Muscats? Seriously?

[Capt. Rodbone]

Okay boating brethren, I look forward to posting this and seeing the myriad of responses. We are safely in a marina in Trenton ON, CA waiting out a nasty and still building blow, so the perfect day for this new to me topic.

So what I originally scoffed at as being just the next thing my wife found to worry about as we enter the second half of our Loop, I now think the topic deserves some research on my part. A quick search of the forum using keyword “muskrat” turned up quite a few threads.

It’s safe to now ascertain this is a real issue, and not a version of what we southerners refer to as “a snipe hunt”. What I’m trying to figure out if there is anything I need to do to our boat? Pay what I understand these guards cost, much less two of them? Hope not. Fabricate something on my own while we sit out this weather? Maybe but not preferred. My question is whether or not I need to do anything given our boat for the next few months here in muskrat land will rarely if ever stay put for more than a day or two? Wouldn’t an engine start send any freeloading critters quickly back out? I’m not even sure one could withstand the initial blasts that my startups cause even if it wanted to .Also wouldn’t my adding a more thorough specific view of the wet exhaust hoses and resulting potential leaks be sufficient? I do see from the search I did that some very active forum users I respect a great deal use these guards, but I have to believe (probably more accurately put I really WANT to believe) that a boat in use this often doesn’t need to fool with this.
I commit to Neptune, all of you, and my wife that should I get even one response here along the lines of “my friend spent one night on a lock wall and woke up to a high water alarm and an eye patch wearing muskrat pointing a gun at him”then I’m going to get proactive.

 

[Portage_Bay]

My first thought is that starting the engines will drive the critters out. But maybe not so.
https://www.boatus.com/expert-advice/expert-advice-archive/2013/april/muskrat-love-gone-bad
Maybe boats that sit idle for a long time are more accractive to the critters vs a boat that moves frequenlty.

 

[Capt. Rodbone]

Thanks for the reply and especially for that link as it was a good read. I learned that my theory that starting my 120 HP engines would scare them out isn’t a certainty. Since my post I’ve had a conversation with a local who said it’s usually a problem with boats that sit, which makes sense, and typically a winter or as winter approaches thing. We are the opposite of both those conditions.

 

[porman]

We have both muskrats and nutria in our marina. The OA42 next to me has shot three nutria out the exhaust this year. Many years ago a boat was sunk in another marina by a muskrat chewing through the rubber exhaust hose. I went the cheap route. I stuff a 6 inch fender into the exhaust if I leave the boat for more than a day. I have a note to remind me to remove them before starting the engines.

 

[FWT]

Here's what you need.

https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1182318&postcount=79

If the need is temp and rare, some get nerf footballs to stuff up the exhaust. Just remember to remove them.

 

[Jeff F]

I don't think it's a big issue on the great lakes or Canadian waterways though happy to be corrected. Biggest nuisance around here is racoons coming aboard if you're tied up and left food or garbage out.

 

[Comodave]

We have guards on our current boat and installed them on our last boat. Got them from Hurley Marine in Michigan. Do you need them? Who knows. Do you feel lucky???

 

[jgwinks]

I don't think it's a big issue on the great lakes or Canadian waterways though happy to be corrected. Biggest nuisance around here is racoons coming aboard if you're tied up and left food or garbage out.

Over the winter here in Michigan we get birds nesting in the exhausts. My current boat was on the hard a couple years when we bought it, and nest material blew out during the sea trial. I found that an AF jug is a tight fit in the outlets so now I plug them with the empty jugs. At least the birds don't chew on the hoses. I have heard of muskrats chewing on the rubber boots around sterndrives and sinking boats.

 

[Jeff F]

Agree that it's a good idea to plug or block the exhaust when laid up. I was thinking more of the OP who is on the move

 

[OldDan1943]

Talk to the locals to get their experience and how they resolved it?
I think that will be the best advice.
I read the what FWT suggested. Sounds like a very good solution.

