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What's the *second* best way to keep spiders off your boat?

13K views 49 replies 38 participants last post by  gigamanx 
#1 ·
Of course, the best way is to sail often!

These past few weeks, family obligations have conspired against me. Graduations, birthdays, car repairs ... All competing for my precious time on the water.

This weekend I arrived to find tons of spiders, hiding in very possible nook and crany. And kept finding them all weekend long. In the folds of canvas, in lines, tracks of the boom, mast, blocks. Everywhere.

Now I'm no arachnophobe but I got damn tired of killing these things. Any tips or tricks to keep the spiders away?
 
#5 ·
The best way for me is to be on the boat in the evening when they come out. Then, I go hunting with a flashlight and a fly swatter. I mostly just knock them into the water to keep from making a mess. In the morning, wherever there are webs is where I need to keep working. Occasionally I will spray if it gets out of hand.

It is so much better having a spider free boat, and not even because they are creepy. They make lots of mess that stains the gelcoat.
 
#8 ·
I didn't realize that spiders were really an issue. I have never seen a spider on my boat so maybe you need a Don :rolleyes:
 
#9 ·
Launched on May 12 this year, before the weather had really warmed up, did one treatment with a spray insecticide on launch day in all the usual hiding spots, keep the boat on a mooring or anchor, rarely come into a dock, and we've been relatively spider free this season.

Last season, got a late start launching in mid-June, and we were battling them all summer long. The spiders themselves don't really bother me all that much, but the poop is another story. Sailing regularly did not seem to do anything to keep their numbers down.
 
#12 ·
It seems to be regional (or continental). On Lake Ontario the spider battle seems constant. We left our boat for months at docks in Australia and South Africa and on a mooring in Ecuador for a month and nary a spider (probably a particularly good thing in Oz where they have all the dangerous 8-leggers. In fact I can't think we ever had a spider on board in 33,000 miles. I guess they know I had spider spray onboard.
 
#13 ·
I always assumed it's a freshwater/saltwater thing. Ours is brackish but more fresh than salt, and we definitely get spiders. OP's location in Oriental is similar but probably a little more salty since it's closer to the coast. Seems like a few days out on the coast in saltwater usually clears them out, but it could be that's just because we're on the boat and sailing.

Maybe some posters from saltwater locations can chime in on whether they deal with this as well?
 
#16 ·
Maybe some posters from saltwater locations can chime in on whether they deal with this as well?
Can't say we have any kind of significant spider issue, very occasional much as we might see at home.

Thinking back, though, for some years we moored in an old river estuary that was quite brackish, with a larger nearby river laying on a fresh water 'layer' over the sea water for much of the year. While I don't remember chasing spiders, I do recall seemingly indestructable 'free telltales' in the form of spider webs all up and down the rig - so presumably spiders were around.

Haven't noticed the rigging webs so much since we moved to a saltier marina..
 
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#14 ·
For the spider problem you can always let momma nature take care of them for you by getting either gecko's or the anole (push-up) lizards onboard ... I catch about half a dozen each year and let them loose onboard and abracadabra spiders, misquito's, gnats and the fly's are kept in check. They are also fun to watch when you get bored.
 
#19 ·
I know I am more tolerant of spiders than most, but they don't really bother me unless they are large and move fast like a wolf spider. As long as they are small and mind their own business, which they tend to do, I don't mind them.

How to get rid of them ? Don't know. :) Cats will eat them if they are large enough to be worth their trouble.
 
#20 ·
Remove the spider egg sacks (white fuzzy pea size ball) before they hatch in the spring, after that a few spiders on board will take care of any mosquito problem.

My mother would never kill a spider, she would just pick it up and take it outside, I do the same.
 
#21 ·
"STAR BRITE Spider Away" is a non-toxic repellant that is safe to use around pets, the marine environment, and you. It works great.

Those pesticides are really deadly, and not something you should use on any interior setting. And used outside will inevitably leach into the waterways where they can be damaging, even lethal, to tiny but esential marine organisms.

The Star Brite product costs a lot more than the poisons, sure. But it works, and is safe.
 
#23 ·
Avon Skin So Soft keeps a lot of critters out of the boat's interior. I wiped on on the screens and not only did it repel the spiders, it kept the noseeums out, which is a blessing.

I've tried Home Defense Max, and it kills them on contact, but washes off when it rains, thus no long lasting effect.

Next, an electronic device - something's gotta work - eventually.

Cheers,

Gary :cool:
 
#29 ·
Nah Gary, they assumed you were heading to Florida and they were boycotting the State due to their anchoring regulations.;)

BTW - Avon skin so soft is one of the best mosquito repellent on the market, the company cannot advertise as such but they are very aware of this.
 
#28 · (Edited)
Small snakes eat spiders.
Bigger snakes eat smaller snakes.
A mongoose will get rid of the big snakes.
A hungry Tasmanian devil will take care of the Mongoose.
Yosemite Sam will take care of the Tasmanian Devil.
You will need a talking rabbit with a dry sense of humor to trick Sam off the boat.

Now how to get rid of that rabbit? Maybe get some spiders.
 
#42 ·
Well I think Wombats eat rabbits, so that would take care of that, but then he will drink up all your rum, eat all your food and keep you up all night telling you stories about sailing down under so I guess you are no better off! (Just kidding sir wombat, would love having a visit from the fuzzy creature here in New York)

Or you could just find a french chef, and you might end up with some fine food! (eating the rabbit of course not wombat!)
 
#32 · (Edited)
skin so soft is baldedash. fail here. this overhyped and overrated stuff actually attracted skeeters in bolivar peninsula, teejass when i was there with a friend some years ago. it isnt a cream but an oil.
spidey hates flames. spidey hates saltwater.
sink it or burn it.
seriously, spidey flies thru the air on his baby spidey weblets and catch in your rig.
most leave,but some grow up.. oops.
i prefer gekkos. i prefer snakes.
they all protect boat from worse insect invaders.
except snakes. they eat rats ... if you are fortunate
 
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