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Duck opener in Parker, AZ


wakebrdr94

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Starts tonight if I come out to a trashed swim step and transom one more time. They even went in the boat this time. About to set up a blind on our deck with a pellet gun. Only other idea I have is a mid evil looking thing of a board and a bunch of nails coming out of it. Any suggestions before the hunt starts?

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Migrating ducks land on everyone's dock at our lake. I've tried a few things but it turned out all I needed was to tie a rope about 12" above the dock -- I just tied it along the dock posts that stick out above the deck.

For whatever reason, having that rope a foot off the deck deters the ducks from landing on the dock or swimming and jumping up. Some neighbors have caught on and done the same. I used to get loaded with duck crap before I put the ropes on. Works so well it seems silly.

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Boat lift?

I back in to my boat slip for this very reason.

I've seen guys build a little fence around the swimstep to keep them off.

Or Google "bird repellent ribbon". Stuff like this.

Tie it up in the rafters above your boat. Or use a fiberglass/bamboo pole on either side of your slip with a few yards of ribbon tied to the top.

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I thought I saw a thread where a guy laid a stick on the sundeck, sort-of sticking out over the swim platform, and it kept them away. He said it looked like a snake sticking out. It might be worth buying a rubber snake and laying it on the swim platform, and maybe another one up on the sun deck, coming down over the rear edge a little???

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Tie a cheap, blow up, kid toy alligator on the swim step. Put another on the sun deck. I've seen them work!

Edit: Like this one

(not that there's anything wrong with the board/nails idea)

post-8942-0-30102100-1345568989_thumb.jp

Edited by Michigan boarder
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1) Dog

2) Plastic owl

3) Sprinkler on dock (not on boat)--old pump with intake in the lake

4) Motion sensing "dog bark" alarm for home intrusion

We've tried a few things over the years.

On the Seattle waterfron the harbor patrol and/or fire (can't remember which) use a motion detector triggered sprinkler to keep the seagulls off of their zodiac-style boats. Though, I'd definitely try some of the more low tech solutions first.

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The sprinkler worked, but it was only viable once my parents were living there full time. We actually ran one of those boy with the boot plastic statues for a while as well--flowing the output stream just behind the back of the boat. Shoreline of the dock got pooed a little bit with that, but not much.

Cheaper/easier would be the ribbons or rope for sure.

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Have seen lots of yachts at marinas that hang old cd's. The shine of them is supposed to scare birds. seems to work and who doesn't have an extra cd or or 2

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An expensive option would be getting a zero touch cover. I just tried a google search for them however and couldn't find them. Do i have the name wrong? I'm talking about that boat lift cover that drops down on all sides of the boat. Anyone know what I'm talking about? if that company went out of business I will be sadder than the saddest panda.

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An expensive option would be getting a zero touch cover. I just tried a google search for them however and couldn't find them. Do i have the name wrong? I'm talking about that boat lift cover that drops down on all sides of the boat. Anyone know what I'm talking about? if that company went out of business I will be sadder than the saddest panda.

I think I know what you're talking about..... It probably looks like this one I look at out my back window everyday! It's called a Touchless Boat Cover.

IMG_1015.jpg

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IMG_1013.jpg

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My Touchless Cover comes down to about even with my swim platform. Mine is setup so I don't need to lower the tower. it has 7' curtains. You could set it up so you lowered the tower, and had it come down further on the boat, and I'm sure only the prop would be visible. Even the way mine is, the sun doesn't hit the gelcoat at all, which is what I really cared about.

Cost wise- Yes, they're a little more expensive than your typical canopy, but not by a ton really. When I was shopping boat lifts this spring, the "standard canopy" was around $2500 from most lif manufacturers (including the frame). It jumped to $3500 if you wanted to add those short extensions, to add about 12"-18" off the bottom of the canopy. This Touchless Cover would retail at about $5500. That's for a 26' long cover, with 7' tall curtains. For the $2k difference, my gelcoat never sees sunlight. The boat will be worth that much more when I sell it due to the condition of the gelcoat. Convienence wise it's also awesome. Just pull in, open your compartments if you need to dry anything out, and drop the cover. I've never had a single DROP of rain on the boat after a rain storm. It stays 100% dry, and I never need to go put the cover on the boat if a storm is coming like you would have to with a typical canopy. I LOVE the cover.

The only birds I've had come under mine are swallows. They started swooping in there on day one!!! This thing took care of them though. It takes about a week to change their behavior, but they haven't been back since!!

http://www.amazon.co...keywords=bird x

Maybe this bird repeller would keep away the ducks also?? You'll need 100V for it though. It has a motion activated mode, that will run on batteries, but the small birds didn't activate it. I had to put it on constant on mode, which requires 110V.

