the world. The only product I found that works (actually advice from others there) was a product called Vikor. It is a concentrate that you dilute with water and spray on the boat. You can't buy it at the large home and garden store chains, but I found it at a local do-it-yourself extermination store. It works better than anything else I tried (marine-grade spiders are about as effected by Raid as a sailor is by rum - some sort of immunity thing, I think). Don't forget to spray the dock lines and lifelines. Also, keep in mind that spiders eat mosquitos, bees, wasps, and roaches, so be careful what you ask for. Happy hunting... Mike
Count your blessings
Spiders are your friends. They are there eating up the bad bugs that would love to bite you and get in the cabin area. Just take a few minutes to dip a mop in the water and wipe off the swimming platform. Then count your blessings. When spider poop on the swim platform of your 36' sailboat is a problem - you've got it good.
Spiders are your friends. They are there eating up the bad bugs that would love to bite you and get in the cabin area. Just take a few minutes to dip a mop in the water and wipe off the swimming platform. Then count your blessings. When spider poop on the swim platform of your 36' sailboat is a problem - you've got it good.
Try flea collars
I put flea collars around my boat on each life line stanchion. This reduced the activity but you probably can't completely eliminate them. Try it and see.
I put flea collars around my boat on each life line stanchion. This reduced the activity but you probably can't completely eliminate them. Try it and see.
We use Bounce drier sheets.
1 or 2 in each locker, or drawer, and we leave 3 or 4 more scattered around on the berths. No spiders, and the boat smells nice too. Tom s/v GAIA
1 or 2 in each locker, or drawer, and we leave 3 or 4 more scattered around on the berths. No spiders, and the boat smells nice too. Tom s/v GAIA
Look Under Your Deck!
When I had my Hunter 25.5 docked at Lake Allatoona, Ga I was shocked to see the number of spiders that would show up all around the boat at sunset. I discovered that their little nests were under the deck that overhung the hull and in the thousands! I sprayed the heck out of that area with commercial grade stuff and they never came back up. If you vessel is of the design where the deck slightly over hangs the hull, lean over one day and you will be amazed of how many bugs make it their home. Regards Bob
When I had my Hunter 25.5 docked at Lake Allatoona, Ga I was shocked to see the number of spiders that would show up all around the boat at sunset. I discovered that their little nests were under the deck that overhung the hull and in the thousands! I sprayed the heck out of that area with commercial grade stuff and they never came back up. If you vessel is of the design where the deck slightly over hangs the hull, lean over one day and you will be amazed of how many bugs make it their home. Regards Bob
- Status