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With the 70-80 degree days we are starting to get in South Louisiana. I Have been seeing wasp starting to come out of hibernation. The first thing they will be looking for is a nice dry place to build a nest ,my boat for example. There is a product called Hot Shot pest strips that from my research appears to be the ticket to keep my boat wasp/bug free for 4 months. One reviewer of the product on Amazon stated that it killed everything smaller than a mouse in his shed. This year will be my first to use it , but I have high hopes for it. I might even hang one in the pedestal.
Just a dig at those of y"all that have snow on the ground the forecast for today is 74 F

Yes, but you can't go sledding down a hill like this

Ray

Our problem isn't wasps, although we do have them. Our problem here is spiders. Big, fat, green-blooded, acid pooping bastards they are.

I don't like the idea of chemical based repellants so I tried some of these

http://www.amazon.ca/Bell-Howell-Ultras ... t+repeller

and one of these

http://www.amazon.ca/Bell-Howell-Ultras ... 60JFA6GR36

I left them plugged in while the boat was at the marina or in the driveway. Didn't keep the spiders out of the rigging or the canvas, but it did seem to work down below. We only had a few invaders, mostly small near the hatch, but only one monster was ever found down below. He lived between the liner and the hull near the V-berth, and dropped down at night to hunt. One of the boys saw him at night and I was luckily able to convince him that it was just a stain as I casually "wiped" him up. Felt him burst. Gross.

After a while you get used to them. At the beginning of the season I get might freak out a bit over a small spider, but by the end of the summer I can casually brush them off and squash medium ones with my bare hands or feet. Big ones will always give me the heebie-jeebies. It's kinda like snorkelling in deep murky water: I can just never get used to it.

Fabric softener sheets (such as Bounce) stuffed in various places such as sail covers is supposed to do wonders to keep eight-legged critters out.

I had good success by leaving a small bottle of mothballs open in the galley sink when leaving. Always kept the critters out of the cabin. I would close the container when first boarding and by the time we were ready to get under way, the odor was gone.

As far as the outside goes, I used a product called "Spectracide Bug Stop". Get the concentrate and mix for use with a sprayer that will reach the top of the mast. Caution: Pull the boat from the water and spray in a safe area, as this is toxic to fish if allowed to drift, or runoff into the water. Once allowed to dry for 24 hrs, it will not wash off and is safe around the water.

I never had any staining, or streaking problems with this product and applied it at the beginning of the season and again mid-season.



~Rich

I am happy to report that the Hotshot pest strip that I hung in the boat has kept it 100% bug free!!!!!!!!!! No spiders ,no wasp , no ,roaches , no moths ,no mud daubers , no mosquitoes.
In case anyone cannot tell I'm very happy with the results of this product. Oh and no smell

Bayou wrote:I am happy to report that the Hotshot pest strip that I hung in the boat has kept it 100% bug free!!!!!!!!!! No spiders ,no wasp , no ,roaches , no moths ,no mud daubers , no mosquitoes.
In case anyone cannot tell I'm very happy with the results of this product. Oh and no smell

I wonder how much damage it will do to you over the time if you sleep on the boat. It says the product kills bugs with odorless vapor.

Well I guess only U Bugger,s will find out !!

I use Cedar scented Moth Balls & its a pleasant cedar smell along with the Lavender scented Pin-sol disinfectant I use to clean the inside of the boat keeps her smelling nic e & fresh Just like her skipper Prince Charming !!

J

Starbrite Spider Away has worked for me in Northern CA. Its non-toxic. Some reviews have complained about the minty vinegar smell it leaves behind but I actually like it.

I used to have Wasp problems in the cabin and under the pedestal cover as well. Haven't had those issues since I started using this. I use it about once every 2 months. Inside and outside the cabin.

dxg4848 wrote:I wonder how much damage it will do to you over the time if you sleep on the boat. It says the product kills bugs with odorless vapor.

We always remove it a day or so ahead of leaving and air out the cabin to lesson the extent of any toxic vapors. Good point though as while I was reading reviews on it their are obviously a lot of people that cannot read directions as they were placing in their kitchens bathrooms and bedrooms of their homes. I might have to try the Star Brite spider away for some of the other areas around the boat. especially the fuel lookers

I used io have a mint-based ecologically safe wasp-spray, it worked very well and also left a nice minty odor in the bilge that lasted several days. Can't remember the brand, but I still have some on my boat( which is not here)
Might work for spiders, too