Boats and RATS!!!

[Y-Not]

Went to sit in the boat and get it ready for its next outing only to smell fuel.

Found a rats nest under the floor in the tank area and they had chewed the fuel lines for both main and reserve tanks.

Had a good look around and found the wiring for the transducer chewed. Kept on looking VHF ant lead, Nav light cabling and worst of all main engine harness chewed behind the control box.

Well this weekend I am starting to do all the repairs to wiring and fuel/breather lines.

Any advise on effective deterrent / repellent to stop the suckers coming back.

The boat had been used only 2 weeks before and had been washed thoroughly inside and out on the return home. No bait or food products left on board. No fishy /bait rags there either. I completely remove all gear due to a previous experianc with lite fingured youths helping them selves.

Any ideas?

[onerabbit]

there is a good comercial product called Tomcat........1 feed

just leave a couple of blocks UNDER your boat

Muzz

[ozscott]

Jack Russel Terrier poo...or you could just stick a JRT in there for a few mins every weekend...I do...works wonders.

Cheers

[swof63]

Just let Bengalcat play in the boat every week.
No rats/mice/small-medium mammals or reptiles will survive that.

Cheers

[ozscott]

I have a Bengal too. He loves nosing around the bilge! Cheers

[wags on the water]

Ratsack!!!!!

[dnej]

Put eucalyptus on a rag, and leave it in an open container, in the boat. I use three or four of them . Buggars ate my new bunk covers,years ago.
David

[swof63]

Hey Ozscott,

I don't want to turn this thread into an animal appreciation post, but do you take your Bengal fishing?

I've always wanted to as she would love it but given how much she loves water I've always been worried she'll jump in for a swim and I normally fish in fair current!!

Cheers
Craig

[ozscott]

No mate but he loves playing in the water left in the shower and often mucks around in light rain!
Cheers

[Y-Not]

Funny you should mention Bengals, My wife has arranged to go see a breeder of them on Wednesday as a replacement for one of our old girls who died recently. Unfortunately our cats are all house cats so wont be able to do the rat hunting for me.

I am unable to use Tomcat or ratsack for fear of my dogs or chooks eating the remains when they go off in search of water to die.
I have tried an electronic repellent but it seems to not be doing much as they are into the boat and shed again.

Joys of acreage/bush living I suppose!

[Jarrah Jack]

I can send you up some Australian Terrier poo. There's always a fresh supply.

[robothefisho]

Do you store it with the trailer safety chains, light plug and motor off the ground out of reach of your average rat?

[ozscott]

Little buggers climb wheels...

CHEERS

[swof63]

Y-not,
My Bengal is also predominately a house cat, but I take her for a walk every day on a shoulder harness and lead ( got to find a way to tire her out somehow otherwise i'd get no peace). So if I want her to scare something off I just put her in the boat and tie her off while I do maintenance/muck around and she either scares off anything around or leaves enough scent to deter vermin while she mucks around in the boat.

If your wife is contemplating one you need to know these cats aren't normal- they are pretty full-on, lots of fun but very active, mischievous,
boisterous and like a lot of attention. Not for the faint-hearted.
I wouldn't change mine for the world, they are awesome companions.

Cheers
Craig
Craig

[ozscott]

My Bengal greets me every night at the top of the driveway WITH the 2 German shepherds. He thinks he's a dog most of the time. He loves average living and mucks around with the chickens too... He competes with my JRT for best brown snake culler. Cheers

[swof63]

I hear ya ozscott, as I said these things ain't normal. Ours has so much attitude, but at the same time is very social and friendly. We call ours the doorman coz every time the doorbell goes she's the first one there. Having one you obviously know how strong their character is.

Cheers
Craig.

[Mickyduck]

G'day, run all your wiring and fuel lines in a conduit, use a plastic plumbing water pipe like rehau, it has a product on the outer surface that rats don't like, for 90 degree bends use a bend support that fits on the outside of the pipe, this stops it from kinking. Cheers Mick.

[marto78]

Find an old snake skin and leave that in the boat the rats will be out of there quick smart.

[timddo]

Just clean your boat

[Y-Not]

OK I have just joined the Bengal Appreciation club! Wife and I picked him up on Sunday. He is 14 weeks old and so full on it seems ridiculous.


Timddo, I clean and wash out the boat and trailer after every trip. Unfortunately where it is stored it is not very far from either the wood pile or the chicken pen. Both of these things are great at attracting rats and mice.

[Noelm]

kind of funny how rats like boats, I have seen floors chewed through and seats chewed, wiring destroyed, fuel lines chewed through, I bet that pissed them off when they got a mouth full of petrol! only thing worse (well for me) is those bloody White Cockatoos, I have declared war on them ever since the shredded the near brand new seats in my old cat! and then they ripped the next door neighbours cedar windows to bits! he hates them too now, whenever I see one, I toss a bloody great stick or rock at them, noisey shits of things they are, it's a toss up what is worse rodents or White Cockies!

[stue2]

My wife has a list of her favorite things.

There are 30 cows, all with their own names, three dogs, two cats, two kids and everything else that lives on a farm. There is a pecking order here. A Bengal would only displace me one more step.

However when I got my new boat home, I covered the guages to help keep the dust out and the cats moved into their new home almost imediately. Seems they liked the high ground and still do.

Only time i get any assistance from the royal list when the boats concerned