Boarded with bad intentions?

[CPYB Sailor]

Wasp spray will incapacitate, too. Has a 25 ft range and readily available.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by CPYB Sailor

Wasp spray will incapacitate, too. Has a 25 ft range and readily available.

While I haven't sprayed a lot of wasp spray on myself, I do recall it being a bit mildly irritating to my eyes and to my breathing when some sprayed back at me when dosing a wasp nest in the gable of my home when I was below on a ladder spraying upward but not enough of an irritant to cause me to not be able to continue spraying and to climb down the ladder and walk to a sink to wash off the poison.

But according to this article Wasp spray is not considered a solid deterrent to humans. It is poisonous so it would need to be neutralized if you spray on your boat.

https://www.sabrered.com/blog/why-wa...ist-explains-0

Why Wasp Spray Won’t Work for Self-Defense Against Humans: A Chemist Explains
July 14th, 2016
A recent attempted robbery was unsuccessful - because of the robber’s choice of weapon. The man attempted to steal food from a Safeway, armed with a canister of Raid Wasp & Hornet Spray. The only problem? Wasp spray isn’t capable of incapacitating human beings. Store employees attempting to thwart the robbery were minimally affected by the spray.

The robber is nevertheless in significant legal trouble due to fine print on the canister, stating that the spray is “extremely flammable” and “hazardous to humans and domestic animals.” He is being charged with first-degree robbery as opposed to a misdemeanor.

So, why doesn’t wasp spray work against humans? We talked to our Nicole Robbins, SABRE Quality Assurance & Safety Manager for an explanation. Here’s what she said:

“The amount of active ingredients in the spray (according to the label) are 0.04% to 0.06%; the compound is typically ‘pyrethrin or pyrethroids, which come from a species of chrysanthemum plant,’ explains Extension.org. This active ingredient is meant to disrupt a wasp’s nervous system.

On the other hand, human pepper sprays target a human’s eyes and respiratory system. Think of the biology and size differences between wasps and humans!

Independent testing concludes that wasp spray is ‘minimally’ irritating to human eyes, so how could it be expected to incapacitate a goal-oriented attacker?”

Designed specifically for use on humans, pepper spray causes: involuntary eye closure; swelling of the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and throat; nasal and sinus discharge; coughing; shortness of breath; drying of the eyes; involuntary eye closure; painful burning of the skin; hyperventilation; and psychological effects such as fear, anxiety and panic.

Watch the video for a demonstration, and see how wasp spray is not capable of stopping a goal-oriented human per the link above.

Note the video is linked on youtube but requires you to sign in to prove your age, so it is easier to watch the video linked with the article.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...&v=9Uy9MnQfk_0

[a64pilot]

I have read one or two places that wasp spray won’t incapacitate, it has little short term effect, however it could cause permeant eye damage from the insecticide, but not immediately.

However it’s an internet truth that just won’t go away. Possibly maybe there is some wasp spray that is based on a petroleum product, then it would be like throwing gasoline in your eyes or similar, and that may work?

Years ago my Father was tearing an old barn down that had been used to hold hay, it was absolutely full of wasps, so he had several cans of the wasp spray. He would spray a nest and run away with them almost catching him. One of the men he had hired watched this and when he went to go shoot another nest he stopped my father. He put some chain saw gas in a Ball Mason jar walked up and threw it on the wasps. Instant death, they just shook for a few seconds and fell off.

[cpisz]

Originally Posted by Robertkwfl

The previous owner of my boat did exactly that. The upper wire was insulated where it ran through stanchions and was connected to a 12v fencer. He completed a solo circumnavigation with the boat set up that way. I haven’t turned on the fencer yet, but could imagine scenarios where I might feel more secure with it on. I’d rather deter/prevent someone from coming onboard than have to deal with them once they are on the boat.

I think that I call BS on this one. The electricity needs a ground return or it will do nothing. Electric fences have one end with a metal post into the ground. So then there is a path from high voltage though you then to ground. What is the ground return on the boat? Maybe the boat had a metal hull?

[Montanan]

There is a difference in the potency of various pepper sprays [type and percentage of the pepper ingredient] and also as to their delivery, the ones that generally are intended for deterring humans emit a typically more directed narrow spray and are generally shorter in effective range and of smaller dispensing volume, whereas the ones for bears are more of a dispersed fog since it is hard to hit a bear in the eyes when it is charging you and hold considerably more volume of pepper, say 10 to 15 seconds worth, kind of like a fire extinguisher in that regard. Both make life unpleasant. Bear sprays are best used in just a few second burst, reserving the remainder for a second or third spray if needed, good for about 25 feet in calm wind and more if aimed down wind.