 

[Dreamersjohnlinda]

Snipe Hunt

Three times traversing the TSW and never saw nor heard tell of a muskrat building a nest in an exhaust. It probably did happen once with a boat that never moved and now the story has been elevated to legend/myth.

 

[clburti]

Otters here in NC and they are only a concern if the vessel is inactive for a significant period of time. We have inflatable otter-guards that we use when we put up the boat after use, but not while traveling. The otters leave enough crab scraps on the swim platform for me to take the threat seriously enough that I have commissioned a set of stainless steel grates so that I won't have to remember to remove them before starting the engine (think of an air cannon)...

 

[Comodave]

We have a weasel that lives under the boardwalk along the river here. I am not taking any chances so I put guards on our last boat and our current boat had them when we bought it.

 

[RichHurst]

I was all interested when I read muscats as we are all into wine..perhaps a little too sweet.

 

[Captain Doug]

Muskrats in MI will build their nests in exhaust ports if no blockage or guard in place. The mud/weed nests can block exhaust from exiting the pipe and cause engine or hose damage. Seen it many times here in Algonac, MI but mostly in the spring.

 

[jimfrens]

Nutria in WA? We have them here in NC but my understanding was they can’t tolerate cold weather.

Feed the muskrats some muscat and maybe they can’t find their way in…

 

[HeadedToTexas]

You've probably seen this internet picture of muskrat damage on an exhaust coupling (thankfully not from our boat!). Our exhaust is in the waterline. Cheap insurance. Our guard is also from Hurley Marine.

 

[porman]

Nutria in WA? We have them here in NC but my understanding was they can’t tolerate cold weather.

Feed the muskrats some muscat and maybe they can’t find their way in…

Definitely nutria. The three that came out of my friends' exhaust ended up dead, so a close inspection showed that they were not muskrats.

 

[CharlieO.]

Nutria in WA? We have them here in NC but my understanding was they can’t tolerate cold weather.

Feed the muskrats some muscat and maybe they can’t find their way in…

I don't think the cold weather temperatures are too much different from the Puget Sound compared to coastal North Carolina. Just length of seasons vary.

 

[Comodave]

You've probably seen this internet picture of muskrat damage on an exhaust coupling (thankfully not from our boat!). Our exhaust is in the waterline. Cheap insurance. Our guard is also from Hurley Marine.

Agree 100%.

 

[Captain DJ]

What about flaps? Are they sufficient guards?

 

[Trawlerman]

Muskrats are everywhere, from the Canadian border to the Gulf of Mexico. Here in TN, if you leave your boat unattended/unused for a length of time, you are strongly advised to have some anti-muskrat protection. Having said that, if you are on the move as in Looping, there is virtually zero issue. Best considered when you get back home. Here on Tellico Lake, we have had boats sunk from the little beggars.

 

[OldDan1943]

See post #5. Sounds like a very good solution.

 

[Helmsman]

Muskrats are everywhere, from the Canadian border to the Gulf of Mexico. Here in TN, if you leave your boat unattended/unused for a length of time, you are strongly advised to have some anti-muskrat protection. Having said that, if you are on the move as in Looping, there is virtually zero issue. Best considered when you get back home. Here on Tellico Lake, we have had boats sunk from the little beggars.

Just installed Hurley Marines otter guard. I had river otters here on the Tennessee River (Lake Chickamauga) that make a home in the exhaust. I had left the boat without starting it for two weeks. When I started it up on return a brown cloud of filth came out the back and the stench was overwhelming.

Installed it in about an hour, and so far has stayed in the exhaust. I have a stainless steel wire attached in case it were to come out, but so far, no problem.

 

[Comodave]

Just installed Hurley Marines otter guard. I had river otters here on the Tennessee River (Lake Chickamauga) that make a home in the exhaust. I had left the boat without starting it for two weeks. When I started it up on return a brown cloud of filth came out the back and the stench was overwhelming.

Installed it in about an hour, and so far has stayed in the exhaust. I have a stainless steel wire attached in case it were to come out, but so far, no problem.

Yes, easy to install and it is a permanent fix to keep them out. No need to stick anything in every time you shutdown and remove when you start up,