Spring Boating Hazard

[Tommy]

Well, I lowered my 24 Everglades off the lift yesterday and headed to Cape Lookout Shoals with my golden retriever. Seventeen bumpy miles later I arrived at Shark Island and went to toss my anchor only to be greeted by a very mad raccoon when I raised the hatch to the anchor locker. I'm not sure who was more startled, me or him; but I can assure you he was madder. Hating daylight, he found cover under the gun whale and spent the rest of the day there When I returned To the dock I poured a gallon of ammonia cleaning solution into the bilge and left all the hatches open so he could make a safe departure overnight. I figured the smell of the ammonia would do the trick. No sign of him this morning. Now back to spring cleaning......

[MarkS]

Tommy what did the retriever have to say about that stow away?

[Pete Fallon]

Tommy,
I had a similar thing happen years ago back in the 80's I was installing marine electronics. I went on a 36' sail boat that had been closed up all winter, when I opened the main hatch I was greated with a huge snarling racoon and 4 babies, needless to say after leaving the hatch open for a few hous I went back, no racoon but major interior damage.
I think they were in the boat for at least 2 months, they ate everything that was eatible and somethings that were'nt eatible. We had to replace most of the interior wiring, they ate the vinyl jacketing off any exposed wires, they ate the faux leather cushions, log book bound in leather, gloves, paper towels you name it. By the time the owner tallied up all the damage it was over 25K. Never liked those nasty critters in the first place. Just make sure that there is nothing alive inside the boat before you leave the dock.
Pete Fallon

[Tommy]

Mark, Stratton wanted to get to him, but I know what a coon can do to a dog; so I held him at bay. I gave the boat a thorough washing this PM and saw no signs of the stow-away!

Pete, evidently he had just recently set up house in the boat cause I haven't found any damage. After an hour and a half of bouncing at sea at speed, my guess is that he never wants to set foot on that boat again!

[randall]

mike and i took a raccoon fishing. i was surprised how strong and intense he was so i said ok...you can go. eventually i knocked him off the gunwale into the water and then spent a half hour trying to rescue em with the throw ring.(don't laugh) bet he was REALLY pissed off when he got to the beach.

[Tony Meola]

Had them on our boat one time. My father used amonia and moth balls to drive them out. Luckily they had just moved in.

Years ago my father was out with a friend on his friends boat. As they were going out Barnegat Inlet a Racoon came running out from down in the bilge area. I think all the rocking and rolling was getting him sick. My faterh actually managed to trap him in the fluke net and throw him over the side. Then a passing boat starts yelling at them not to worry they will save the dog. Never found out if they pulled that racoon out of the drink or not. But you can imagine there suprise if they did.

[Rawleigh]

I hate racoons! That is what the gaff is for.

[Mikey]

Tommy
If he had ridden seventeen miles in the bowels of a Bertram he probably wouldn't have been so pissed.
My favorites are the otters who take up residence in the exhaust systems and are rudely awakened by diesels firing up in their bedrooms. They can live in a muffler and eat their way through the pipes to the inside of the boat. Not good if they do this below the waterline.

[Dug]

Mikey! Holy crap!!!

I had a coon come snacking on Alchemy one time. Thankfully he came and went.

Not a fun surprise Tommy!!!! Probably about had to change your shorts!!!

Dug

[MarkS]

Had an aquintence rudely awaken to a loud crash in his hall bath, he grabbed his shot gun ran to the door expecting to see an unwelcome guest crawling through the window. As it turned out two big coons had chewed through some ceiling tile and fell into the shower. He shot them in the shower.

We ain't normal up her. It's due to unusually cold temps and extended winters. It was a great story! I think I actually soiled my shorts during the first telling.

[randall]

had one in the house...came in the cat door. he got up on the room divider and sat perfectly still.....thought i wouldn't notice him. at one point he was on top of an open door so a swat with a broom was all it took to knock em outside. i gave up on bungie cords for the garbage cans as they learned how to open them. deer or raccoons....toss up for which is more annoying.

[MarkS]

Randall,
As you well know, a deer has a much larger tenderloin. Round here that would be called the test deer. Must be tested for flavor before a license is procured for additional freezer stock.

[TailhookTom]

The last thing that critter would have heard was "racoon overboard!" Damn, that would have made me need an AED! I'm terrified to run anywhere above 5 knots for a while this spring -- it is only 3.5 miles from my marina to my beach house -- there are 7 "missing" beach houses in that span alone, thanks Sandy!!!! God only knows what's going to be a new FAD this year and where they will be located.

Tom

[IRGuy]

Many years ago I was looking at a Mako center console a guy had on a trailer in his barn. He and I were both standing in it talking when I felt something tug at one of my shoes.. the biggest racoon I have ever seen was chewing on my leather shoestrings. The owner said the coon family spent each winter on the boat for several years.. he said the only damage they usually did was to destroy a cushion every year.

[randall]

there are folks around here that have raccoons as pets. no thanks. as to deer.....i'm pretty sure i could kill one with a knife.......not to sporting when they lose their people shyness. i've been seeing small herds of whitetail way out in the wetlands. viewed from the paddle board.