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paulburn

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I hope to keep my boat under cover next winter in a neighbours barn where I suspect there are mice and possibly rats around. My question is, assuming I remove all the tastier items like seats and ropes etc, is it likely that the rodents could damage the boat itself? Do they like eating fiberglass ?!

Regards Paul

'Rebel'
Corsair trimaran F28r
 
Not sure about fibreglass, but I was crew in an old tug once and on returning aboard after a 2 week layup found mice/rats had made a nest behind the main electric control board in the engine room and scoffed half the wiring insulation in the process... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
You will need to make your boat completely rodent proof ie blocking up vents, spurling pipe, exhaust and cabin drains etc etc. Mice can and will get anywhere. They will love your cabin woodwork, your bilge pipe, your electrics etc etc. Quite frankly they will love you for putting it there. Guess you will be stripping the boat completely but wouldn't go for the barn option myself. I've seen a yacht that wasn't winter protected and left on a canal mooring...felt really sorry for the guy!
 
Assuming that you will be removing all loose stuff like cushions, sails and lines, what they seem particularly fond of is red PVC insulation on electrical lines.

If power is available you could try an ultrasonic deterrent, placed inside the boat. Some of these are very efficient but may interfere with other animals like cats and dogs if any of these are also present.

Another possibility to consider is this: I am assuming that the boat will be placed on chocks off of the ground. If it can be arranged, try placing each block in a shallow oven pan or baking tray. When the boat is finally in place fill the pan with poisonous goo, e.g. cheap treacle laced with warfarin or similar stuff. The only access for the pests to the boat will be through the goo. There exists also a form of non-drying adhesive to which anything trying to crawl across will stick firmly but (1) it is considered by many to be barbaric and (2) might not be legal in your country.
 
ultrasonics work fine in an open space, but in a boat, there are so many lockers, partitions & other enclosed spaces you will need one in every enclosed space - so probably not a practical solution on the boat. As Flossdog suggests however, a couple in the barn may be enough to keep the barn clear, which MAY stop them getting to the boat.
 
What you want is Little Nipper

mouse.jpg


Use Haribo type sweets as bait.
 
Jelly type sweets are easier.
I would warn that you need to make sure the bait is more towards the hinge than the other way as the poor little rodent needs to get his neck broken, not his skull smashed.
The latter may not produce the desired clean kill.
 
I have kept my boat over winter in a friend's barn (hay store as well) for the last 15 or so years when in the UK, and have never seen or had any sign of rodents aboard.

Hatches are left open as are the dorade vents, quarter berth opening light etc etc.

Ok, we don't leave any food aboard, but that's the only precaution we take. Cushions are always taken home as it happens, but my friend (whose barn it is) leaves all his stuff aboard and similarly has had no problem. Both boats are heated 24/7 throughout the winter, so one would have thought mice and/or rats would have been especially attracted, but no.

Just our experience, and it might be different in your proposed barn.
 
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