This is for the birds...

Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
I was thinking that if it's on shore power while you are gone, maybe you can whip up an isolated electrical charge at the mast top. Only problem is they would need to
This could be worse than the once a year mayfli attacks...I'm thinking of solutions..Pat
Hey Patrick. I found a whole organization dedicated to the mayfly. Go figure. Their only advice is to not use lights. Or if you do, use yellow bulbs. Did you see the pictures of the invasion on Dave's Catalina last year? His entire hull was black with them. You know how fastidious he is! He has those white LED dock lights all around his slip.
http://www.mayfly.org/can-you-get-rid-of-mayflies.html
 
Jan 5, 2015
4
Catalina 36 mk I Seattle
Hey Kermit- birds loved to drop on my boat until I place mylar strips in the stern area and on the spreaders. The inexpensive strips can be found at a party supply store or online. With bright reflective strips flowing in the wind, the birds seem to stay away.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Hey @sea_casper

If you could combine the functionality of that second suggestion with a windex... you might have something a lot of sailors would buy.
 
Jul 7, 2015
22
Hunter 33_77-83 Kemah
I hang compact disks in a couple of areas. The light reflecting off them keeps the birds away. Best alternative use for a salsa mix cd that I have found to date.
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Don't use any Byrds CDs. That will attract them. Maybe The Alan Parsons Project. "this quote the raven, nevermore"
 
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Pat

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Jun 7, 2004
1,250
Oday 272LE Ninnescah Yacht Club, Wichita, Ks.
Why can you not see the windex while sailing...? Probably a stupid question.....Pat
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
I had trouble seeing it on the Mac with the bimini up. I wouldn't be able to see it on the Hunter except the PO installed a Stratoglass window in it.
 
Jun 4, 2010
116
Catalina Capri 22 Cincinnati
I had trouble seeing it on the Mac with the bimini up. I wouldn't be able to see it on the Hunter except the PO installed a Stratoglass window in it.
You guys are way over thinking this problem! Look at the bright side, at least your TV reception is improved and you don't have to buy any Rabbit Ears.
 

Kermit

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Jul 31, 2010
5,657
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
Why can you not see the windex while sailing...? Probably a stupid question.....Pat
Not a stupid question at all. I probably could see it but I don't want to have to strain my neck to look at it. (I had one on my H23.) I use cassette tape on the shrouds at pretty-much eye level. Yes, I've read the reasons why it's not as accurate as a windex at the top of the mast. A strained neck just isn't worth it to me.
 
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Jun 12, 2016
10
Hunter 28.5 Pensacola
Had the same problem, bought a owl from Ace Hdwe. He has the meanest looking eyes you ever saw. I constructed a cage for him. The head on the owl swivels with the wind, we run him up the mast to almost the top and we haven't had poop since....The guys down on the other dock are complaining though...hee hee.
 
Oct 26, 2008
6,041
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
The ultimate indignity ... Kermit crapped and/or vomited onto his own boat! Then your wife can use the Gadsden flag to clean you off.
 
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Jun 28, 2016
334
Hunter 23.5 Paupack, PA
Hey Kermit - re: op, make sure to sweep the fries out of the boat before you leave buddy!

I don't want to have to strain my neck to look at it
Re: the hjt (hi-jacked thread) How about one of these? You can see your windex and your sextant at the same time. Wait. Hijack sounds like a sailing word. Ugh. Does anyone know???
 
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Oct 6, 2007
1,023
Hunter H30 1982 Chicago IL
Re: Hijack. Have to say I never imaged I would see Steam Punk fashion eyewear on this forum! We designed a Steam Punk themed boutique hotel a few years ago. Lots of gratuitous hardware. Did the elevator as Doctor Who's Tardis - blue doors and infinity mirrors inside the cab. Unusual project....

Back to the original topic. Lots of ideas here. Keep it simple. Monofilament line should be effective above the spreaders. At the top of the mast....NOT coat hangers. Please. For the love of all that's decent. But there is a basic idea there that might be workable if cleaned up and made more secure. Suppose you made a nice clean loop of aluminum or stainless steel wire that extends a couple inches above the anchor light and is bolted to the underside of the flange the anchor light is bolted to? Loop the wire ends around the anchor light bolts between pairs of nylon washers with lock nuts. It might just work. It might look like an old uhf tv antenna too. Honestly, if I had this kind of bird problem, I would probably just attach some bird spikes to the top of the mast. I hate bird spikes, but I hate mess more.
 
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Jun 5, 2014
4
C&C MK2 FAIRHAVEN
We have ospreys , cormorants ,gulls , and such and have found that flying string pendants hoisted aloft with the main halyard works very well. I use two lengths of 3/8 nylon line with bowlines for connecting to the main halyard and to stainless snap clips to connect them on the port & starboard aft toerails. The flags are available online
and
are pretty cheap but of course are too flimsy to be used by them selfs, ergo the 3/8 nylon. We have the tall rig on our C&C so i guess you could get away with smaller line, but do use one so you don't loose the halyard when or if the flag line parts.I also added 80 pound test mono right above the spreaders when we had the stick down and that has cured that.
 

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