Fuming

[adsman]

I am soooooooooooooo p'd off right now. On my way home from the office, i thought i would stop by the storage unit because i havent used the boat in a few weeks... thought I would "check on the boat"... i do it often and it seems like a silly thing to always being doing... but i do it anyways.

well... i open the unit and everything looks good. The cover was on the boat, so unsnapped the cover and was HORRIFIED...

rats had apparently gotten into the boat somehow (with the cover on) and chewed holes in the vinyl in 3 places that i couold immediatly see ... one hole was about 2x2 inches with the foam removed as well ...

im so pissed that i cant even see straight right now! I dont even allow people to wear their shoes in my boat and the thought of rats destroying the interior disgusts me.

the storage facility is very clean and very nice... talked to the owner and he said he hadnt recieved any other complaints, but he would meet me on friday to put out poison and show me some options to move my boat to another unit (since my current unit is on the end closest to a resevoir)...

anyone have this happen to them?
what kind of options / costs am i looking at?

too mad to take pics... maybe i will do that on friday and post.

im on the northeast side of houston if anyone knows of any good boat vinyl guys...

[Razzman]

That really sucks. I've heard of that happening before but never knew anyone that it happened to. What year is the boat? If you want it retain the vinyl match you're going to have to order skins to match from the dealer if still available. It is possible an upholsterer could get the same vinyl if still made to match and you'd never know it happened. I had three bottom cushions redone in my old boat three years back and it cost me around $75 a cushion.

[adsman]

Thanks razzman... It's an 07lsv with white interior

[Razzman]

Definately chech with the dealer and maybe SC as well, i'll bet '07 skins are still available. With the hull ID number they'll know the interior colors and can match. All you'd need to do is get an upholsterer to change 'em out.

[Razzman]

Oh yeah, when rodents do that it generally means they're using the materials to build a nest. I'd look through the boat REAL thorough to make sure it's not in there. Also check all your wiring, a neighbor had a rat get in the engine bay of his truck once and ate up some wire, thing wouldn't start!

[adsman]

Thanks... Looking forward to my 100 point inspection onblack Friday... Gonna be dressed like john candy in the great outdoors!

[moombadaze]

Had a rodent of somekind in a older boat--ate some fuel lines and wires----check ever inch as much as possible

[jester]

I know this might be a lot of work but i would run water from the ski locker hole to make sure one is not hidding out in there. Also rats love cables. I have this problem all the time at work where the rats eat the data cables.

[cab13367]

Really sorry to hear that adsman. Wouldn't the owner of the storage unit be liable for this?

[wolfeman131]

Aw, that does suck. Sorry to hear.

I agree with others that you're going to need to check out as much as you can because those dang things chew ans eat everything. The squirrels (i.e. rats w/ fuzzy tails) get in our boathouse. Chewed the bimini boot last summer. I shot those suckers every chance I get. Built a special .22 rifle with high power scope & silencer to pick 'em off.