We get lots of bugs crawling and flying around our docked boat. The biggest problem is mud daubers that build their nests under the sail cover...usually on the sail. Presently I use Bounce dryer strips attached to each of the sail cover fittings. Are there any suggestions as to something else that would keep the critters out and what would be easier to put on? Bounce works okay, but is a pain to put on/take off. Thanks.
Insects Under Sail Cover
- Thread starter Big Windy
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Shell Pest Strips
Shell Pest Strips also work well. They are in a plastic case and can easily stored in a plastic zip lock bag when you take them out of the sail.
Shell Pest Strips also work well. They are in a plastic case and can easily stored in a plastic zip lock bag when you take them out of the sail.
didnt know u could still get those
you can still get shell no pest strips? when i was a kid our garage was full of 'em. I thought those were banned along with DDT and atomic testing decades ago. I'll be damned.
you can still get shell no pest strips? when i was a kid our garage was full of 'em. I thought those were banned along with DDT and atomic testing decades ago. I'll be damned.
mothballs?
I wonder how mothballs would work - maybe put in several mesh bags so they don't drop out and roll all around when the sail is raised.
I wonder how mothballs would work - maybe put in several mesh bags so they don't drop out and roll all around when the sail is raised.
Your Unwanted Guests
Moth balls in mesh bags will discourage mud daubers, but not wasps. No Pest strips will discourage wasps, but not Mud Daubers. Don't know why, but that is the way it is. As for spiders, the only thing that I have found is a poison called Viper. I literally wash the boat in it when leaving for home. It works until it rains. Sometimes I look forward to cold weather in order to git rid of the critters.
Moth balls in mesh bags will discourage mud daubers, but not wasps. No Pest strips will discourage wasps, but not Mud Daubers. Don't know why, but that is the way it is. As for spiders, the only thing that I have found is a poison called Viper. I literally wash the boat in it when leaving for home. It works until it rains. Sometimes I look forward to cold weather in order to git rid of the critters.
Spiders
I have been using Pennyroyal to keep the spiders out of my boat for three years. I don't remember where I read about this but - I dip both ends of a Q-tip in the liquid and place 5 or 6 of these around the inside the boat. I have not had one spider on the inside. Outside is still a problem. I REALLY REALLY HATE SPIDERS. The smell is noticable but not unpleasant.
I have been using Pennyroyal to keep the spiders out of my boat for three years. I don't remember where I read about this but - I dip both ends of a Q-tip in the liquid and place 5 or 6 of these around the inside the boat. I have not had one spider on the inside. Outside is still a problem. I REALLY REALLY HATE SPIDERS. The smell is noticable but not unpleasant.
Ortho
I spray (which reminds me, I need to do it) OrthoMax Home Defense on the inside of the sail cover. It doesn't 100% eliminate everything but I do see a very sharp reduction in spiders and mud daubers. I also will put some of the OrthoMax in other places as well. I use the stuff at home it works well without staining, so I decided last year to try it on the boat.
I spray (which reminds me, I need to do it) OrthoMax Home Defense on the inside of the sail cover. It doesn't 100% eliminate everything but I do see a very sharp reduction in spiders and mud daubers. I also will put some of the OrthoMax in other places as well. I use the stuff at home it works well without staining, so I decided last year to try it on the boat.
I second the Velco!
2" all around and the open ends get tied closed. Works for bats, too! Keep them out! r.w.landau
2" all around and the open ends get tied closed. Works for bats, too! Keep them out! r.w.landau
Velcro does NOT keep them out.
In our area that are looking for a nesting spot and I doubt that anything will keep them out. We have tried velcro closures and they still seem to find their way in. We have kept the wasps, mud daubers and most other critters out with the pest strips/Downy dryer sheets. I wish that the canvas folks would sew in pockets to hold these types of item in the cover so it could be removed without all of these things falling out.
In our area that are looking for a nesting spot and I doubt that anything will keep them out. We have tried velcro closures and they still seem to find their way in. We have kept the wasps, mud daubers and most other critters out with the pest strips/Downy dryer sheets. I wish that the canvas folks would sew in pockets to hold these types of item in the cover so it could be removed without all of these things falling out.
Velcro Failure
Are you saying that you have removed your mainsail cover, taken it to a covershop and had let's say a 1 inch strip of velcro sewn along all of the edges. Then you re-installed the mainsail cover closed the velcro and had insects pull apart the velcro and set up shop? I lived in Sdiego for 40 years and I never ran across insects that strong. Have the insects untied your docklines or opened closed through hulls yet? It is only a matter of time.....
Are you saying that you have removed your mainsail cover, taken it to a covershop and had let's say a 1 inch strip of velcro sewn along all of the edges. Then you re-installed the mainsail cover closed the velcro and had insects pull apart the velcro and set up shop? I lived in Sdiego for 40 years and I never ran across insects that strong. Have the insects untied your docklines or opened closed through hulls yet? It is only a matter of time.....
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