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Termites on boats in Fort Lauderdale

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by Norseman, Apr 28, 2012.

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  1. cleanslate, Nov 2, 2018
    #21
    cleanslate

    cleanslate Senior Member

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    What a tape job! Big change to your new boat!
    I see a Matthews or Wheeler reflection in your Plexiglass window/door …? Yes? Looks like a Woodie powerboat. Do you know what it was?
  2. Norseman, Nov 3, 2018
    #22
    Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Aye, good eyes.
    Yes, A woodie, but not a powerboat, that there reflection was from a Crocker 46 ketch from 1965.
    It was a maintenance hog, as most wooden boats in warm climates with warm waters are.
    I don’t recall the Crocker having termites but they would have had a gourmet «Meal on Keel” aboard the ketch.
    It finally sank and sat on the bottom overnight.
    We got it patched and floated but with engine and electrics underwater it had little value.
    The insurance refused to pay and I sold it to a dreamer on eBay for $10k.
    He hauled it to repair the damage, then go sailing into the sunset.
    Instead he ran out of money and stopped paying the yard after a year.
    They chopped it up for firewood.
  3. Oscarvan, Nov 3, 2018
    #23
    Oscarvan

    Oscarvan Senior Member

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    Hmmmm, first time I've heard of it. So it DOES happen, but not on "most boats".....
  4. Capt Ralph, Nov 3, 2018
    #24
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Sometimes the construction wood comes with these lil furniture termites or others. They don't need soil or much other environment.
    One day you will pull out a drawer and find some dust that you know, should not be there.
    Our company has arranged a few tent gassings while on the hill. Nobody up here will gas a boat in the water (Jax FL).
  5. Worthyvess, Nov 12, 2018
    #25
    Worthyvess

    Worthyvess Member

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    Capt Ralph, why won’t they do it in the water? I would think you would get a better seal.
  6. Capt Ralph, Nov 12, 2018
    #26
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Chemicals over the inland waters.
  7. Worthyvess, Nov 13, 2018
    #27
    Worthyvess

    Worthyvess Member

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    Ok thanks. Probably against the law.
  8. Capt Bill11, Dec 8, 2018
    #28
    Capt Bill11

    Capt Bill11 Senior Member

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    Just had to have a 50 footer on the New River tented.

    $3000
  9. olderboater, Dec 8, 2018
    #29
    olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Was the boat docked at a wooden dock? Or other wood for the termites? Or what were they attributed to? Just the boat itself?
  10. Capt J, Dec 8, 2018
    #30
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    They usually don't touch the dock as the dock is pressure treated with chemicals and termites don't touch it. Usually they swarm from the neighborhood during swarming season and find a spot in the boat they can get into and make a home and start munching...….could be from a nearby house.
  11. olderboater, Dec 8, 2018
    #31
    olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    I was wondering where on the boat Bill was referencing or if he knew. Problem could be homes protecting themselves. It's like in tightly packed areas if one house treats for ants, then their neighbors better to as the ants are coming there way.
  12. Capt Ralph, Dec 8, 2018
    #32
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Thru the years We have found different kinds of termites on our customers boats. The main cause is termites were in the wood during construction, some from the dock, later verified true, some from the near buildings, later verified and some from the next boat, again verified.
    Here in Jax, the boat is tented on the hill. Huckins yard has been most accommodating on these projects.
    We have also found insurance companies do not cover this damage and even better, don't let the insurance company (or anybody) know you had them. Treat them and clean all up thoroughly.
    The important issue; treat completely and repair all damage. Your ships value depends on this.
  13. Norseman, Dec 8, 2018
    #33
    Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Yup, never seen no dock with no termite damage. Planks and pilings are pressure threated with bad-ass poisin.
    Had to tent house and boat, but dock is pristine..So far.:confused:
  14. Capt J, Dec 8, 2018
    #34
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    All of the dock wood I've seen (the green) is treated with arsenic and dock builders still use it and you can buy it. It's labeled "tropical wood" and has slightly rounded corners......
  15. Capt Ralph, Dec 8, 2018
    #35
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    In south Ga, You would be amazed whats used as dock deck.
    No stuff....

    In one case, the whaler boards in a floating dock were not treated.
    OMG, was taking forever to replace the tunneled boards.
    Then a storm took them out. New dock, no more problems.
  16. Capt Bill11, Dec 18, 2018
    #36
    Capt Bill11

    Capt Bill11 Senior Member

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    The boat is up the north fork of the New River and the dock is old.

    But I just think they came in a flying swarm at some point.

    By the time I figured out what was going on they were located at a number of points around the boat. But had done no real structural damage.
  17. ychtcptn, Apr 1, 2019
    #37
    ychtcptn

    ychtcptn Senior Member

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    Can you lead me to the companies that are doing boats in Ft. lauderdale, only found one, Dead Bug Edwards. Would like to get another quote, but seeing $3000 for a 50', maybe it is not that bad.
    Last edited: Apr 1, 2019
  18. Norseman, Apr 2, 2019
    #38
    Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    I remember talking to Dead Bug Edvardsen about tenting my sailboat, but they were rather expensive. Instead I used a company that had treated some rental apartments I had at the time, for half the price.
    (Can’t recall the name, believe they were in the Upper Keys.)
  19. Capt J, Apr 3, 2019
    #39
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Most of the companies in South Florida don't actually tent the houses or treat for termites themselves. They quote the price and a sub contractor does it. Obviously it's more expensive than going straight to a company that does it in house. Try calling Petri pest control.
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