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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

mice, ants, critters--storage

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cayugaboater
1st Mate

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50 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/03/2009 : 19:56:33

Besides tarping well, what does everyone do to keep ants and mice and stuff from crawling up and inside. Had ants get into my other boat this year and a buddy had mice chew up all the halyards in his mast, so wondering what everyone else does?

89 wingkeel;std rig.
Sail #5811

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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 10/03/2009 : 20:08:35

I can't imagine a mouse climbing up the hull of a boat. Whether it's on a trailer or cradle, they'd still have to navigate the curve of the hull. So, i guess what you need to be sure of is that there shouldn't be anything overhead for them to drop down from or ladders, etc., they can climb.

Ants may be a different story. I think they can smell sugar. Okay, not actually smell it but you know what I mean. If you've spilled something make sure it's well cleaned. You also might try ant traps in a couple of places. Spray some kind of bug juice around the perimeter.

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Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 10/03/2009 : 21:02:40

Hang a pest strip before you close up. Nothing is total, but all the little things help.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 10/03/2009 : 21:08:32

If ants are truly a problem for you, get yourself a bag of field marking chalk (like for making the lines on a football field), pour a line around your trailer, ants won't cross chalk, it interferes with the formic acid they use for marking trails.

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5381 Posts

Response Posted - 10/03/2009 : 21:36:48

Remove all food, and wipe down all surfaces with fantastic or other cleaners. Check all drawers, behind the settees, in all the cracks, nooks and crannies of the cabin.

Remove all food, drinks, snacks, candy. Not much can be done about mice eating your wire insulation once they get in, but make sure you don't invite them in as the weather is getting colder. Also, remove all the halyards by replacing them with cheap messenger lines. Next spring, just replace the messengers with your halyards once again.

For ants, I found a pretty good goopy borax-based ant preventer. It's called "Terro" and you place a dab here and a dab there. Ants go directly for it, bring it back to the nest and in about a week, no more ants.

Sometimes you have to apply it again, since the ants "eat" it so voraciously.

The only food items I leave on the boat over the winter is instant coffee, sugar and creamer (I like my coffee light and sweet). I keep the coffee, sugar and creamer in sealed glass jars.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 10/04/2009 : 09:12:37

Mothballs are a pretty good mouse deterrent.

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 10/04/2009 : 16:49:44

Ill second that Terro is very good stuff to eliminate ants. Also, spray your dock lines and pilings with outdoor ant spray. And remove anything critters might like to eat or drink.

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dave holtgrave
Captain

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USA
427 Posts

Response Posted - 10/05/2009 : 14:55:19

i don't know how you are moored but,
if your dock lines are connected to the docks and the boat i could see mice running the dock lines.

on cruise ships when they are in port the place a circular type lid
(top of a 5 gallon bucket) over the lines just before they run into the ship.

great rodent protector.

consider.
may look a little tacky but, what does one cushon cost???

dave holtgrave
5722 sk/tr
sailing carlyle lake in southern illinois

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cayugaboater
1st Mate

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50 Posts

Response Posted - 10/05/2009 : 19:26:45

Thanks Dave and everyone for the ideas, I'm not talking about when im moored though, but more when its on the trailer and on the hard. Ive got some straps holding it firm to the trailer so I can get up in it without it moving, so i think i need to put something like those lids around the straps so they dont run up the straps and onto the boat.

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dave holtgrave
Captain

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USA
427 Posts

Response Posted - 10/06/2009 : 19:25:55

i have designed hundreds of food warehouses and i have seen rodent climb straight up the concrete wall and into the dock levelers then into the warehouse.

a trick i came up with was to put a flat metal strip about 16 inches below the dock levelers.
the rodents couldn't hold on to the metal.

kinda like the metal strip around the oak trees to keep out the squirrls.

i stay on the trailer myself but i have chains to hold the trailer down and the boat fastened to the trailer.

dave holtgrave
sailing carlyle lake in southen illinois
5722 sk/tr

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.