Getting Rid of Spiders - start of season blitz

6kidsurf

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Reading a few of the posts, found the benefits of dryer sheets to help keep spiders away (which we are going to start using). Since I have not used them before, and expect when I open the boat up I will find way too many spiders - I wondered if I should do a one-time-start-of-season blitz of the spiders. There seems to be a few ideas on the forum (e.g., Suspend SC, homemade spray with peppermint oil).

So my question is: to start the season off (and then use dryer sheets from that point on) would you recommend I use Suspend SC spray OR should use the homemade spray with the peppermint oil in it or something else?

Any thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated!
 
I use vinegar/water mix in a spray bottle ,I spray it on my dock and on the dock lines . Since it is caustic ,it may shorten the life of your dock lines . Hopefully the rain washes enough of it off .Either way I check my lines a few times a season

 
I use vinegar/water mix in a spray bottle ,I spray it on my dock and on the dock lines . Since it is caustic ,it may shorten the life of your dock lines . Hopefully the rain washes enough of it off .Either way I check my lines a few times a season

Good ole Vinegar! Removes water spots, spiders and helps people lose weight also makes our stomachs feel better. Good job Jack M
 
I use vinegar/water mix in a spray bottle ,I spray it on my dock and on the dock lines . Since it is caustic ,it may shorten the life of your dock lines . Hopefully the rain washes enough of it off .Either way I check my lines a few times a season

Consider using moth balls if you're trying to protect for long periods of time (like winter storage) put about a dozen balls in each of 2 flat containers. One up front and one in the back. Keeps insects and mice out...MICE WILL CHEW THRU ELECTRICAL WIRES! Very expensive to repair.
Just air out in the spring & you are good to go (the fumes are not good for people).
 
Did you guys spray the vinegar/water mix on your seats and bimini - given you said it is caustic I suspect not - but had to ask - as I hope to find something I can spray the whole boat at the start of the season
 
No . I do not spray any vinegar on the boat . The closest I get to the boat is the dock lines
 
I am shocked that spiders are an issue. You’re saying that spiders will walk out 100 yards out on the metal dock, crawl along my dock lines, just to go into my boat and poop on my seats?
 
Yes ,and they will bite too
 
I honesty need to try a couple of the ideas above. Spiders are just a frustrating and ever present nuisance for keeping the ole boat clean AND my wife REALLY dislikes them. Thus any surprise guest creates a “get rid of it moment” rather quickly with her. Maybe treating dock and dock lines can help really reduce them greatly as suggested above.
 
I am still shocked at the prevalence of spiders on boats according to all the posts. In my neck of the woods, we don’t have a super bad presence of spiders... at least not in my house, so I never really gave it much thought. I’ll have to check with the marina to see if it’s a problem with the boaters on the docks, but I almost feel like the spiders deserve to poop on my boat if they make it all the way the hell out to my slip... over my dock lines... across my floor... up my seats... and poop on my simtex. Resourceful little buggers.
 
The marina where I keep my boat started using an environmentally safe spider spray a couple of years ago and we have almost no spiders. Maybe a couple little one's here and their but it has taken 20 minutes of cleaning up spider mess off of my daily boat launch routine. They raised the slip prices some to pay for it but it is worth every penny.
 
I am still shocked at the prevalence of spiders on boats according to all the posts. In my neck of the woods, we don’t have a super bad presence of spiders... at least not in my house, so I never really gave it much thought. I’ll have to check with the marina to see if it’s a problem with the boaters on the docks, but I almost feel like the spiders deserve to poop on my boat if they make it all the way the hell out to my slip... over my dock lines... across my floor... up my seats... and poop on my simtex. Resourceful little buggers.
You might feel that way until they realize how nice your Bennington boat is and start nesting and living on it when you aren’t around...
 
Talstar-P is the best for the boat and around home. That is what the professionals use. Buy at Amazon
 
I am still shocked at the prevalence of spiders on boats according to all the posts. In my neck of the woods, we don’t have a super bad presence of spiders... at least not in my house, so I never really gave it much thought. I’ll have to check with the marina to see if it’s a problem with the boaters on the docks, but I almost feel like the spiders deserve to poop on my boat if they make it all the way the hell out to my slip... over my dock lines... across my floor... up my seats... and poop on my simtex. Resourceful little buggers.
Without the boat, we’d be none the wiser about them. With the boat, it’s startling how attracted they are. Lots of water = lots of bugs = lots of food for spiders. Obviously they are in yard and trees, but totally go unnoticed. But on the boat, they stand out. They love it over the water for the food that is there.

You might be better off at a marina though. Larger facility, perhaps sprayed and keepign them at bay...? Further from their starting point in trees and a yard with a marina? Anyway, buy a cottage with a yard dockside and it‘s shocking how well they proliferate.
 
Without the boat, we’d be none the wiser about them. With the boat, it’s startling how attracted they are. Lots of water = lots of bugs = lots of food for spiders. Obviously they are in yard and trees, but totally go unnoticed. But on the boat, they stand out. They love it over the water for the food that is there.

You might be better off at a marina though. Larger facility, perhaps sprayed and keepign them at bay...? Further from their starting point in trees and a yard with a marina? Anyway, buy a cottage with a yard dockside and it‘s shocking how well they proliferate.
Ours is in a marina and we keep a broom aboard just to clear the webs
 
Without the boat, we’d be none the wiser about them. With the boat, it’s startling how attracted they are. Lots of water = lots of bugs = lots of food for spiders. Obviously they are in yard and trees, but totally go unnoticed. But on the boat, they stand out. They love it over the water for the food that is there.

You might be better off at a marina though. Larger facility, perhaps sprayed and keepign them at bay...? Further from their starting point in trees and a yard with a marina? Anyway, buy a cottage with a yard dockside and it‘s shocking how well they proliferate.
We will be at a very active marina with about 300 other boats, plus boat and jet ski rentals. Our slip is about 100 yards out from the large parking lot. Not very woodsy; maybe a small patch of grass and a couple big trees, that’s it. Hope it’s not a problem; I freakin’ hate spiders.
 
It's amazing how fast spiders move in near the water. The night after my new dock was put in, it was covered in spiders.

Side note: it's fun to flick them into the water if there are fish around.
 
Before the lake house and private dock, we kept our boat at a covered marina. All of the human activity had no effect on the spider population. But two things made a big difference for us. First, we suspended a heavy blue tarp horizontally from the rafters over the slip, which nearly eliminated spider poop dropping down on the mooring cover. (It actually didn't look that bad because everyone else did it, too.) The locals insisted that the tarp had to be blue for it to work. Second, we discovered a product called Suspend. It kills every bug and has a pretty good residual. Don't forget to treat your dock lines.
 
Before the lake house and private dock, we kept our boat at a covered marina. All of the human activity had no effect on the spider population. But two things made a big difference for us. First, we suspended a heavy blue tarp horizontally from the rafters over the slip, which nearly eliminated spider poop dropping down on the mooring cover. (It actually didn't look that bad because everyone else did it, too.) The locals insisted that the tarp had to be blue for it to work. Second, we discovered a product called Suspend. It kills every bug and has a pretty good residual. Don't forget to treat your dock lines.
Please share pic of blue tarp set up :cool:
 
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