Keeping seals off the boat

[Kelkara]

Thanks guys ... lots of good ideas ... I like the idea of mothballs in the cockpit, simple and sounds like it might work. Someone also suggested placing netting on the side-decks, apparently the otters don't like getting their feet caught in it ... all I need to do is convince them to leave me alone and go poop on one of the derelicts moored out in the bay.

unfortunately my pier doesn't have any liveaboards, so there is nobody regularly walking the dock and scaring them away.

[taxwizz]

I bet that otters are DELICIOUS.

[Rough Magic]

Motion sensor sprinklers work on seals,should work on otters I would think.

[19thol]

aren't you afraid your boat will sink if you get rid of all your seals??

[Maka]

The electric fence idea has merit. Inexpensive and even possible to run off of solar.
1,500 volts ( low amps ) gets any animals attention.
Used it for our horses. They only touch it once.

[phydeaux]

I've spent way to much time trying to restore gelcoat from sea lion skin oil.. Even seen two smaller boats sink under the weight of several of the large critters. Southern Pride has it right - the 12v preventer works - you may want a separate (car) battery.. May be illegal in some jurisdictions, but it works....

[billgewater]

Being from the tropics, you should take my advice with some salt, but I have never had a croc on my boat ....yet. But if the otters venture regularly onto your boat, why not make the pathway tricky. If they jump up out of the water, to go under life lines, then netting may help. If they climb onto the transom platform, why not place some very smooth sloped rigid plastic sheeting e.g polyethylene with a waxed surface on the pathway they use. A flat surface with rollers covering the full width prevents the little blighters from getting a toe hold as well.
An alarm pressure can connected to the pathways used can also help although it may minimise the number of friendly neighbours. Maybe you can find some revolting smelling spray in a can. A piece of thin ply wood with a small pressure trigger switch underneath wired into a 12 V DC alarm (dirt cheap) could also help.
In the pacific islands it is common practice to sprinkle brass tacks onto the deck to prevent locals pilfering your boat while away or asleep.
Place a picture of the Donald at the transom?
If all else fails place plastic sheeting across the cockpit floor so the crap can be easily removed.
What do the other locals do?
What you have that most otters don't is a great brain. You have to win.

[contrail]

Interesting observation about mammals and latrine areas. I have always thought that birds, or at least some birds, do the same thing. Anyone know if this is true?

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by Rough Magic

Motion sensor sprinklers work on seals,should work on otters I would think.

The company I bought my motion detector alarm from also sells the sprinkler models. I figured the sprinkler would work well on cats and certain varmints, but not so much on otters. ...logic being the otters would invite even more of their friends over to their crap-fest parties if free showers were available.

Plan B was to trap and relocate the buggers. You can buy bait specifically for otters.

Plan C was what FINALLY got rid of em' for me.I discovered that rapid LOUD noises associated with high speed projectiles fired in their general vicinity sent them packing for good.

[foggysail]

Originally Posted by Kelkara

I got back to the boat yesterday after a couple of months away ... and judging by all the poop on the dock the local seals (sealions?) had been using my dock for a party ... but worse than that when I removed the tarp from my boom I saw that the party had continued in my cockpit ... It was full of poop, stinking, and had completely blocked the cockpit drains. SO the cockpit was more of a cess-pit!

A few minutes of shovelling, followed by a couple of hours washing and scrubbing and it was all cleaned up ...

Seals need to be taught that they live in a NDZ

[friz]

Hire an Eskimo?

[ski69sail]

Hi There

This has to be the funnest post I have read for the longest time.

We do not have otters in New Zealand so this is rather interesting.

Best of luck...

Ray

[Kelkara]

The little beast came back last night ... jumped onto the boat from the dock at the bow, ran down the side deck ... pooped on my jib sheets and left ... before I had time to get out of bed and confront him.

I'm gearing up for war now.

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by Kelkara

The little beast came back last night ... jumped onto the boat from the dock at the bow, ran down the side deck ... pooped on my jib sheets and left ... before I had time to get out of bed and confront him.

I'm gearing up for war now.

Maybe set up a livecam so we can all watch. Good luck...you're gonna need it

[Bill Seal]

What keeps me off the boat is the "honeydo list"