How do you eradicate a termite infestation

[conchaway]

I think an echidna will eat them.

[Carver Power]

They tent here in San Diego.

[roverhi]

Live in the termite capital of the US. Fortunately thin top soil so the ground nesting bastards aren't all that prevalent but the flying kind a constant presence. Nerve gas under pressure (tenting) is the only thing that gets the critters where they eat. Have tried spot treatment, Orange Oil, and some other remedies but all failed leaving the creatures munching expensively away. Boat will have to be hauled to do a proper job of tenting.

Looked at a Westsail 39 a few years back that had been virtually abandoned for a couple of years on a mooring off Lahaina. Almost every piece of plywood on the boat was just a thin veneer with air inside.

[GrowleyMonster]

Formosa termites are a big deal in the New Orleans area. Usually the boat must be tented. Bait doesn't work very well on these guys. We just these last few years saw huge swarms of flying tmites every spring, coming from some infested boats, looking for new boats to munch. They will chew right through foberglass to get to wood core. Solid fiberglass of course is immune, but what fiberglass boat does not have some nice yummy wood in it, somewhere? They get their required moisture from the bilge and from leaks. In a perfectly sealed boat they probably couldn't survive, because they need moisture.


We also see tiny carpenter ants and my Cal apparently had an infestation of them at one time before I got it. They like plywood, especially nice cabinet veneer, for some reason. They also like to nest in headliners. Easily killed with ant bait, or malathion, or even boric acid. Termites are tougher.

[inspectr]

Many years ago subterranean termites sank a wooden barge in Sydney harbour
A colonising flight landed in the barge, established a nest and ate out the timber to the extent that the barge sank.
As a building and professional pest consultant my best advice based on 20000 house inspections is that termite damage is invariably greater than first thought when the initial infestation is discovered.
We treat live infestations in houses with Arsenic dust, and some nasty chemicals that last a long time, some of which are claimed to be carcinogens, the best of them were the Organo-chlorides (Heptachlor), now banned here. We now use organo-phosphates which are much less potent.
Your first problem is to identify the species of termites and then get specialist local advice about their treatment. That is only half of the problem, you then need to deal with concealed, and probably extensive damage to decorative and structural timbers.
Fumigation (wrapping the boat in plastic) and treating with Methyl bromide gas is a not uncommon way of treating termites in Hawaii, but not often done here in OZ, but does occur when rare imported species are found
If I were reporting on a termite infested house for a potential purchaser I would unequivocally recommend not proceeding. I suspect the same applies to boats

[SKG56]

Thanks everybody for responding. This thing bothers me and I'm just don't think I want get involved with what it will take to assure eradication. I've made an appointment to see this boat and will be in Phuket anyway so I'm going to keep the appointment. The W32 I mentioned earlier is not in Phuket but Hua Hin and I've made an appointment to see her as well. I'm not in a big hurry but I'm going to put this work down sometime in 2019 so I'm on the hunt. Thanks again
Sam

[Lihuedooley77]

Great scoops on termite weapons of mass destruction...,

Great extermination tactics have been posted, we would add..

1. Lots of bacon, lettuce, and termite sandwiches .

2. Non- wood boat

3. All of the above, and be off on your sailing adventures. No worries.

From the many posts, you have great advice on how to whack 'em good.

But, a true story as usual...

Many years ago, we had a band of cops. outlaws, and other nafarious rascals who all hung at this same pub.
.
One of whom had an extermination company, Sitting at the bar, I would ask him how his termite company was doing.

His reply : " KILL A FEW, LEAVE A FEW ! "

Your choice , of course, but we would bail on the termite mound, and find a vessel that was void of termite bait.

Other than all of the above great advice, may you have a wonderful New Years party, and a fantastic 2019.

[SKG56]

" KILL A FEW, LEAVE A FEW ! " Yeah, I think that says it all, I guess I could do some major demo and come back with new, major in if it's bad. Going have a look anyway. Never been Ao Po Marina so looking forward to that. There is a Marine Supply House close. Been talking to them about other things. I'll go by there. After I've check out the Nic 35 I'll come on here and give a report. Hope the weather holds so I can get out of here on schedule.

