Marina spiders :-(
- gyroplanes
- Engineer
- Posts: 197
- Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2008 12:23 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Lansing, Illinois (Chicago, so suburb)
Marina spiders :-(
I bring this up every now and then hoping a new, miracle break through anti-spider weapon was developed in the off-season.
I'm really tired off the marina spiders, their poop, their food waste, their webs and their uncanny ability to hide for hours and come out of nowhere during a pleasant sail.
Every line I move, every bimini I raise, every object I touch uncovers an arachnid. Overnighting aboard becomes a one-eye-open event until you just can't stay awake any longer.
I have tried the "house shield" sprays and spider killer sprays and gris-gris from New Orleans. I think the spiders eat the stuff and grow stronger.
I am not afraid of spiders. I have nothing against spiders in their place, just not in my place.
Any ideas, help, or thoughts on how to make peace with the 8 legged stowaways? (or kill them)
I'm really tired off the marina spiders, their poop, their food waste, their webs and their uncanny ability to hide for hours and come out of nowhere during a pleasant sail.
Every line I move, every bimini I raise, every object I touch uncovers an arachnid. Overnighting aboard becomes a one-eye-open event until you just can't stay awake any longer.
I have tried the "house shield" sprays and spider killer sprays and gris-gris from New Orleans. I think the spiders eat the stuff and grow stronger.
I am not afraid of spiders. I have nothing against spiders in their place, just not in my place.
Any ideas, help, or thoughts on how to make peace with the 8 legged stowaways? (or kill them)
Re: Marina spiders :-(
Me too! I can't stand the suprise visitors. One thing I do is try to give my boat a good bath and strong hosing once a week, during the sailing season. This may sound like a lot but if you give it a quick bath every week it only takes about an hour. Untie the lines and really hose them off. Hose under the bimini and dodger. I like to use a Starbrite product called "Bird and Spider Stain remover to clean up those annoying little spider droppings and the stuff cleans up black streaks too. Also there is a Starbrite product called "Spider Away" that claims to be good for several months to keep them away. I have not tried this yet. I think that you would find that if you really got after them once a week that you would be killing them and their nests frequently enough that the few left would not be too much to handle.
Re: Marina spiders :-(
A friend had a 32 footer in Monroe harbor in Chicago. Every where she stuffed a dryer sheet (boom, End of main cover etc) had no spiders. Everywhere else was teaming with the littler buggers.Catigale wrote:I seem to recall posts saying dryer sheets were effective anti-arachnids..
- dlandersson
- Admiral
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- Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2010 10:00 am
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Michigan City
Re: Marina spiders :-(
You DO realize that spiders are rich in protein?
gedaggett wrote:A friend had a 32 footer in Monroe harbor in Chicago. Every where she stuffed a dryer sheet (boom, End of main cover etc) had no spiders. Everywhere else was teaming with the littler buggers.Catigale wrote:I seem to recall posts saying dryer sheets were effective anti-arachnids..
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Gater Dunn
- First Officer
- Posts: 221
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 9:25 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Victoria B.C. Canada N48º25.506 W123º18.178 OakBay Marina
Re: Marina spiders :-(
somebody please kill this topic if my Admiral
hears about marina spiders I'll never get her out in the boat 
- March
- Captain
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- Joined: Wed May 24, 2006 7:54 am
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Iowa, MacGregor 26X, Yamaha 4 stroke 50 HP
Re: Marina spiders :-(
On the other hand, you probably have no fly problems. We would have gladly traded the flies on Apostle Islands against a bunch of spiders. A mosquito net over the bikini worked even better though.
Spiders are sensitive to change in weather. They weave their full nets when there's going to be no wind in the next couple of days. They reduce their nets when the wind is on the rise. It was one of Napoleon's former generals that pointed that out, after a long spell in a Russian prison.
Pass the lemonade. Here's the tequila
Spiders are sensitive to change in weather. They weave their full nets when there's going to be no wind in the next couple of days. They reduce their nets when the wind is on the rise. It was one of Napoleon's former generals that pointed that out, after a long spell in a Russian prison.
