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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Anyone dealt with Snakes on their Boat

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Emile_Richardson
Deckhand

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USA
4 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/29/2008 : 16:13:07

So starting around one month ago we found a snake skin in our hull when we were doing some cleaning in the cabin. It stretched up into the vent tube that connects to the fuel vent, when we pulled the whole skin out it was around 6' - pretty scary - but we didn't see any snake on board. Two weeks ago we went out again and found another skin about equal in length in the cockpit seat storage cabinet.

So now we're wondering how to proceed ... My brother in law thinks the skin looks like some kind of pit viper | water mocassin. Has anyone dealt with this, we're considering just calling some pest removal service but this might not deter them from coming back. All we could really think of from looking at the internet was perhaps mothballs in the storage bins and making some type of closure screen for the fuel vent. We already don't have food on board so that's not the issue...

Any advice anyone, this is a new one for us!
Thanks,

Ed

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2008 : 19:33:06

Yeeeikes! The "dumpster" (port side cockpit locker) opens into the bilge... You really don't want to "find" a 6' moccasin or viper in there--I'd find an animal control service to take a look in your bilge. When you have a negative report, screen off both vents.

No, I haven't dealt with that one! But there's a movie about a plane...

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2008 : 20:19:51

Two weekends ago I was down on my boat installing a battery charger and I happen to look in the cockpit of the boat next to me and there sunning it's self was a nice size water moccasin. I believe he must have crawed up the cockpit drain.

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2008 : 21:39:45

Rodents and frogs are the food that interests snakes, not left over Twinkies. Screening access from openings near the water should be adequate - they can't climb hulls. They can access from the dock, and that seems more likely, A six feet long moc or rattlesnake would be pretty fat for getting through the scuppers, but a common water snake might make it. Stop by a natural history museum with the skin, a lot of snake skins look similar after shedding.

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3463 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2008 : 05:54:28

Just great ! There is no way I am telling my wife about this posting ! She gets the creeps even if she sees a snake on TV !

I was hoping that this posting was about a bird preventer - One of those plastic snakes. This is bad news - Hope you can get rid of wherever that snake is hiding and/or prevent it from coming back since he seems to like your boat. I am not sure what you use to discourage a snake - They sell "Snake Away" but it gives off an odor. maybe mesh screens on openings...on scuppers/drain holes....but they possibly could get clogged if mesh is too fine.

Edited by - OLarryR on 06/30/2008 05:55:43

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2008 : 07:27:54

OH Boy!!! snakes on a boat. I'd had a small sailboat on a dock at Lake Eufaula Alabama and had seen large brown water snakes near the boat once and once on the boat as I was just leaving the cove, I had moved forward to disconnect the boom and I saw one jump off the back.

Our joke ( among the men, we don't mention it to the women ) is the first person that goes down to the boat has to de-snake the boat ( make a lot of noise )

Non-poisonous watersnakes.

I think I'm going to plug every hole on the boat!

But hey.. you want it plugged to keep away the bugs. I bought wire screen and I try to cover any openings.

Edited by - on

Stardog
Captain

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USA
319 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2008 : 08:19:48

This is a first in my book. I've had friends in the past who had concerns about snakes coming in their scuppers, but I've never heard of it actually happening. I even know a couple who went as far as plugging the scuppers when they would leave the boat. Any snake that could enter through the scuppers would have to be pretty small, and a water moccasin even just a couple of feet long would be too fat. A snake could get up an anchor rode, but it's more likely you're tied into a slip. If this is the case, I would discuss with marina management, they probably have ways of dealing with snakes living under the docks.

Edited by - on

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2008 : 08:26:43

Heard of the dangers of heavy weather, but not this!!!

The first lifeguard to get there scared the venomous copperheads off the swimming dock of the YMCA day camp in NJ where I taught swimming. Our snakes were well behaved, but they were not cornered and could swim away to their side of the lake.

On the other hand, the timber rattler I ran over with my motorcycle in the woods of Pennsylvania years ago chose to coil up and try to strike rather than escape, and he paid the ultimate price.

Some boats are just crawling with critters, you know? Good luck clearing the friendly snake out of your boat, Ed!

Hope this isn't your boat!

