Tips to keep rodents out during storage

[Bad Habit]

 In the past I've kept my boat on the side of my house with no issues. This year I'll be storing it in a three-sided cover and concerned about rodents. I'm wondering what anyone does to keep mice out of the boat during winter storage. Any ideas would be appreciated.

[lost a lure]

Get a cat!

[Sk8man]

Suggestions;

 

If they really want to get in they will be there. Rodents are not the only potential culprits: raccoons, squirrels, voles, and even muskrats if near water. Rodents can get into VERY small spaces or openings and can climb into supposedly inacessible places.

Take every item you can out of the boat (e.g. cushions cushioned seats, life preservers, plastic items.

Plug up any visible access points into the boat.

Place clothes dryer sheets all around the inside of the boat including any compartments, places with wiring (they love to chew wiring).

Cover your exposed sections of transducer wires outside the boat with aluminum foil and enclose the transducers with zip lock bags taped.

Don't leave any items you value or food products etc. in the boat. Spray Lysol into compartments and anchor locker (they also chew rope).

Consider placing a tarp over the entire boat and tie down with bungi cords. Don't leave your drain plug out.

Just some ideas that have helped me over the years when I have stored my boat in a nearby barn. Before doing anything I had a squirrel nest in the bow that had chewed up a good life jacket, another time a feral cat was in the boat in the Spring when I went to get it out. Never a problem since doing the above.. By the way an additional thing I do is place an open bag of charcoal in the anchor locker and in the bilge to prevent potential mildew and moisture.

 

Edited October 10, 2022 by Sk8man

[Bad Habit]

Thanks. I have heard of dryer sheets before. I also remember my parents using moth balls in a boat stored in a Boat house. It did seem to work but the smell lasted long after the moth balls were removed. 

[Garywalleye]

 Put a PIcture of Hillary  Clinton

[jeb1340]

I’ve never done this but I’m going to try it this year, put the trailer up on Jack stands and cover the posts in two sided tape or glue traps! My fear is they might just climb over their stuck friends.

[Hillbillyx-press]

Put bait stations around outside of oat

[frenchy 1957]

i use the most  smelly  dryer sheets seams work  for mine has a mouse  eat tru a livewell hose not good thing to happen

[thumbburn]

The 5 gallon bucket trap… simple and effective… Feed them and they die….. fill bucket with antifreeze 

[emtystringer]

dryer sheets and cut a couple of bars of IRISH SPRINH SOAP and place it around the boat flore ocamperr

[orangediablo]

GREEN Irish spring soap. Not blue.   Has worked so far in boat and camper.

[Bad Habit]

Thanks for the info