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BIG DIFFERENCE in effectiveness between the enclosed cabin of a boat, and outdoors in a backyard!

Also, the one Crikey's referring to is a "tennis raquette" type that you swing throught the air to zap the individual offending insect. Very satisfying.

And way more fun. Until sombody loses an eye.

- B

Starscream wrote:Guys, thanks for the replies. I like the idea of a little bug zapper in the cabin, I might try that one. My bilges are dry, as a rule, so I don't think they're breeding there. I do have a loop in the drain line of the sink so that's not where they are coming from. After some thinking I believe it was either mosquitoes that came in with us as the sun was going down, or it was that clear plastic tube way in the back of the rear bunk. After I stuffed it their numbers certainly dwindled as I hunted them down.

RobBarnes1965 I just north of Montreal near the 15/640 intersection and keep Starscream in my driveway. I launch fairly regularly at Ste. Placide, north of Oka, but am looking for closer places, if you have any recommendations. I am going to give Marina Bobino in Pointe Calumet a try this weekend. Their ramp is public but they charge 25 bucks to park the truck for the day. Any other suggestions? Let me know if you are heading out sometime, I am somewhat of a newbie and would love to raft up and pick your brains!

I'm on Lac St-Louis (of Pooy Looey as we like to call it) at the Beaconsfield yacht club. One weekend we should schedule a Mac rendevous on the lake. We are getting to be a large gang out here. I go through the locks at Ste-Anne's once in a while over to Lac Deux Montagnes. I am not sure of the prices parking/launching but there are ramps in Dorval and Lachine on our Lake. Some places may be a problem this year however. Our launch ramp at the club is steep and with the unusually low water levels I don't think a boat bigger than a dinghy can be launched right now. Your side is even worse. I heard Hudson Yacht Club is pulling boats out of the water. They have 1.5ft in the harbor! Only the Macs can get in

seahouse wrote:
But they can also breed in moist spots, like a damp sponge, as well....


I didn't know that. I'll have to be more careful.

I base that statement on the fact that they breed in the dampness of the soil in your lawn or in moss. The surface or media just needs to stay moist long enough to support that phase of the life cycle – egg, pupa, larva.

A damp sponge or rag in a confined space can easily stay wet that long. But I think your nose might alert you to other problems (mould, fungus, bacteria) that it would cause as well.

seahouse wrote:Also, the one Crikey's referring to is a "tennis raquette" type that you swing throught the air to zap the individual offending insect. Very satisfying.

Oh yea! We have one and YES, it is very satisfying to use. Cheap too.

In fact, back at home, we have a bug vacuum for the admiral who doesn't like spiders. Very gratifying to hear them get zapped.

Sea Wind wrote:We have a toddler that reacts badly to mosquito bites (I am talking allergic not your average cursing),

Wait...you have a toddler that does what??

RussMT wrote:In fact, back at home, we have a bug vacuum for the admiral who doesn't like spiders. Very gratifying to hear them get zapped.

But spiders eat the bugs you DON'T want running around! Spiders are friends!
That said, the admiral here doesn't like them either, no matter how many times I try to tell her that they are "beneficial predators"!

The usual suspect in our house is usually a Wolf Spider (or possibly a Huntsman Spider - they look similar)...and they grow pretty fast too! Usually get surprised by seeing them out and about** once they're about the size of a half-dollar (leg span) and they act like they're paying rent or something!


**that's "oot and aboot" for our Canadian friends...


But on topic, the admiral and I found that kiling the mosquitoes in our tent while camping could be accomplished by a quick fogging of "Raid Flying Insect Killer" just before we entered the tent and hunkered down for the night. It is our plan to have a can of that available on the boat at all times, as it will also dispatch wasps and flies and other nuisance critters. (Hmmm...wonder if it will keep the slip-mates away???) We have, however, found out that generic brands don't seem to work as well as the Raid brand - it drops wasps like nothing else (fogging type of spray, that is).

I would recommend against a bug zapper in the cabin. If anywhere it should be outside the cabin. Think about what happens when a bug hits it, it explodes! Do you really want to be breathing in bug guts all night. Even when kept in your back yard the zapper is far away from where the people are. An that is not even mentioning the zapping noise all night. I think nets, with some deet to get any infiltrators is the best way to go, in my opinion.

Paulieb

Mmmmmm, to get rid of bugs I'll bathe my living area with pipironyl butoxide.......

Piperonyl butoxide (PBO) is an organic compound used as pesticide synergist, especially for pyrethroids and rotenone. (Wiki)

Uh...sure!

gET SOME SEE THE SEE THOUGH FABRIC YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOUR WIFE IN
pUT HOCKY SIDE OF VELCRO ARROUND DOOR AND FRONT HATCH-tHE MATERIAL WILL STICK TO THE VELCRO
aND MAKES A GOOD MOSQUITO NET

I don't know where to get one of these here in the states, but here's what we use on our boat... works very well. Held in place by straps at the top, but has weights all around the perimeter to keep it against the deck and sole. Easily lifted aside to get in and out of the boat. Stores neatly in its own plastic box when not needed.

http://www.force4.co.uk/8854/Force-4-Co ... o-Net.html

I bought mine, as well as for the bow hatch, at Hamilton Marine, Portland Maine. The 40" x 77" is for the Mac .



catalog: LINK

I also have the bugbusters (made in Canada folks) when I was in Florida and slept with the hatches open every night with nary a bite.

Q1