Dealing with Spiders?

[chandlerman]

Maybe this problem is unique to the Great Lakes, but Spider Season has hit, a little late this year but making it up in volume.

Every year at some point during the summer, the number of spiders on the boat shifts from a few webs in obvious places to "OMG! They're Everywhere!" And they're big, nasty, juicy suckers too.

They stay almost exclusively on the rigging and deck hardware (rather than the cabin), but it causes chaos in the cockpit when I, say, adjust the topping lift and half a dozen spiders drop into the cockpit. And we won't even get into the eight-legged rain from unfurling the jib if I don't get out for a week.

I've never been bitten, but I do get sick of the webs, the critters themselves, and the dirt/carcasses/bird crap that they attract to the boat.

I've tried cleaning them off, but twenty-four hours later, it looks just the same. I'm on a mooring so firing up the hose is not an option and going after it with a wet brush is of limited effectiveness as well.

Do others have similar problems? If so, how do you handle it?

[Vasco]

Kill them!!! Get them at dusk when they come out. Spray or squish! Do this for a week and they'll be gone.

[killarney_sailor]

My local boat store sells a spider spray that works well. A good approach is to spray your dock lines and fenders to make it tougher for new spiders to migrate onboard and then do everything possible to kill those already onboard ie spray in the enclosed areas they hide in like furlers and mainsheets. Not perfect, but will get rid of most of them.

[pelicanl]

I use TEMPO inside and out on our boat. Come back in an hour and watch them "march" off, the sick and disoriented being helped by the strong.

[canadianseamonkey]

You forgot the BBQ....they love to hide in BBQ's. My wife won't open that lid until I do and there are always a half dozen that crawl out.

As far as the crap they leave behind, I use Spray Nine. I'm sure there are other strong solvents out there that will do the job. As for keeping them away, you can get a spary for that as well and from what I hear it works well.

[SEMIJim]

We were told that dryer sheets in the cabin, under cushions and in storage spaces helps keep them away. The Admiral thinks not, but it's true we don't see many in the cabin. The other thing she read works well is Ortho Home Defense. We spray it in the corners and so-on in the cabin, in the lazerettes, in corners, crevices, etc. up above, in the winch covers, tiller cover, sail cover, etc., and on the dock lines.

We get spiders, but not many and usually not very large.

JIm

[imiloa]

I'm also in the Chicago area and have experienced the annual attack of the spiders. I fight back on three fronts. (1) Inside the boat I vacuum regularly and place a few Bounce fabric softener sheets around. At the end of the season when I close up the boat for the winter I use the anti-spider spray you can buy at Menards to spray inside storage areas where they might hide. (2) Outside I use a spray from Spectracide (connects to a water hose or you can mix in your own sprayer) once every week or two and spray the boat, dock lines, and along the edge of the dock. (3) I shake out the sail and wheel covers overboard each time I remove them and spray them once or twice during the height of the attacks with the same spray I use inside the boat. I would think they would be easier to control if you're on a can.

[SEMIJim]

Originally Posted by pelicanl

I use TEMPO inside and out on our boat.

Did you check the product labeling for that stuff? I just did. Contains verbiage such as "This pesticide is extremely toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates." "Do not apply directly to water, to areas where surface water is present or to intertidal areas below the mean high water mark." "Do not apply when weather conditions favor drift from treated areas. Drift and runoff from treated areas may be hazardous to aquatic organisms in neighboring areas."



Doesn't sound like something you should be using on the outside of a boat that's in the water.

Jim

[drgamble]

Originally Posted by SEMIJim

We were told that dryer sheets in the cabin, under cushions and in storage spaces helps keep them away. The Admiral thinks not, but it's true we don't see many in the cabin. The other thing she read works well is Ortho Home Defense. We spray it in the corners and so-on in the cabin, in the lazerettes, in corners, crevices, etc. up above, in the winch covers, tiller cover, sail cover, etc., and on the dock lines.

We get spiders, but not many and usually not very large.

JIm

I have had very good success with Home Defense also and I spray all the exterior places on the boat mentioned by Jim when I leave the boat after a weekend. I'll still see spiders in the out of reach places and even had one that webbed up my windex until a good gust finally broke its hold... but overall, the number of spiders has been greatly reduced over last year.

[chandlerman]

Originally Posted by imiloa

I'm also in the Chicago area and have experienced the annual attack of the spiders. I fight back on three fronts. (1) Inside the boat I vacuum regularly and place a few Bounce fabric softener sheets around. At the end of the season when I close up the boat for the winter I use the anti-spider spray you can buy at Menards to spray inside storage areas where they might hide. (2) Outside I use a spray from Spectracide (connects to a water hose or you can mix in your own sprayer) once every week or two and spray the boat, dock lines, and along the edge of the dock. (3) I shake out the sail and wheel covers overboard each time I remove them and spray them once or twice during the height of the attacks with the same spray I use inside the boat. I would think they would be easier to control if you're on a can.

Yep, I shake all the covers into the water every time I go out, sweep off the webs, smash every spider I see, and yet this year they keep getting worse. I used to have a different boat closer to shore on a star dock before I bought this one and moved to the can, and it was even worse for density, just less rigging and canvas for the spiders to live in.

Sounds like some chemical warfare combined with a few days of shaking out the canvas every evening (really, honey! I'm just going sailing to get rid of the spiders! ) is the best bet.