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8d1bcfa3.jpgA full boat lift is a bit much for our place when I only use the place as weekend at a time or a week or two here and there. They swim the canals, then in the morning, they've left me pissed off. Now matter how early I get up, I don't catch them. That's why I'm thinking a blind from the deck is my best option :guns: i really feel like they are taunting me
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Oh yea, the Keys. Forgot about you having a place in there.

So what are the other owners doing in there? Seems like a removable pole of some kind with the streamers on it, dangling over the swimstep, would keep them off pretty easily. Just remove the pole when your using the boat (so someone doesn't accidentally hit it), then replace it back on the dock whenever the boat is parked in it's place.

You could even make it non-permanent on the dock by using a heavy object of some kind to support the end of the pole. Think about a dock mooring whip & run with it a little.

mooring_whips_1_s.jpg

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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Do you cover the boat at night? How about a new boat cover that covers the platform? I think if it's kept tight, the angle of the fabric coming down off the sunpad would keep them off. That, or just get a swim platform cover made. Then you don't need to clean it off the platform at least.

If I was you, I'd at least try the rubber snake and see if they stay away. It might be a very simple, cheap solution.

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I usually don't cover the boat unless there is a thunder storm in the area. I will start covering now though after this morning. I'm thinking of heading up to havasu and home depot to go get a board and some of those bird spikes to set on the platform at night. To top it off, somebody actually boarded my boat last night and stole my iPod and thumb drive. First time in 20 years coming here and had something stolen. I actually felt like the boat was safer here on the dock than in the water at the camp grounds. Go figure.

Im not sure what others are doing, I'm guessing the plastic owls as I'm looking out the window.

Edited by wakebrdr94
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I usually don't cover the boat unless there is a thunder storm in the area. I will start covering now though after this morning. I'm thinking of heading up to havasu and home depot to go get a board and some of those bird spikes to set on the platform at night. To top it off, somebody actually boarded my boat last night and stole my iPod and thumb drive. First time in 20 years coming here and had something stolen. I actually felt like the boat was safer here on the dock than in the water at the camp grounds. Go figure.

That really sucks that someone stole somethig... I think I'd cut a piece of plywood to the same size and shape as the platform, and cover it with bird spikes (or long screws through from the back side). Maybe if someone comes back in the dark, they'll hop on the platform without looking!!! I think you'll hear them then!!!

Another idea, and I have one of these on my lift under the canopy:

http://www.amazon.co...on sensor alarm

They work EXCEPTIONALLY well!!! I have one under my canopy, on my shed where I store all my watersports gear, the back side of my house, and the front side of my house. The little base unit goes in your house, we have ours on the night stand next to the bed. The base unit beeps the number of beeps with which zone was activated, and that light on the base unit lights up. I actually had to adjust the sensitivity on all the sensors down to low because squirrels and rabbits in the yard kept setting them off!!! For the price, this things works ridiculously well!!! That link I posted is the base unit, and one sensor. You can add 3 more zones (Actually, it will listen to up to 16 sensors, in 4 zones). I just have 1 sensor in each of the 4 zones, but might add more after seeing how well it works. There's a link to additional sensors on that page.

Looking at that picture of your place, you could put one sensor on each of those corner posts, kind of angled down towards the dock. If anyone is messing around back there, you'll know. They would probably alert you to ducks too!!

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The pictures of the motion sensor don't show them, but they do come with mounting brackets. You use 2 small screws to attach the bracket base, and there's a small "ball mount" type thing that clicks into the back of the motion sensor so you can aim it where you need to. They are battery powered and wireless. All you need to do is add batteries, and link them to the base.

I am honestly very surprised at how well a system this cheap actually works!!!

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I'm just up river from the keys sometimes at a friends house and there is a couple of ducks that swim around the area, but have never climbed up on the boat. Same when I am staying at the casino down river from you.

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I think I know what you're talking about..... It probably looks like this one I look at out my back window everyday! It's called a Touchless Boat Cover.

Thank you! This is what i was talking about sorry it's no help to the OP but it helps me rest easy that they're still around. 5 more years until I can get my greedy paws on one. I can't wait.

Edit: LOL on the wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man. That's so what you need.

Edited by wakeboarder3780
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8d1bcfa3.jpgA full boat lift is a bit much for our place when I only use the place as weekend at a time or a week or two here and there. They swim the canals, then in the morning, they've left me pissed off. Now matter how early I get up, I don't catch them. That's why I'm thinking a blind from the deck is my best option :guns: i really feel like they are taunting me

That, sir, is a beautiful set up.

I'm really thinking if you just put a couple of cheap floaties on there it will not leave them room. They don't know that a floatie only weighs 6oz, they will see a bunch of mass that they can't get past.

As a last resort....maybe it's not getting up early that's the trick, but staying up later. Double up your efforts this weekend with extra beverages, some buddies and stoke that fire. "Can't come to bed babe, don't you remember? I'm on duck patrol".

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