How to Keep Mice of Boat over winter? Any ideas

[jcuts9]

So I am going to store our pontoon boat in a large barn/garage over the winter. The last time I did it the mice chewed up my storage cover for the popup top. They did get in the boat but luckily did not do much damage. People said to put dryer sheets and irish spring soap in there so we did. The soap didn't work, because they ate it.

Some people have said to try mice away rodent repellent. Just looking to see if anyone has any other ideas? This is in upstate NY so no cats or anything will survive in there.

thanks

[yatesville88fan]

Spearmint oil in small containers. You can find it in the baking section of some stores.

[PJ-Rohlf]

There are some rodent repellant packs but I think you have to replace them like every month or two. I usually stuff dryer sheets in every opening, any place they could get into the hull. Knock on wood but has worked for me....

[plbass]

Moth balls work good also

[bassnpro1]

Poison packs work for awhile. I learned that most of the mice were accessing my old boat from the extension cord I had plugged in. There was no way they were climbing the smooth fiberglass and it was the only thing that made sense unless they were dropping from the rafters. Bucket traps work a bit also.

[School Master]

I had mice get into my pontoon last winter. They got into the freaking cowling of the motor and ate almost every wiring harness in the motor. Over 3k in damage...

At this point I will be loading it with dryer sheets, moth balls, poison, spearmint oil and soap....

[mean_dean]

Get yourself a rat snake and put in the barn.

[unknown angler]

Start trappin them before you put your boat in there. then put Fresh Cab packets in the boat. Keep the trap line going.

[Madmar]

I get a plastic container like what ice cream comes in, put moth balls in the container (so the moth balls never touch my boat). Next spring the moth ball will still smell. Once you take your cover off the smell is gone in an hour or so. In the past I put dry sheets in my compartments, however after a short time the scent of the dryer sheet wore off.

[jb882]

I have used the fresh cab packs, you can get them at tractor supply. They work really well. I used them in the little shed for my pool where mice were a problem every winter. Never really had an issue after i started using them.

I used them in the boat too during the fall when i was still fishing. Before i put the boat in storage for winter the mice would get in looking for a place to make a shelter on cold nights. They would get into compartments and chew on my rod handles, lifejackets and such. Never had an issue after i started putting these in the compartments.

[fly by night]

A big cat works very well around barns!

[BP in ME]

I have a lot of deer mice here and at my camp. The only effective strategy I've ever found is to put a bucket trap in the cockpit and a peppermint oil in a couple of the compartments (I put cotton balls soaked in the oil in an empty cat food can so I can remove the oil when boat/camp are in use). Need antifreeze in the bucket for winter use and check monthly. Non-food grade peppermint oil available online for cheap.

[rjvana]

My friend who lives East of me in the foothills has a new Corvette. He went on vacation Rather than leave his Corvette at the airport he took a shuttle to the airport. When he got back mice and or rats had gotten into his garage and destroyed all the wiring under the hood and dash. What is in the newer wiring that is so appetizing is beyond me?

[IndianaBassMan]

Get yourself a rat snake and put in the barn.

Uhhh....not for the winter

[mean_dean]

You can also use the bucket trap baited with peanut butter, a few different types of them you can find on youtube.

[jb882]

My friend who lives East of me in the foothills has a new Corvette. He went on vacation Rather than leave his Corvette at the airport he took a shuttle to the airport. When he got back mice and or rats had gotten into his garage and destroyed all the wiring under the hood and dash. What is in the newer wiring that is so appetizing is beyond me?

Some manufacturers have gone to a soy based insulation on the wires because its "green" compared to petroleum based wire insulation. The problem is rodents love it....

My father in law had a similar deal to your friend on his 2015 Tundra. They went on vacation for a month and the tundra sat outside under the carport where it always did and the field mice just ravaged the harness under the hood. Cost like 5k to get it fixed too. Now if they leave it for any expended period it goes in the garage.

He parked his old Tundra in this same spot for a decade and never had this issue.

[Hoot]

Bars of Irish Spring Soap �� placed in strategic locations way better than Mothballs

[jcuts9]

They ate the Irish Spring I put in, that was the soap brand

Thank you for the tips

[river rat 7]

peppermint oil

[Moose720]

www.mouseblocker.com works