Go Back   Winnipesaukee Forum > Winnipesaukee Forums > Boating
Home Forums Gallery Webcams Blogs YouTube Channel Classifieds Calendar Register FAQDonate Members List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 08-07-2022, 02:06 PM   #1
Loub52
Senior Member
 
Loub52's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Meredith, NH
Posts: 202
Thanks: 195
Thanked 49 Times in 40 Posts
Default Swim platform duck scat

First season ever that the local duck population has decided that my boats swim platform is the perfect place to hang out for periods of time and leave their mark.

I tend to back the boat into its slip due to the ease of boarding and off boarding. I’ve seen people use daddy long legs devices with pretty good success on floating rafts to keep ducks away.

Any tips from forum members who have encountered the same issue?
__________________
Thanks,
Loub52
Loub52 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-07-2022, 03:40 PM   #2
Diana
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 64
Thanks: 331
Thanked 15 Times in 13 Posts
Default

They are on our raft this year. A rubber snake helped for a while but they look like they own it again.
Diana is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-07-2022, 04:18 PM   #3
Descant
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Merrimack and Welch Island
Posts: 4,003
Thanks: 1,203
Thanked 1,498 Times in 975 Posts
Default

At our marina, ducks seem to like some swim platforms more than others. Apparently due to height above water. All the boats are backed in. My platform is fairly high, never had a problem. Have to wonder what's changed that you have ducks now, but not before.
My daughter's dog, mostly a Labrador retriever, used to love to chase and bark at the ducks, and even swim after them. They left.
Descant is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-07-2022, 06:16 PM   #4
8gv
Senior Member
 
8gv's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,002
Thanks: 61
Thanked 700 Times in 455 Posts
Default

Ducks???

Try an otter or some other unknown predator that drags its prey onto my swim platform, eats the best parts and then leaves some for me.

There is not enough ketchup in the world for me to try those leftovers.
8gv is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2022, 11:48 AM   #5
Loub52
Senior Member
 
Loub52's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Meredith, NH
Posts: 202
Thanks: 195
Thanked 49 Times in 40 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Descant View Post
At our marina, ducks seem to like some swim platforms more than others. Apparently due to height above water. All the boats are backed in. My platform is fairly high, never had a problem. Have to wonder what's changed that you have ducks now, but not before.
My daughter's dog, mostly a Labrador retriever, used to love to chase and bark at the ducks, and even swim after them. They left.
I think you’re right about the platform height above water being a factor. Ours is pretty low compared to some others that back their boats in. Yesterday, we used some painters tape to secure tin foil to the platform as an experiment. Wind was calm so no real risk of the foil blowing into the lake. This morning, we found that the ducks adopted a platform a few boats down as their new home.
__________________
Thanks,
Loub52

Last edited by Loub52; 08-08-2022 at 04:11 PM.
Loub52 is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
Old 08-08-2022, 11:54 AM   #6
Loub52
Senior Member
 
Loub52's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Meredith, NH
Posts: 202
Thanks: 195
Thanked 49 Times in 40 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Diana View Post
They are on our raft this year. A rubber snake helped for a while but they look like they own it again.
Realizing our tin foil experiment wouldn’t be very sustainable, today, we swapped to trying wildlife/bird netting to see if that deters them too.
__________________
Thanks,
Loub52
Loub52 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2022, 04:09 PM   #7
Descant
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Merrimack and Welch Island
Posts: 4,003
Thanks: 1,203
Thanked 1,498 Times in 975 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Loub52 View Post
I think you’re right about the platform height above water being a factor. Ours is pretty low compared to some others that back they’re boats in. Yesterday, we used some painters tape to secure tin foil to the platform as an experiment. Wind was calm so no real risk of the foil blowing into the lake. This morning, we found that the ducks adopted a platform a few boats down as their new home.
Genius! Glad for that successful idea. Maybe hang some foil (Mylar") from a string tied between posts so it isn't torn off from the boat by wave action?
Descant is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:50 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.

This page was generated in 0.53213 seconds