Seagull deterrent ideas?

[bigd14]

Seems that I can’t zipper it all up enough to stop the birds from making a nursery

I have had this issue as well. I stuff an empty yoghurt or cottage cheese container in the aft open end which has eliminated the problem (if I remember to when putting the boat away).

 

[Loren Beach]

I am just home from cleaning up our main sail and cover. One swallow nest in the front folds and several mud dauber nests stuck to the main itself. It takes only a week or two for this to happen.
(Apropos of whatever, I kinda miss my naive younger days when finding out about the "birds and the bees" was such an interesting challenge! )

 

[Elgyn]

These are about $1 apiece in packs of 10-12 on Amazon (search "pinwheel"). Birds don't like the motion or the shiny reflectivity. Easy to insert the sticks in holes, under straps, etc.

View attachment 50898

We use those at the marina I'm at to keep the sparrows away. Large fishing lures work as well.

Keeping them from nesting in the booms and sail bags bags/covers we'll tape garbage bags over everything and plug every hole or they find a way in. I found a nest in the bilge blower vent. One person found one in his exhaust

Some guys take a unique approach and sail their as much as they can during nesting season. Personally I think it's just an excuse to get away from the......

 

[Shankara]

Rufus the Hawk - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Bolo]

View attachment 50948

Rufus the Hawk - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Then there’s also:

 

[Prairie Schooner]

Throw Everything At Em
We're moored in Vineyard Haven, Martha's Vineyard. This Hanse is next to us. They do seem to have no droppings compared to the boat next to them. So far we're clear, touch wood.






It is missing pinwheels, though.

 

[Bepi]

A neighbor at my marina has a garden leaf rake hauled to the top of the mast, tines up. Its possible the fan of the tines resembles the fan of a larger birds tail feathers. Is your mast taller than the surrounding vessels? While working at maintaining a fleet of sailboats I had one particular boat that was coated daily with purple droppings from birds that had eaten local seeds. A Roman auger would have declared it a sign that the vessel owner would be emperor. But the mast was taller than any of the others around and so the birds chose it as their daily stop.

 

[Alan Gomes]

A neighbor at my marina has a garden leaf rake hauled to the top of the mast, tines up. Its possible the fan of the tines resembles the fan of a larger birds tail feathers. Is your mast taller than the surrounding vessels? While working at maintaining a fleet of sailboats I had one particular boat that was coated daily with purple droppings from birds that had eaten local seeds. A Roman auger would have declared it a sign that the vessel owner would be emperor. But the mast was taller than any of the others around and so the birds chose it as their daily stop.

Thanks for the suggestion. However, the seagulls left my boat alone. It was only the inflatable that they repeatedly trashed.

I think the lazy jacks are what kept them from perching on the boom.

 

[AdventurousAnton]

My solution is working like a charm so far...cheap, reflective mylar tape.

 

[Vtonian]

Rubber snakes were recommended to me over owl decoys. I throw 'snakey' on the deck every time i disembark now, seems to keep the droppings to a minimum, especially compared to some of my mooring field neighbors. One had Canada geese nest in his cockpit and couldnt sail all spring.

Doesnt deter the little birds that like to ride the wind indicator around like a carousel but their business is small time. So far I've avoided the sea otter"s playful destruction too.

I think the big wiggly ones work better than the coiled ones, and avoid exotic color patterns.

I have not seen anyone succeed very well with the plastic dinosaurs but they"re pretty funny.