Bugs and anchor lights

[rwidman]

With the Zika issues, Consumer Reports did an analysis of repellents that shows the products with picaridin or deet most effective. Other sites and studies show deet as best.

Deet has bee around for years. I go to Walmart and buy whatever has the highest percentage of Deet. My wife has to fool around with dryer sheets or skin lotion. She gets bit, I don't. The trick is to put it on before you go outside.

When we head south, we have a problem with "no-see-ums". They are small enough to fit through the screen wire. I read once about a product to spray on the screens to keep them out but I've forgotten the name and can't find anything in the stores that claims to do this. Anyone heard of it?

 

[HeadedToTexas]

Might be permethrin. That's the stuff you spray on pants or shirts or lawns that dries and remains repellant for weeks or even months. Makes sense it would work on screens. Interesting.

 

[tadhana]

2nm LED anchor light 19 feet off the water. Has worked for hundreds of nights from the keys to New England. We do not use any other lights but we sometimes see boats with inexpensive garden lights on the bow and stern.

We have screens on every opening every evening. To go cruising without screens is asking for trouble. The cabin lights in the evening will attract a lot of bugs on their own. After lights out, the anchor light is far enough away from the cabin that it does not seem to add appreciably to the hoards already attracted by the cabin lights during the evening.

After 30 years on the Chesapeake, we observe that the bugs are worse along the shore. That is where they expect to find mammals and so they don't seem to be out in the anchorages. When you are in a marina the bugs can be bad, but anchored 2-300 feet way from the shore there are many fewer insects.

 

[tadhana]

We have tried the Shoo- Fly screen and surface spray which is supposed to last for weeks. We have only seen it help very briefly, like nano seconds. Deet sprayed on screens seems to work, but be very carefull it will damage isinglass, plastics and paint.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

ShooFly is Pyrethrum, a flower derivative, which sounds a like SkinSoSoft. Picaridin is a mild irritant and masking agent. DEET is a more potent masking agent that makes it hard for insects to smell their prey. Since screens don't smell like prey, it makes sense that it wouldn't do much for screens (except dissolve the plastic kind).

Permethrin on the other hand, is a nerve agent that is lethal to insects in sufficient doses (as well as to humans at some really high dose). Works wonders.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
When using repellents keep in mind any family pets that may be on board OR that will visit. What might be a tolerable dose to a human might have adverse effects on little Cuddles...

 

[HeadedToTexas]

Permethrin is marketed as FrontLine flea and tick repellent for dogs.

 

[markpierce]

2nm LED anchor light 19 feet off the water. Has worked for hundreds of nights from the keys to New England. We do not use any other lights but we sometimes see boats with inexpensive garden lights on the bow and stern. ...

Having an anchor light 20-plus feet above the boat doesn't seem to necessarily attract bothersome bugs, but I've been swarmed by bugs in the Delta with no lights showing, a hundred or more yards from shore at night.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. HtT. " DO NOT use permethrins on cats and DO NOT use any product on a cat unless it is specifically made for cats. Small dogs are more susceptible to pyrethrin/permethrin toxicity than larger dogs since their surface area to weight ratio is higher. Symptoms may be seen within a couple of hours, especially in cats."

From this article: Pyrethrin and Permethrin Toxicity in Dogs and Cats

The only point I was making was be aware of what "bug juice" you are using and possible effects on animals. Not everyone has a dog. Sailboat next to us had budgies. Overheat a Teflon pan on the stove and dead budgies...

 

[tadhana]

Having an anchor light 20-plus feet above the boat doesn't seem to necessarily attract bothersome bugs, but I've been swarmed by bugs in the Delta with no lights showing, a hundred or more yards from shore at night.

I'm guessing it might be different in the Delta compared to the Chesapeake? We sometimes get swarmed by midges. They reproduce on a two week cycle and we have the data to back that up! They do not bite, but swarm in the millions and make a mess with their blue green excrement.

 

[Steve]

The worst case of bugs I have seen was one on night when we anchored about 50 yds off of the wooded shoreline on the Mermentau River in La., about a mile off the GICW on a trip to Houston. I had the anchor light on, plus a 12v lantern to light up the inside of the FB. The next morning the FB floor and the decks were covered with, it must have been, thousands of tiny moths. I really would have needed a leaf blower to get rid of them but finally was able to wash them all off with bucket after bucket of river water.

