What to keep the mice out

M

moospis

New Member
Oct 28, 2008
18
Lake Minnetonka
Boat Info
1979 Searay SRV 240
Engines
1997 350 Mercruiser
Hi all- Getting ready to put the old Searay into storage and was wondering what anyone uses to keep mice out of their boat. I have heard of dryer sheets and moth balls and even dishes of laundry detergent. What does anyone else do to solve this problem?
 
Remove the food, button it up and add traps. Check them periodically to see if they have been sprung and reset them. They only need a hole the size of a dime to get in so keeping them away is the first line of defense. You can use traditional traps or glue traps. Just make sure that they can't drag it somewhere where you won't find it.
 
Bounce Dryer Sheets work well. From all indications this will be a banner year for mice for several nests were found at my daughters marina this week. Storage boxes for new outboards were clean a week ago and the mice have moved in early this year.
 
Although they don't smell that great, moth balls work very good. I overdose my boats with them and have never had an issue with mice, squirrels etc. I store outside with a tarp cover. I live in a very woody area. I get mice into the garage and house from time to time. Never in the boat.
 
Moospis - how will the boat be put up? On a trailer? Maybe some physical barriers would work - then your boat won't smell like great-grandma's closet...:smt001

Mice can't climb up the hull side, can they? If it's on the trailer, taking the tie-down straps off should help.
 
Just throwing mothballs around beneath the boat will help keep them away before they decide to move in. Personally, I've never used anything specifically to keep rodents away and have never had any indication of unwanted guests during the winter. I use damp aways throughout the boat during winter layup, maybe those help.
 
Endless seas.....good one!!! At the hardware store (or h depot) they sell small battery operated "things" that make a high pitch sound that mice and other animals don't like, I don't remember the name but they are cheap and come in a elec. plug in type and battery type. they work. Without the moth smells
 
Small bowl of Prestone AF. Won't keep them out but their plans are disrupted.
 
nyminute said:
Small bowl of Prestone AF. Won't keep them out but their plans are disrupted.
Click to expand...

Great - they drink the AF, get high on the juice, then crawl into a little nook somewhere on my boat and die! And you just know that this "nook" will not be accessible by humans. On the plus side, I'll have a wonderful ammonia smell that I can't figure out where it is coming from! :grin:
 
Mildew control bags. They emit an irritating toxic gas. The mice will not stay around that stuff. And it prevents mildew. 2 for 1!
 
The cat tore up my upolstery getting in and out of the boat. But I didn't have any rodent problems. I haven't seen the cat lately, I think she had a cayotee or hawk problem.:grin:
 
Lazy Daze said:
Moospis - how will the boat be put up? On a trailer? Maybe some physical barriers would work - then your boat won't smell like great-grandma's closet...:smt001

Mice can't climb up the hull side, can they? If it's on the trailer, taking the tie-down straps off should help.
Click to expand...

While on the stands, I can't even climb onto the boat. How's a mouse going to get up there? Even if a bird dropped him, he'd slide off the shrink wrap.
 
Lazy Daze said:
Great - they drink the AF, get high on the juice, then crawl into a little nook somewhere on my boat and die! And you just know that this "nook" will not be accessible by humans. On the plus side, I'll have a wonderful ammonia smell that I can't figure out where it is coming from! :grin:
Click to expand...

Unless they are huge the AF usually kills them before they get their belly full. BTW, my cat finds them everywhere and he works cheap.
 
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