I went the route of netting this last year and couldn’t be happier. It does add 5-10 minutes at launch and wrap-up, but Its so nice coming back to the boat as clean as you left it. True, I would occasionally get a duck figure out they could still hop up on the boat or an occasional fly over bombing, but netting really made my boat less attractive than anything else around me. The worst offenders are the seagulls, and this has kept them away.
- For layout I split the boat in two (Port, Starboard) and had a net for each side.
- I thread a dyneema line through/along the top long edge of each net that was cut to the length of the boat + some.
(Samson Premium Amsteel Blue Rope 1/8”) I used different colors for each side- For attaching the nets, I ran from the bow stem > spin pole ring on the mast > boom tang > back stay chain plate. It's like a ridge line that sits above the cockpit cover.
- At each mounting location I used Snap Hooks or
caribiner clips tied into the rope at the exact(ish) distance for each mounting location. The clips grabbed a hold in the bow stem > the spin ring > the backstay > aft chain plate
- I also used different knot methods for attaching the clips to the rope at the bow and stern so I knew where each end of the net belonged (bow or aft). Maybe some zip ties would be better for identification here.
I let the edges of the net drape over the sides of the boat and trimmed for a reasonable fit so they would sit in the water
For lauch and net storage before sailing
- I would start at the bow and gather the net, detaching each clip and holding in hand working my way aft. I attached the clips to each other as I went.
- At the back of the boat I would then pull the clips/net through this two-sided trashcan/sleeve (
boat trash can ) for storage. This made it a bit easier to toss the nets in the cabin while sailing and I could quiickly redeploy at the end of the day.
To redeploy the nets, I would work in reverse starting aft and attach the clips to the mounting points as I went. One side at a time. Obviously, this was done after I had the cockpit cover on the boat.
Full links:
Netting - Greenscapes 100 ft. L X 7 ft. W Garden Netting
Line - Samson Premium Amsteel Blue Rope 1/8" Multiple Colors, Multiple Lengths, Strong Dyneema Fiber 2,300lb tensile Strength, Torque Free, Low Stretch, 12 Strand, Easy to Splice (1/8" x 50', Silver)
Clips - SHONAN 1.93 Inch Carabiner Clips, 4 Pack Flag Hooks for Flagpole Rope, Stainless Steel Marine Grade for Ropes, Keychain, Dog Leash, and Hiking
Trashcans - Boat Trash Bag Can - Boat Accessories Boat Owner Gifts for Men Boating Must Haves Reusable Mesh Boat Garbage Container(Black,YKK Short Zipper)
Alternatively, maybe some of these mooring fields need a honeypot for the bird. Maybe a floating dock just for them in the mooring field would be a more attractive place for them to hand out instead of the boats.
Bryce