 

[kev_rm]

Having grown a few million plants in controlled environments where bugs will wipe out your yearly income in a matter of days... Pyrethrins don't do jack compared to synthetics.

 

[markpierce]

Tad, my boat had gathered many "mini-greenies" in the dark. When returning to Vallejo (home port) and heading into steep five-foot waves at the eastern end of Suisun Bay, the heavy water spray washing down the boat turned the run-off green.

 

[Pgitug]

If you want to add lights to your vessel add red lights. The bugs can't see that color and therefore are not attracted to them.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. Pg. I don't know if red lights would be allowed in addition to one's anchor light...Might be mistaken for running lights somehow...

 

[Pgitug]

Greetings,
Mr. Pg. I don't know if red lights would be allowed in addition to one's anchor light...Might be mistaken for running lights somehow...

We have these lights mounted high under our stern deck over hang. The light source can not be seen but the entire stern is illuminated. These lights are so cool.
Switch on: lights are white and getting brighter
Switch on again: white light holds intensity
Switch on third time: Lights turn Red.
All on two wires. And we have two lights on the single switch. Amazing. Pick your color and select your level of intensity.

 

[BruceK]

Greetings,
Mr. Pg. I don't know if red lights would be allowed in addition to one's anchor light...Might be mistaken for running lights somehow...

Or a bordello, attracting a different kind of pest.

 

[rwidman]

Having grown a few million plants in controlled environments where bugs will wipe out your yearly income in a matter of days... Pyrethrins don't do jack compared to synthetics.

OK, please tell us what insect repellants do work. What works the best while still being safe for humans and pets?

 

[rwidman]

Greetings,
Mr. Pg. I don't know if red lights would be allowed in addition to one's anchor light...Might be mistaken for running lights somehow...

Good point. You must have a white anchor light that meets USCG specifications and any additional lighting must not mask the anchor light or confuse other boaters.

Bugs can be an annoyance but not as much as being hit by another boat because they didn't see or recognize your anchor light.

 

[Waywego]

Permethrin is marketed as FrontLine flea and tick repellent for dogs.

I believe Frontline is fipronil and (S)-methoprene.

A good breeze is the best big repellent we have found. [emoji6]

 

[dvd]

I'm a West Coast guy - born, raised & lived 60+ years here before cruising about three years on the East Coast. I was amazed at both the number and variety of little flying buggers that visited our boat on a regular basis back there, especially south of the Carolinas. It ended up being a "deal breaker" for my wife who is very sensitive to insect bites and reacts quite strongly.

We tried the garden-type solar lamps (4 for $10 at the local discount store) stuck in rod holders to increase visibility while at anchor, but they were major bug attractors, and since they weren't really "mounted," but just placed in the rod holders, a few of the lamps ended up at the bottom of various locks after being bumped out of the holders by lines. We didn't replace them...

 

[swboater]

bugs

I came across a bug repelenent last summer by accident. We were about 6 miles offshore on lake Mi, got swarmed by blackflies and could not out run them. Swatting them I tipped over a Coke.2 minutes later, no bugs.They went to spilled Coke.I poured a coffee cup half full of Coke,set as far from helm on flybridge as possible and it attracted them. Now, I use it at anchor, work;s for us.In the morning, cup is full of dead bugs

 

[Martin J]

Always had a pproblem with Mosquito's in the caribbean, About 2 seasons ago I started taking B1 Vitamin with Thiamine. Works great, and seems to build up in your sytem. So if you miss one daily dose it's not a problem. I gather it does not work for all, but certainly worked for me.

 

[dhays]

Always had a pproblem with Mosquito's in the caribbean, About 2 seasons ago I started taking B1 Vitamin with Thiamine. Works great, and seems to build up in your sytem. So if you miss one daily dose it's not a problem. I gather it does not work for all, but certainly worked for me.

We used to do that backpacking in the Cascades. Would start taking the B1 a couple weeks before a trip. Not sure how much it helped, I always get bit much more than those around me.