keeping mice out of a stored boat??

[H2O]

You guys have any tips for keeping mice out of a boat being stored for the winter?

The PO used dryer sheets, but I read this is a myth. I heard you don't want to use bait, because the smell of the bait may actually attract them into the boat.

I have a good fitting mooring cover that is really tight, but you know how it is, they can squeeze into just about anyplace...and a covered boat makes a nice dry nesting place.

Any suggestions?

 

[Gelcoater]

Go catch one of these,toss him in,cover it,and walk away.

 

[koenig]

Buy a tarp thats big enough to park on when laid flat and it has enough left over to cover to the side of your boat or cars as well. Not 100% but covering the bottom and top makes it a lot harder for mice to climb into a boat or car. Then put a bait box or two around the vehicle in storage.

 

[Tom Brown]

Mice can climb walls with little trouble. They can squeeze through gaps as narrow as 1/4".

Indeed, bait attracts them. They like it. That's why they eat it. From there, it takes a few days to kill them. Guess where the dead carcasses are going to be? Also, some mice are immune to poison. I think they thrive on it.

 

[Tom Brown]

I've long heard of the bounce dryer sheet trick and realized I don't know if it's true or just a myth so I did some research.

It would seem:
- bounce does indeed repel mice but not sufficiently to keep them from food if they are hungry
- peppermint oil from a health food store in a tray with cotton balls is said to work better than the bounce sheets
- of course, make sure there is no food or anything that might smell like food (your cooler, even after being cleaned out) left in the boat

 

[MalibuKen]

Moth balls seem to work sometimes as well to discourage them from entering an area.
I used them in my car for awhile and it did work for me. Just do not mind the smell.


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[Phebus]

Must be a vee, wouldn't have mouse problems if you had a cat.

 

[Deleted Account]

Must be a vee, wouldn't have mouse problems if you had a cat.

Very nice, Rick

 

[TITTIES AND BEER]

Moth balls seem to work sometimes as well to discourage them from entering an area.
I used them in my car for awhile and it did work for me. Just do not mind the smell.


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x2

 

[H2oracer]

I store my boat in a friends barn and have an owl that keeps the mice out of my boat. He does a great job.

 

[Mandelon]

Must be a vee, wouldn't have mouse problems if you had a cat.

This fine demonstration of your quick wit must mean you're cutting back on the pain killers. :thumbsup:thumbsup good one.

 

[Zaairman]

After a few years of keeping my boat in a barn (complete with mice), I've discovered a few things. The mice usually don't make a home in your boat. They just want to chew shit up (the cover, straps, seats, wiring, etc) to take back to their home. I have poison feed at both tires and the trailer jack on my boat. I also have poison feed spread out around the barn. While I've found several dead mice and rats inside the barn, I have yet to find a dead mouse/rat inside the boat. I've also discovered that if you put peanut butte on a mouse trap (the snap kind) and a rat gets ahold of it, he'll just drag the trap home and eat the peanut butter. :grumble:

 

[troostr]

My dad bought a street rod off a guy that had no less than 6 bars of irish spring soap under the seats, in the trunk etc- we could only figure it was for mice, or some sort of weird air freshner. Wild barn cats do a great job if you can keep them from pissing in your boat.

 

[pronstar]

Moth balls seem to work sometimes as well to discourage them from entering an area.

Wild barn cats do a great job if you can keep them from pissing in your boat.

I know that cats don't like moth balls...my mom uses them to keep cats out of her garden.

They just might work for mice as well.
But will definitely work to keep cats from pissing in your boat.

 

[Outnumbered]

When I stored my boat and travel trailer at Meadview (boondocks and shit loads of mice) I would take flat pieces of cardboard box and set about 4-6 traps on them in the middle of the boat/camper floor. That way if they got in and trapped they would not bleed on or stink up my carpet as they rot.

Now, as far as getting in I would make it hard for them. Don't tie or strap your cover to the trailer. Instead tie under the keel of the boat toward the bow and figure out a way to tie the back so they can't climb up the ropes/straps. Cut a hole and slit in an old frisbee or 5gal bucket lid and place it on the jack stand post so they can't climb it. They sell mooring rope shields like this at http://www.foothillsproducts.com/offboard.html you could make your own or get some for your tiedown ropes. Bait around the wheels and jack like Zair said.

Never had a single mouse in the boat and only caught a few in the camper trailer that likely climbed up the sewer hose while we were camping.

 

[MalibuKen]

Now, as far as getting in I would make it hard for them. Don't tie or strap your cover to the trailer. Instead tie under the keel of the boat toward the bow and figure out a way to tie the back so they can't climb up the ropes/straps.

The above is great advice as well. When I first parked my boat at my old property I had mice all in the boat, eating my bimini and the felt from the cover. I had my travel straps for the cover wrapped around the trailer as usual, and I had a tarp over that which touched the trailer as well. Then I had a thought, as Outnumbered said, if they cannot crawl on something from the ground they cannot get in.
So, I got rid of the tarp, took off the travel straps for the cover, made sure nothing on the cover touched anything on the trailer, or was close enough for them to jump on, and it worked. I had the boat sitting for 6 months like this with no more mice. I think they were unable to climb the sides of the boat, too slick (lots of wax ) to get in. Anyway, it seems to have worked for me, but I keep the moth balls in there just in case.
I am going to make some rope shields for the travel straps, keeps the cover tighter. Hope they work.