I finally uncovered today and could not believe my eyes the boat looked as if it had been uncovered for years. There was dirt everywhere, I could not figure out what was going on. Hopped in there and found the answear. Looks like racoons made a home of my baby over the winter. There was SHEIT everywhere ! Footprints everywhere! Scratches everywhere! and did I mention SHEIT everywhere.

Looking around more I see they had chewed all the rubber switch covers and breaker covers. Those bastidages even ate the rubber ends on my boat hook. They chewed the GPS and FF connectors, but luckily no damage, just teeth marks. Oh did i mention there was SHEIT everywhere !! They also ate some of the bubble wrap I used to keep the cover from rippping over sharp parts. They walked over every inch of that boat leaving SHEIT everywhere....

They got into a storage locker (I left the door open) and ate styrofoam bobbers, paperwork, and a sharpie marker, (luckily it did not spill black ink everywhere.) Took one pic of that mess. Thankfully the cabin door was closed, or they would have eaten all the bumpers, jackets, and whatever else they could get their slimy claws on. Plus there would have been SHEIT in there too.

All I can say is: ITS ALWAYS SOMETHING !

that sucks!! good thing they didn't get inside:rocketem:

Van that sucks BIGTIME...Hope they died from all that stuff they ate..:yak6:

I have seen this to many times, thos little bastards are smart, and persistant.

sorry to hear about the bad luck , time to break out the 22 :rocketem: , i hear they taste like piping plover , i mean chicken

only that : porcupines are known to chew rubber not racoons...

but i guess... and sorry that happened to ya Van :doh:

That sucks Van!!!

Could have been worse Van....there could have been Sheit everywhere!:rotf2:

Sorry to hear of your trouble....I hope "MY" drink holder is ok?:rotf2:

Guy nest to me in the marina had racoons, ripped up every seat and made one heck of a mess. I was working on my boat when animal control came. He left the cabin closed so he got lucky there. To my surprise there was not crap all over the place.

At the end of this season put mothballs in all of the compartments.

you must be furious! I would be. Good luck with the clean up, be careful I'm not sure if the sheit can carry disease or not but don't take any chances.

Unfortunately your not the only person with this incident. A friend in Jersey had the same thing happen to him. All of the upholstery was ruined. Like yourself, he was p---ed off.
I have a few cats in my neiborhood that look at my boat with that envious eye.
:rocketem:

you could buy your boat motor and trailer for 250 bucks, then the varmints move on to the next boat on the street... uncovered mine and it was just like i left her... old and weathered :buds:

At the end of this season put mothballs in all of the compartments.

Really ??? That would be great, so its like a repellant? The only way they got in was from either side of the engine, easy to use it as a ladder. Maybe I only need to put mothballs in the splash well to gaurd the entrance. I think I will stretch some netting to cover the open spaces next to the power. and put mothballs in there too.
Is that a trick others have used? It won't attract other creatures will it? I know I won't have a moth problem !!!

Gonna hit the marine supply later today and see if I can get all the replacement parts. They never touched the fuel line or main electrical to the engine, so I can still run her and get her in the slip.

I hosed her down for 1/2 hour, I hope it rains heavy in the next two days to sanitize her (acid rain is GOOD)...
Then I can wash again, buff and wax, finish the repairs, touch up the bottom paint and I'm good to go.

Never have heard of moth balls for raccoons?

But we use them in the camper to keep spiders and mice from going in there.
Use to get spiders in the hot water, and furnace, burner tube. Then it would never work, always had to clean then every spring.

NOW they stay clean with moth balls!

Sorry to hear that Van.

Sorry to hear that Van. I know mothballs work for squirrells maybe coons also. I'll trade your problem for mine-- my boat sunk and now I am in insurance hell! I am hoping to get some news this week. Good luck with the cleanup.

Tell the wife, THATS IT! we have to get a new boat! I refuse to own a boat that vermin have made their nest in...it is just not healthy for us...I have to think of the family. Then propose a few alternatives.:hee:

sorry too hear that.. hard enouph to keep up w/ your rig w/o them r-coons..f----en verman...

Tell the wife, THATS IT! we have to get a new boat! I refuse to own a boat that vermin have made their nest in...it is just not healthy for us...I have to think of the family. Then propose a few alternatives.:hee:

NOW THAT I LIKE !!!!!

MY BOAT HAS BEEN VIOLATED:spidey: AND WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. WE NEED A NICE NEW CLEAN ONE AND SUPERSIZED TOO !!!!!!:claps: :claps: :claps:

My friend was not so luckey....