Barn pests over the winter?

[Andy26M]

Hey all -

I think I'm going to have a spot to store my boat inside in a barn all winter this year. It'll be my first time storing it inside.

Being a barn, do I need to worry about mice or other pests? If so, is there a preferred way to deter the little brats? I know in the "old days" my dad used a box of moth balls in the boat to make sure mice stayed away, but his boat was an open ski boat with a lot less upholstery than my 26M, so he didn't have to worry about moth balls leaving a lingering odor inside like I do if I leave some in there all winter.

Thanks,
Andy

[Divecoz]

Andy I use those electronic pest machines. Plug them in and let them work.
I used to have numerous large dogs on the property and I stored their dry food out in the garage in a Big Plastic garbage can. It kept critter's out of the garage.

[Catigale]

CAT igale

[John McDonough]

CAT.

Inside the Fuel tank storage, I keep a carboard box and cushion for our cat. Our cat is half inside and half outside even in the winter. Last spring I took the cushion out to clean his area and the mice had chewed out the bottom of the cushion. I found the mouse nest under the pallet I use at the rear step-ladder. They recycled the cushion.

I never had mice in any of my boats (30years of boats) I had mice in my car. In the air filter, under the back seat, in the trunk, in the defroster compartment.

A exterminator friend guessed its food that attracts mice. ??

I hear snakes are good.

[kmclemore]

Well, I've never had'em in my boat, but the little buggers love cloth wiring looms on antique cars. I keep them at bay with traps baited with peanut butter. Check them weekly and that pretty much does it. When we catch one my sons like to watch me give the ex-mousie flying lessons into the woods.

[David Mellon]

I watched a scorpian fend off a kangaroo rat, l bet they can take a mouse. I would imagine training the scorpians would be the only hitch.

[Catigale]

Andy - you could probably duct tape shut the area around the companionway door (the cracks etc) which is the only entry point down below I can think of. Remove the residue in the spring with Goo Be Gone.

Inspect the tape weekly during the winter.they could chew through it of course.

Set traps in the cockpit and monitor for activity

The cushions and the sails are target items of course.

[ferd johns]

Lots of mice in Montana. Three cats, but we still need traps in the house. I also use peanut butter. Some years back, they destroyed the upholstery in a camper and ate the wires in a van. I now use mothballs in bowls throughout the inside all of the vehicles and boats I store for the winter. So far so good. I just make sure I air things out really well before using them, as the fumes are really bad. Carcinogenic, I think, but certainly seriously noxious.

Ferd

[bastonjock]

i dont have much of a problem with mice around the yard,its rats lots of them,they are encouraged by the animal feed bins.

Ive put all feeds into steel drums after the rats ate through all the plastic ones,they dont like open spaces so i have my boat in a field surrounded by an electric fence,the fence is to stop the horses damaging the boat and i find that the rats stay away from the horses.

i also put down rat poison in special bait traps,i have 3 ratters(dogs) and 1 cat

im also trying to encourage a young barn owl to live in my small woodland,ive put a tea chest up a tree (facing SE) and have been throwing in thawed dead mice,if you have a familly of barn owls,thay will kill and eat hundreds of rodents in a year

[Phillip]

We have a continual issue with mice and rats.
They get in to our seed when it is spread over growing media. They can easily clean out 6,000 pots over night.
Our solution is Rodent Bait Stations.
We have maybe 10 (wife maintains them).
They are 2 litre plastic ice-cream containers, with the lid on, and a good sized hole cut in the side.
We use a piece of core-flute screwed to the top to form a sort of veranda over the hole....keeps out rain....keeps bait dry.
We put the bait pellets in the container, the rodents go in for a meal, leave looking for water, and that is it.
We place them above the ground so domestic animals (dogs in particular) can't get to them.
We havn't had a problem with rodents for the past 5yrs. 100% effective.
We have to eliminate them under our Quality Assurance and Food Saftey Program.
So there is an idea for you.
Cheers
Phillip