Edited by - JohnP on 06/30/2008 08:27:49

cat1951
Admiral

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USA
636 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2008 : 08:35:30

I am not too proud to say that I don't care what the Admiral thinks, I am deathly afraid of them too. I was ok until I had a bout with a rattler in Colorado. From then on, they were added to my s**t list. At least a rattler lets you know when they are going to strike..

A good snake is a dead one in my book. Yes, I know they can be beneficial.. but as far as I am concerned, they can be beneficial somewhere ELSE!!!!!

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2008 : 09:21:17

I'm afraid of em also and I don't want them around, kinda like the alligators.. but really my point is they always try to get away as soon as we show up. We had the boat in a really snakey area and they only showed up twice in 5 years. Not resident.. just passing through.

I think I'd spray the dock with something nasty...

I'm making some new companionway boards now... so you can believe I'm gonna make sure they snug up tight!

Sounds like the snake has learned a new way to shed his skin... with your scuppers.. I think I'd run a screw into the side of that scupper so the screw point ends up in the middle of the hole..maybe.

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3463 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2008 : 11:23:00

I like that idea with the screw in the scupper hole. Maybe improvise on those mole traps where it is spring loaded and the spikes come down when the trigger lever is disturbed...but then you have to do some post-mortem action to clear the scupper ! I can just see it now...Boat US magazine featuring boat sank in heavy rain when snake clogged scupper hole after dying from owner's improvised trap !

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2008 : 11:43:01

So that's why that bilge pump won't prime.... It has a snake in the line!

Edited by - on

tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2008 : 11:57:21

Ed, seems to me that two skins in one boat indicates more than a casual visitor. Possibly you have a resident viper somewhere on board. The proof will be when the third skin appears. Mongoose anyone? Or you might get a transparent tube the length of the larger of the two skins that the critter left behind...cap one end and bait it with Mac-Viper food

and check it often. If it is a pit viper(google and note the shape of the head) call your local poison control agent and WAIT

Val on Calista, #3936, Patchogue, N.Y.

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2008 : 12:08:51

In all seriousness I'd spread some "snake off" ( or whatever they call it) all over the dock.

The kind we have at our local hardware store is a pellet/gravel like product and it stinks of chemicals. Many people spread it around barns.

Some people also use a powered sulphur that is not as smelly.

Edited by - on

jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 06/30/2008 : 12:34:31

The only snake we've ever had was the two legged kind

Edited by - on

Emile_Richardson
Deckhand

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USA
4 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2008 : 22:30:37

Thanks for your thoughts everyone, glad to know that
we're not the only ones creaped out by snakes ... actually
I was reading the other day that some of these viper snakes
can be pretty dangerous if they bite you and get direct to
a vein or artery ... in any event, the screw through the
scupper Ray is a pretty ingenious idea. I might give that
a try - other than that I think at the end of the day we've
decided to get a critter person out there who's willing to
root around through my lifepreservers and hopefully rid of
of this (or these) pests. I'll post again if the story has
an interesting ending. :)

Edited by - on

mroettersr
Navigator

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USA
148 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2008 : 23:02:47

On western Lake Erie, we have the endangered brown water snake. I had one enter through my scupper and take up residence in my fuel locker. After a lot of probing with my boat (snake) hook, the thing went back out through the scupper. My solution was a plastic chore ball stuffed in the scupper. It seems to work and still provided good storm drainage. Since these snakes find their way into boats frequently, it's easy to see why they are endangered. Some dumb power boater in our marina was shooting at one with a pistol. I ran for cover.

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 07/09/2008 : 12:34:29

Around here you can buy a red rubber gasket material at Ace Hardware. Seems it would be pretty easy to cut the gasket round and drill a hole in the hull, put in a SS screw with bedding compound and mount that flap on the outside of the scupper.

Scupper flaps.

That would probably keep the snakes out.

Beats using the snake charmer...

http://www.verney-carron.us/

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 07/11/2008 : 10:04:00

Ahhh..... Springtime in the south. From some friends of friends ranch in Texas on their morning walk this week. They claimed they did not want to go that way anyway.

Edited by - on

Stardog
Captain

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USA
319 Posts

Response Posted - 07/11/2008 : 15:35:07

Awww... Look, their all coiled around each other affectionately. It's rattler love! =D

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 07/11/2008 : 18:49:23

...no, rattler lust.

Edited by - on

tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2008 : 09:42:05

RATTLERS THEY BE

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