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Bird deterents


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I'm interested to know what others have tried to keep birds (feathered kind) off their boats? What works and what doesn't? Has anyone tried the magnetic bird deterrents?

 

My best success so far has been stringing up CDs, but they don't last very long in the weather.

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A friend in CHCH has been trying the Magnets and so far there have been no Birds. I would not have believed it if I had just heard someone say try magnets. But it has been 6 months now I think and the boat has been bird free. I let her know of the post here and see if she will give more of the story.

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A friend in CHCH has been trying the Magnets and so far there have been no Birds. I would not have believed it if I had just heard someone say try magnets. But it has been 6 months now I think and the boat has been bird free. I let her know of the post here and see if she will give more of the story.

These?

 

https://www.maintracgroup.com/products/bye-bye-birdie-dual?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=googlepla&variant=431818481&gclid=CKG6o66UldUCFVYGKgodig0PHA

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Oh yes I can tell you ALL about everything I have tried to get rid of the birds on my boat (swallows)

 

But I have found the solution! As wheels says - Magnets are the way to go. Here is some info about them :) 

 

Expensive but sooooo worth it. I was getting desperate. And if you give them a call and quote "Astrolabe" they might give you a 15% discount. (The discount deal expired in July but worth a shot) 

 

https://astrolabesailing.com/2017/06/11/how-a-magnet-made-me-the-happiest-girl-in-the-world/

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Thanks heaps admin!

Yes the bird magnets really do work. I see LooseMoose has put the link to my blog. Happy to answer any questions. I was very skeptical at first - but a complete convert now. They are expensive but well worth it (I was about ready to pay ANYTHING to get rid of the little b@$tards)

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That's very useful to know thanks Vicki.

 

I'm just over in Cass Bay, so it's the same pesky little b@$tards that are causing me grief. Plus a seagull that hangs out on the solar panel. Amazingly sticky poop!

 

Somebody mentioned the magnets to me and I too was skeptical. Probably still am, but it's good to hear a first hand positive experience. I'm tempted to give them a try.

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The bird problem seems to come and go on my boat, some seasons there is nothing and then for some random reason they become a problem again. Terns nesting in the folds of the mainsail have been a hassle. Now I cinch the boom cover tight with bungee and that problem is fixed. Other people tie a line about 6 inches above the boom and string bird netting over it and down to the lifelines and it works well but it is a hassle to rig.

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Twelve gauge works

Hell on the dodger though. ;-)

 

So I can't see why those magnets are so expensive, except that they can get away with it.. So why not make your own. I have magnets from Speakers coming out my ears. I can also get the super magnets from Hardrives, but that is a lot of work. Plus side is that they are super powerful yet very small. I don't know how I would freight a magnet though. Do they allow such to be freighted.

Then simply drop them in a plastic tube of some kind along with some glitter to sparkle in the sunlight and look kind of pretty.

The only problem I can see is to make sure you don't have them on board when sailing or your Compass is going to be out by a country mile. Literally, a Country

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Yes not sure re the price - I just know that you need two of them as one does NOT work.

 

They came by standard freight and yes I'd take them off the boat completely when we sail up the coast to avoid any issues with the compass.

 

Sorry to hear you are now the favourite boat BMW56! So unusual that they have just decided to roost on the boats in the last couple of years. I only ever had the odd seagull before then, but now they are a huge issue for everyone in Corsair & Cass Bay. Are you on the Little Ship Club newsletter list? Lots of good cruising events coming up if you are interested in joining in :) https://www.facebook.com/Little.Ship.Club.of.Canterbury/

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I went for a sail one day and while going along there was these little black half moon shaped things all over the cockpit and it was swallows had been living In The boom and shitted in there so it was being sprayed as the boom was moving ,there was a crust type nest in the boom wich we removed

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We were having problems with Seagulls in the BoI and Swallows back here in Whangarei.  For the last 3 seasons we have had 2 Gullsweeps installed (1 hanging in fore triangle and 1 on boom, 10.5m boat) and have been dropping free. So far after 2 summer seasons they are holding up fine in the UV. Long term -too soon to tell.  When we lived on the E Coast of the US I knew people who had had them for 6-10 years and they still worked (out all year).  A bit pricy in NZ but can be ordered direct and if buying 2 it is cheaper. 

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Magnets? Might want to check correlation versus causation. Birds come and go on my boat and nearby boats as they will.

Apparently most birds have got their own internal compass for navigating, and the magnets upset this and they don't like it.

The instructions say that it might not work on 'navigating' birds - so perhaps kiwis? But I have never had a problem with kiwis pooing on my boat (yet)

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