MacGregorSailors.com

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)

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.

I seem to recall posts saying dryer sheets were effective anti-arachnids..

Catigale wrote:I seem to recall posts saying dryer sheets were effective anti-arachnids..

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.

You DO realize that spiders are rich in protein?

gedaggett wrote:

Catigale wrote:I seem to recall posts saying dryer sheets were effective anti-arachnids..

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.

somebody please kill this topic if my Admiral hears about marina spiders I'll never get her out in the boat

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

March 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

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 cockpit . their all lethargic and trying to fly. would have been spider heaven.

I tried this stuff last year. Sprayed in in places I didn't want to see 'em. Seemed to work well.

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/

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.

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

Catigale wrote:I seem to recall posts saying dryer sheets were effective anti-arachnids..

And BACON - - - bacon works too - - they like bacon (or not; I forget which)

Rick

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

and you with FISH !!!


Frank L.

And BACON - - - bacon works too

I would think that Bacon would attract spiders. Nothing that walks on legs is immune to the attractive powers of bacon.

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.