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Bird Poop Removal and Resistance!

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by NBiancardo, Aug 10, 2015.

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  1. NBiancardo

    NBiancardo New Member

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    Hey everyone -
    My first season on a mooring has been unexpectedly enjoyable. I thought I'd miss all the comforts of my marina, but as it turns out I am enjoying the experience. We are in a small protected cove (Gold Star Beach, Huntington NY) with a great launch and an unobstructed view of the coastline for a good 180 degrees.
    Everything has gone great until three weeks ago when a few Piping Plovers found my boat. At first it was a nuisance, just a few birds, a few droppings, and even the occasional dead fish! However, things have intensified, and after 5 days away from the boat I came onboard to find it totally bombed out. Instead of a nice day on the water with the family I headed over to the dock for a several hour scrub job.
    Does anyone know the best way to clean bird poop off the deck? While the majority of the poop is off I am left with significant orange colored staining. Should I just increase the soap/water mixture for more cleaning power (using a citrus based cleaner)? I have never touched the deck with a power washer...but I am sorely tempted in this situation.
    Has anyone found a really good bird deterrent? My greatest annoyance is that after cleaning her I’ll arrive next week to find the same situation now that they seem to like my boat so much!
    Thanks as always!
    Nick
  2. JWY

    JWY Senior Member

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    There are 2 approaches for deterring the birds: audio and visual. I have seen systems as crude as pie tins hanging so they bang together in the wind (for when you're not onboard and no other boats nearby). For visuals, try rubber snakes and fake owls. you need to move them around occasionally. This works on my mango tree too :)
  3. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    For a deterrent, I've personally used one of those beach ball looking things with the eye one it (I think West Marine??). But most boats in New England have that spinning deal mounted on the deck (think helicopter).
  4. NBiancardo

    NBiancardo New Member

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    I tried that spider looking thing, where 10 or 12 thin metal wires come out of the base and hang to the side as if spider legs. It tends to work, but in only the area it's physically touching. I'd need to get a lot of them.

    I was looking around the cabin trying to find something to use yesterday. We found some twine and some red solo cups. I criss crossed the deck spacing the cups every 18 inches or so. Hopefully it helps until I get something better set up this weekend.
  5. NBiancardo

    NBiancardo New Member

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    Has anyone ever tried netting? I found a 45x15 foot bird netting online for 20 bucks. It's designed to keep birds off fruit tree's but i'm wondering if I attached it taught to the railings if it would work.
  6. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    ROFLMAO. Sorry Nick, but welcome to life on a mooring. Wait till a seagull drops a clam from 50' up onto your windshield. My laughter comes with sympathy though. We've all felt your pain.

    Softscub with bleach is good for getting the poop off the deck. As for methods to thwart them, there are as many as there are boats in your harbor. The spinning flags tend to be as good as anything, and fairly easy to set up and stow. But to beat the birds completely, well you won't.

    BTW, I'm sure you're talking about sandpipers, not piping plovers. If piping plovers are trying to nest on your boat, well I know you're banned from going near their nesting areas on shore.
  7. NBiancardo

    NBiancardo New Member

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    yes, definately sandpipers....my apoligies!
  8. Kafue

    Kafue Senior Member

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    I use this:
    http://www.birdbusta.net/

    Works well, however you will need a few at different locations to be effective.
    How big is your boat?
  9. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    I think you're trying to reinvent the wheel. I'd cruise around the harbor, find which boat has the least poop, and do whatever they're doing.
    That's the one I was thinking of. You'll see them everywhere in New England.
  10. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Yep, that's the one I was referring to also.
  11. menkes

    menkes Member

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    I had a serious problem with Cormorant poops (they are big!)
    I hoisted a garden nylon bag to the top of the mast and it help.
    you can add some 2 mt. nylon straps to the bag, it adds to the noise and volume of the bag
    The noise of the nylon bag in the wind chased them away and will not disterb the neighbors
  12. chesapeake46

    chesapeake46 Senior Member

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    This would not work well on a mooring, but, I saw a guy using a motion sensor coupled with a sprinkler head on a pier nearby. Seagulls try to land and the sprinkler head shoots a pretty good stream of water in a 360* circle. Seemed to work.
    Need power though and good water pressure.
  13. JWY

    JWY Senior Member

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    I'm surprised we haven't heard from our official expert on the subject. A crappy question like this and he poops out on us. So maybe he is full of it after all. When the going gets rough, the Ralph get going. Where's Mr. Hanky when we need him? Guess it all comes out in the end...
    :p
  14. Bamboo

    Bamboo Senior Member

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    What was posted is the down under version of the Gullsweep. Commonly seen on Sportfish in south florida; no one buys the Ozzie version that I know of. The Gullsweep works great at stopping sea birds from sitting on the bow area or railings.
  15. timvail

    timvail Senior Member

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    We use nylon fishing line strung across the two highest points. Depending on your beam you may need 4 or 5 strands. Keeps anything flying away from the boat and you really cant see the line while your on the boat either. we have had 100% effective rate at keeping the birds away.
  16. NBiancardo

    NBiancardo New Member

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    It's a 32 foot SeaRay, 36 foot is your talking about LOA.
  17. NBiancardo

    NBiancardo New Member

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    I envision some kind of motion detecting pellet gun. Although it would certaintly put out my eye one day!
  18. Kevin

    Kevin YF Moderator

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    Google "paintball sentry gun". ;)
  19. Kafue

    Kafue Senior Member

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    You can't use the Australian version UP There, cos it would be upside down, right?
  20. Bamboo

    Bamboo Senior Member

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    lol... literally thousands of techniques have been tried, especially when the seagrapes are in season- all the boats have some amount of purple birdpoop on them. Fishing line strung does little to nothing unless you put so much that they cannot fly between the strands. The yellow balloons with the big reflecting eye hung by a string and the gullsweep are the two cheap, effective, easy to stow methods which have made the cut. Yes a motion sensor with a squirt gun has been tried but it's a hassle. It is very effective but far to complex if you use your boat often.