[a64pilot]

I just looked it up. Bear spray is usually 1% or 2% capsaicin, where the spray meant to disable a person is usually 10% of the same product, so bear spray is nowhere near as strong.
https://www.selfdefenseninja.com/bea...ts-difference/

[Go Wildcats]

Pepper Spray and Wasp Spray comparison on volunteer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Uy9...has_verified=1

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by Go Wildcats

Pepper Spray and Wasp Spray comparison on volunteer.

Glad you posted this. It's crazy how many folks bought into the wasp spray myth.

[darylat8750]

Originally Posted by cpisz

I think that I call BS on this one. The electricity needs a ground return or it will do nothing. Electric fences have one end with a metal post into the ground. So then there is a path from high voltage though you then to ground. What is the ground return on the boat? Maybe the boat had a metal hull?

Not correct.

I've used electric fencing on our farm since the '60s. The fence has voltage but carries no current until touched by something that is grounded. You or the cow or the boarder become the ground that starts the current flowing through you. The question should be "On a fiberglass boat would a person standing on deck be grounded? Would a person standing in a dinghy reaching up to the lifeline be grounded?" It would be interesting to see if it would work. I know from experience that a person wearing tennis shoes on dry dirt is not well enough insulated from the ground to avoid a shock.

[cpisz]

Originally Posted by darylat8750

Not correct.

I've used electric fencing on our farm since the '60s. The fence has voltage but carries no current until touched by something that is grounded. You or the cow or the boarder become the ground that starts the current flowing through you. The question should be "On a fiberglass boat would a person standing on deck be grounded? Would a person standing in a dinghy reaching up to the lifeline be grounded?" It would be interesting to see if it would work. I know from experience that a person wearing tennis shoes on dry dirt is not well enough insulated from the ground to avoid a shock.

That is exactly my point. Thanks for saying the same thing that I did.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I have read one or two places that wasp spray won’t incapacitate... However it’s an internet truth that just won’t go away.

Yep. It was pointed out back on the first few pages of this thread that wasp spray is a total myth, does not work, will not incapacitate. That fact has been repeated several times since. Yet, we STILL have people posting about how perfect for self-defense wasp spray is.


You just kind of have to shake your head and wonder at some people.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by darylat8750

Not correct.



I've used electric fencing on our farm since the '60s. The fence has voltage but carries no current until touched by something that is grounded. You or the cow or the boarder become the ground that starts the current flowing through you. The question should be "On a fiberglass boat would a person standing on deck be grounded? Would a person standing in a dinghy reaching up to the lifeline be grounded?" It would be interesting to see if it would work. I know from experience that a person wearing tennis shoes on dry dirt is not well enough insulated from the ground to avoid a shock.

It’s actually brought up a lot in self defense threads, then what often squashes the idea is someone asks what does all that stray current do to your underwater metals.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

Yep. It was pointed out back on the first few pages of this thread that wasp spray is a total myth, does not work, will not incapacitate. That fact has been repeated several times since. Yet, we STILL have people posting about how perfect for self-defense wasp spray is.


You just kind of have to shake your head and wonder at some people.

You know though some of that stuff will burn? If so wasp spray and a bic lighter would be very effective.

Just kidding guys, its a terrible idea, don’t try it at home

[Sojourner]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

You know though some of that stuff will burn? If so wasp spray and a bic lighter would be very effective.

Just kidding guys, its a terrible idea, don’t try it at home

Actuallllly.... My parents had a big lemon tree once. Every year it would get INFESTED with giant stink bugs. Being a precocious kid, I came up with a fun way to get rid of them. I hosed the tree down with water, then took a can of engine degreaser, lit it up and in 1 min could burn all the bugs to a crisp and the tree was fine

Anywhoodle, degreaser shoots meters and is highly flammable. Just FYI if you need that sort of party...

[mikedefieslife]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

It’s actually brought up a lot in self defense threads, then what often squashes the idea is someone asks what does all that stray current do to your underwater metals.

Why is it stray? I don't know about other boats but on mine the lifelines are not electrically connected to anything else and certainly not the water. Old GRP boat.