Radar antennas, Seagulls. . .yuck.

Oct 30, 2019
62
Hello All,
My relationship with our local seagull flock is deteriorating. They've
decided my radar antenna (mounted on a short post right at the stern)
is the best place around to digest and dispose. I spend half an hour
scrubbing boat every time I want to go sailing and I think I'm losing
ground. Last Saturday when I paddled up to the boat the resident
pooper wouldn't leave til I waved the paddle right in his face. Then
he pooped as he left. . .yuck. I've considered mayhem, but gunfire in
the harbor would be really antisocial, and anyway, there must be ten
thousand of them. . .it could get to be a long process. I've looked on
the internet and found "bird spikes". . .stainless steel needles set in
a plastic base that would glue to the radome, but I'm worried about
wrecking the radar's workability with all that stainless steel. . .and
I've considered putting one of those conical plastic pile-top caps over
the dome (I could take it off easily before leaving) and I spotted
something called a "bird umbrella" that might work. Anybody have any
specific successes?
Thanks in advance.
Ken Preston
 
May 3, 2004
34
Hello!

In Sweden, its common to put an plastic owl up in the mast if you have problems with sea gulls. I don´t knew if american sea gulls is more brave than Swedish ones, but it could be worth trying.

Yours,

Björn

P.S. Maybe an American White Eagle may work better D.S.
 
Oct 31, 2019
51
G'Day Ken,

Geeze mate I hate the buggers too and spent $150 this year to deter them.
Without seeing your radar set up it's hard to give advice mate....
I agree with your concerns about using metal near the ant.. I wonder if
you can use (i.e. glue) 4 or so plastic "poles" (something solid the size
of a drinking straw) around the perimeter and then use them to string
fishing line across the top? I paid the riggers to put "bird wires" on my
spreaders this summer. After they finished I actually waited on the boat
for one particularly ignorant gull to return. I still snicker about him
tripping and the commotion when he attempted to land. It was well worth the
cost, but I am a sick and vengeful individual. :)-)

regards,

|Garry|
Albin 82MS "Half Moon"
@ Horseshoe Bay B.C. At 06:51 AM 01/11/2005, you wrote:
 
Oct 31, 2019
51
Plastic owls are not that effective here. The gulls try to mate with them :)-)

Perhaps a plastic owl with a grenade?

The most effective way I have found is to make it miserable for then to
roost. A SS line 2 suspended 2in. off the spreaders works there. And a
piece of netting or a tarp above the boom works. The tarp has to be
"suspended" over the boom so when they try to land it gives way.regards,|Garry|
Albin 82MS "Half Moon"
@ Horseshoe Bay B.C. At 07:11 AM 01/11/2005, you wrote:
 
Oct 30, 2019
36
owls are smart and therefore attract a lot of other animals that need advice. it is better use a parrot instead. the seagulls will leave before they can dispose their droppings because they get bored by all the talking.
 
Oct 31, 2019
303
In case some don¹t get it, paracetamol is known as acetaminophen in the
United States, or trade name Tylenol.
 
Nov 8, 2001
1,818
Hi Chris

Thanks for explaining, didnt realise that it was called a different name in
the USA. Doesent really work as a joke otherwise!!

Cheers all

Steve Birch