[thruska]

Im with the idea of run away from a termite infested boat. Who needs the grief ?

[SKG56]

Who needs the grief ? Yes, I certainly don't, Been in communication alot with owner of the W32, he's told me everything he thinks it needs, I'll see, if it turns out that's he's right I'm probably going to make an offer on it. It's got that coppercoat paint on it and I'm not familiar with it. I think he said it was done about 3 years ago. I'm going to pull the boat so I'll check it out, will do some research on it. It's got a lot of cruising gear. He sailed it from Florida so I'll go over it real good. It's got a 30 HP Yanmar in it, I guess that's ok. Mine had a 38 HP Beta. That Nic 35 sure looks like a fine boat, to bad about the termites.

[Daniel Grant]

After everything said, Consider the expense of treatment and repair and then the value of resale. Also it will for ever be referred to as the termite boat. There are plenty of good boats that are of good value , reasonably priced. Be patient. Look and learn until you find the good solid boat priced at a good value.

[SKG56]

Originally Posted by Daniel Grant

After everything said, Consider the expense of treatment and repair and then the value of resale. Also it will for ever be referred to as the termite boat. There are plenty of good boats that are of good value , reasonably priced. Be patient. Look and learn until you find the good solid boat priced at a good value.

Yes, Being patient is a good attribute to have for sure, But I know the W32, I had a damn good one. Your right of course. This is probably the last one for me so I have to be sure that what I buy is the right one. I'm not in a big hurry. You never know who's going to show up in SEA with a fine boat and they're just done with cruising. That's what happened to the guy selling this W32. He's got a Thai wife and kid that sailed with him from Florida. He lives in Thailand and so he's just done with this. I'll see. It's all fun, but before I pull the trigger I'll be confident it's the right decision.

[Warren Drifter]

A very good discussion with much good information.

Termites are very intelligent insects, once called white ants but now being said to be part of the cockroach family. Whether you are on the hard, in a marina or on anchor a mile offshore, they can still get onto your boat. When they swarm. the female flies out loaded with eggs and where she lands, she discards her wings and looks for a place to start a colony and be the queen. They like to fly towards lights sometimes getting help for distance from a small rain squall. The next time you see what looks like flying ants in your cockpit, or after a rain storm see wings laying about, pick up a corpse and examine it carefully noting it's parts. If it has a head, a thorax & a body being altogether of three parts, it is a flying ant and pretty much harmless. If it has only a head and body being only of two parts altogether, then it is a termite. Another clue is swarming termites have two sets of wings and all wings are of equal length.

One good method to exterminate them (and their eggs) is by sealing the boat up completely except for a small opening to allow a hose from a dispenser can of Methyl Bromide. That poison is hard to find and most likely can only be obtained from a licensed pest extermination company and in a country that hasn't banned it.

I don't think you could ever buy any wood that is already infested with termites as they would be so obvious at the place of purchase but there are beetles that can be hiding in that nice piece of wood that you want to take back and spruce the boat up with.

If you are interested in beetles, read: Razzle Dazzle — Tiki 38

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by taxwizz

Termites....On a fiberglass boat?
Adaptation, mutation, and Natural Selection gone krazy.

fiberglass boats have wood stringers. wood trim. wood stuffies around. donot laugh. my ex husbands chris craft 38 commander, 1967, one of the first commanders to be laid in glass, had termites in stringers. happens mostly to those who laugh at others termites.

tenting works.

[LadyStardust]

I had termites infesting my bowsprit, I discovered this while in Thailand.
I understand that Rentokil are very good at handling this, however in my case it was only the softwood laminate in the bowsprit that was affected. The rest of the boat's wood is teak and termites don't care for that. Being structural, I had a new bowsprit made in Phuket, a good price and great quality. I also treated all the wood I could find, especially any non teak with Fipronil. It's been a couple of years and there's been no sign of any termites since.
I believe one company in Phuket, it may be rentokill, use infrared sensors/monitors to find the infestations and are very effective. It's also not that expensive to get the boat tented in Thailand and thoroughly gassed.

I was completely freaked out when I first found them, but like any big boat job, it always seems more daunting than the reality.