Termites on boats in Fort Lauderdale

Got a termite invasion on my boat yesterday.
Third time in the last 18 months.

Been getting read of the *******s in the past by sealing up the boat and using small "bombs", spray cans for local termite treatment in houses.

Usually I tripple the dose and it has worked in the past.

Last night I notcied a bunch of shedded wings all over the cabin.
All the cracked hatches and the companionway has fine meshed bug screens
and can only speculate the critters got in next to a thin cable I run from the prop-shaft and overboard with a zink fish. (to save the prop shaft zink anode)

Soo, back to home depot to get a six pack of bombs again.

Had the boat in the same spot for the last 13 years and never had a problem in the past.

The telltale signs, beside the shedded wings, are fine grained "sand" on the cabin sole: As they dig tunnels through the wood they sh!t out the sand particles and first time it happended I thought it was left over sand from beach excursions in the Bahamas. Cleaned it all up then noticed a few days later it was back..

The termites does not go after the teak and varnished wood, but rather the plywood on cabinets and doors, probably softer wood in some of the layers.
Easy enough to fix, inject som epoxy to get the strenght back, then sand and paint.
Also been epoxy coating any exposed surfaces to made entry hard, but impossible to do the whole interior without taking the boat apart.

Anybody else with the same experience and or different solutions..?

Hmm, sounds too easy but will sure try it if my bombs does not work.

Just put 4 of the "over the counter" RAID bombs in there, each one is supposed to be good for a 635 square foot apartment, with my boat having an interior space of 180 square feet max, that would be 14 times the recommended dose...At least it should give 'em a head ace..

Guess they found it...

yeah, that is the next step, but I can smell a $500.00 charge for doing the same I am doing.
As for the new spray that will last for 10 years, hmm, sounds like a toxic envirnment and we are living and sleeping downstairs, now sure I want to try out that one.

Exactly, I just have to be better at keeping the boat sealed, perhaps install even finer bug screens, but they tend to be "flimsier".
Still want to keep ventilation through the boat and this not being a mega yacht with full time A/C and all doors and hatches closes and sealed I run a DC fan 24/7 and keep hatches cracked with bug screens installed...Not that it did me much good.

Thanks for the help, keep it coming, all good stuff.

Ouch, I would hate that.

Here is a few pics of my interior..No termites allowed.

Nah, different kind of termites, they are called subterranean termites and live in the ground.

Private dock on a residential canal, can't move it very far.
Have the same kind of termites in a couple of apartemnts within 1/2 radius so either the Gods are angry at me, or this is the season they swarm.

Yeah, will look into hatches, or just put up a sign that says: "Beware of Owner"

Gassed the boat today...



Checked prices with 3 termite companies.
Picked the cheapest as the gas are the same, and the termites are the same.
Prices varied from $950.00 to $500.00, all 3 with a 1 year warranty.

Sealed the boat good and even taped over the exhaust port and the 4 bilge pump thru holes. Measurements of the gas 6 hours later confirmed no leakage and therefore all bugs and eggs dead..

The exterminators said most boats have termites and that it can take 4 to 5 years to form a colony and you may have them without knowing it as they have not reached the swarming stage yet..

Yup, treatment worked, they all died..

Can’t stand clutter, drives me nuts
Sold that boat 5.5 years ago, now got this boat, un-cluttered it after purchase of course:
www.odincharters.com

Yeah, old thread but termites are still out to get you

Picture taken during the gassing.