Pass the lemonade. Here's the tequila
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Gater Dunn
- First Officer
- Posts: 221
- Joined: Sat Jul 31, 2010 9:25 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Victoria B.C. Canada N48º25.506 W123º18.178 OakBay Marina
Re: Marina spiders :-(
when we took down our enclosure in prep of bringing the boat out of the water the first zipper opened dropped 100 or so flies on the floor of cockpitMarch wrote:On the other hand, you probably have no fly problems. We would have gladly traded the flies on Apostle Islands against a bunch of spiders. A mosquito net over the bikini worked even better though.
Spiders are sensitive to change in weather. They weave their full nets when there's going to be no wind in the next couple of days. They reduce their nets when the wind is on the rise. It was one of Napoleon's former generals that pointed that out, after a long spell in a Russian prison.
Pass the lemonade. Here's the tequila
- Ivan Awfulitch
- First Officer
- Posts: 240
- Joined: Tue May 15, 2007 5:03 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Akron, OH - Docked at Catawba Island, OH
Re: Marina spiders :-(
This stuff works great. Spray it on the dock posts and boat railings about once a month. Spiders are a huge problem in western Lake Erie.
http://spiderkill.com/
http://spiderkill.com/

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FLembo18
- First Officer
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- Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
- Location: PA 04 26M "Blue Witch" 50hp Honda 4-Stroke
Re: Marina spiders :-(
It was last summer at the lake, and on the hook, I was enjoying the twilight while sitting in the cockpit, drinking a brew and listening to the stereo. All of sudden something flew right over my shoulder and landed across from me onto the cockpit cushion. At first glance I thought it was a small bat, it wasn't, it was a very large flying moth which looked exactly like the moths that were in the film Silence of the Lambs... that really creeped me out. I retreated to my cabin and made sure that my companionway bug net was securely intact. In the morning I double checked and it was gone, then my next thought was where ?!
I recall reading a post from some member here who said that he had his Mac docked then he left to go out for drinks/dinner, when he returned he found a snake curled up on his V-Berth cushions. Spiders don't seem so bad now, do they ?
Frank L.
I recall reading a post from some member here who said that he had his Mac docked then he left to go out for drinks/dinner, when he returned he found a snake curled up on his V-Berth cushions. Spiders don't seem so bad now, do they ?
Frank L.
- yukonbob
- Admiral
- Posts: 1918
- Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2011 6:54 pm
- Sailboat: Other
- Location: Whitehorse Yukon
Re: Marina spiders :-(
had that same thing happen last year while fishing,but it turned out to be a grizzly sow and her two cubs!
I'll try some dryer sheets see if that works! lol
- pokerrick1
- Admiral
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- Location: Las Vegas, NV (Henderson, near Lake Mead)
Re: Marina spiders :-(
And BACON - - - bacon works too - - they like bacon (or not; I forget which)Catigale wrote:I seem to recall posts saying dryer sheets were effective anti-arachnids..
Rick
Last edited by pokerrick1 on Thu Mar 03, 2011 11:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
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FLembo18
- First Officer
- Posts: 270
- Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2008 6:33 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
- Location: PA 04 26M "Blue Witch" 50hp Honda 4-Stroke
Re: Marina spiders :-(
yukonbob wrote:had that same thing happen last year while fishing,but it turned out to be a grizzly sow and her two cubs!I'll try some dryer sheets see if that works! lol
Frank L.
- Scott
- Admiral
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- Location: 1978 Catalina 22 with all the Racing Goodies!! 4 horse fire breathing monster on the transom
Re: Marina spiders :-(
I would think that Bacon would attract spiders. Nothing that walks on legs is immune to the attractive powers of bacon.And BACON - - - bacon works too
A few lively posts in the past regarding bugs. Primarily spiders and wasps. We had good luck with moth balls in a peice of panty hose. Just a couple in a few spots or the smell gets overwelming.

