Tips for Pest Control on Your Boat
Owning a boat means you have access to the open water whenever you want! Take pleasure cruises, go fishing, or tow watersports users with ease. When your craft isn’t in use, you’ll either dock it at the marina or store it at home. But when you come back to your boat after a few weeks or months, you might have to do some pest control.
Bugs, rats, mice, birds, and even some sea mammals can be a real problem for boat owners no matter where you’re located. You can find yourself dealing with torn seating, chewed plastic or wood, messy nests, and filthy animal droppings. It can devalue your boat and make it a real trial to get it back into good shape. Plus, it can really scare you when you lift up the cover to find a ton of creepy crawlies infesting your beloved vessel!
Clean Before Storage
One common mistake that owners make when leaving their crafts for the winter is a result of laziness. You simply forget to clean things up! Take the time to go through your vessel and pick up trash and recycling, remove all food, and take out any equipment. Leaving tarps or towels can provide animals with a place to nest, and leaving food or wrappers will draw them in with the smell. If you’ve cooked on your craft, remove your grill and clean up any spills. Get everything properly stowed away, leave your vessel pristine, and you’re much less likely to find bugs or mice later on.
Try Scented Deterrents
Most animals and insects are sensitive to certain aromas. Try mixing ammonia and cayenne pepper in a spray bottle and rub this along the edges of your boat to ward off otters and other creatures. Make sure to wear gloves and goggles while dealing with this caustic substance and don’t forget to clean it off in the spring so no one touches it! Repeat the application of this mixture every month to obtain the best results.
Keep It Covered
Many boat owners make the mistake of leaving their vessels uncovered and exposed. A tight-fitting cover leaves little room for animals to creep inside and make their boat your home. If your canvas cover has gaps or holes, then you’re pretty much guaranteed an invasion. Try storing your boat indoors if at all possible. An indoor boat storage facility or your locked garage will prevent many animals from seeking entrance as opposed to leaving your vessel out in the open.
We hope this guide helps you keep your boat clean and pest-free! Still don’t have the craft of your dreams? Visit Rockingham Boat in Hampstead, NH, today to check out our selection of boats for sale. We proudly serve all those in Manchester and Nashua.