Who ate my canoe!!!

[HJS]

This winter I stored my 16’ Oldtown camper canoe in my open-sided 2-bay wood shed. As usual I left it on it’s trailer upside-down. The wood shed protects the trailer and canoe from rain, snow, and sun. Yesterday I hooked the trailer to the car and pulled the canoe up to the house so I could clean it up for the summer fishing season. Once at the house I flipped the canoe right-side up and this is what I found. Some rodent had destroyed all the woodwork beyond use. They even gnawed the trailer electrical plug. Here’s the grim pictures.

All wood parts were seriously damaged
canoe damage - E.jpg

canoe damage - A.jpg

canoe damage - B.jpg

canoe damage - C.jpg

The rodents ate the entire sheet of masonite I used to cover the wicker seat I put on years ago.
canoe damage - F.jpg

Why would they eat the plastic plug. The eaten part is the trailer plug. The bottom part is the car's plug that stays protected in the car. Amazingly enough the trailer lights still work.
canoe damage -D.jpg

Fortunately the Oldtown website sells replaces parts for all the damaged wood.

[Mark]

Howard,

That's a shame.

My neighbor was recently showing me teeth marks on his kayak. He stored it outdoors over the winter. The squirrels enjoyed chewing on it, especially along the gunwales, but nothing like your photos.

[brianisoutside]

Yup, squirrels will do that.


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[bignose]

Two seats, a brace and the yoke..........holy cow you have some hungry squirrels!
However, a relatively easy replacement, but a major pita.

Next year before storage try brushing some hot sauce on the wood work, or a mixture of pepper and vinegar. Seems to keep the varmints away.
I find birds nests under the bow and stern of mine when stored on the rack in the backyard.

[john from md]

I would spread moth balls around as well. I used to have a problem with squirrels and mice in the garage. Since I started putting moth balls around, they have left the area.

[GUNS&ROTORS]

Sorry for your misfortune.

Had squirrels chewing our porch steps. Found this recipe for squirrel repellent - seemed to help:
1 ounce Murphy's Oil Soap
1 ounce hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pour mixture in a 22 ounce spray bottle, fill bottle to the top with water, shake, spray.

If that doesn't work there's always "Buttermilk Fried Squirrel":
3-4 skinned/quartered squirrels.
Buttermilk for marinating
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons salt
2 Tablespoons black pepper
1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning
2 cups whole milk (for gravy)

Drench squirrel quarters in buttermilk. Pour flour, salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning into a large zip bag and shake to mix thoroughly. Remove the squirrel pieces from the buttermilk and drop them into the flour bag. Shake thoroughly and then place the coated quarters on a cooling rack for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the crust to set. Reserve three tablespoons of the seasoned flour for making gravy.

Heat half an inch of oil (recommend bacon grease) in a heavy frying pan. Carefully place squirrel quarters in pan. Recommended a long, slow fry with the lid on, 10 to 12 minutes per side. When the pieces are browned and cooked through, remove them to a warm plate and cover with foil.

Make gravy by pouring off all but three tablespoons of oil from the pan, making sure the crumbs from frying remains. Add in three tablespoons of reserved seasoned flour and stir well until the flour is lightly browned. Slowly add the milk and continue to stir. Crumbs that were stuck to the pan will loosen and mix with the gravy. Stir until the gravy has thickened. Goes well with w/eggs for breakfast, most side dishes at any other time, and of course, dark beer ...

[Big Mike]

Interesting. I’ve had my Old Towne stored outside in my back yard for 30 years and never had animal damage. I live in the woods with lots of squirrels who do enjoy my deck supports. After my cane seats rotted out the second time I bought some 1” wide nylon straps that I wove onto the seat and stapled to the underside. Turned out to be more comfortable than the cane, with the gaps in the weave they breath, and seem indestructible.

[bignose]

24-Fried-Squirrel-1024x1024.jpg

Lol!

[HJS]

Thanks all for responding. I bought this canoe 25 years ago. I have stored it under my one story high porch. All I had to do is walk under it and lift it off the rack and then slide it off my shoulders onto the car top, easy-peezy. Our pet dogs and cats effectively kept the varmints away. When I turned 70 I aged out of the ability to get the canoe on top of my car at the end of a day’s fishing. So I bought a trailer. The trailer worked well but I had to store it in the wood shed. That’s where the vermin got to it. Since the damage was done over the winter months I think I will be once again wintering the canoe back under the porch. My wife and I should be able to get it back up on the canoe rack.

Bignose - The replacement pieces of wood will cost about $200. Not too shabby, but you are right, just a major PITA. I’ve eaten squirrel a time or two that other folks have killed. Tastee little buggers. But I don’t have the patience to hunt just like I don’t have the patience to troll.

Big Mike – My cane seats rotted out too after just a couple of years of heavy use. That’s when I covered them with Masonite. I don’t think the Oldtown people even sell the cane seats any more. Their new seats have nylon webbing. I guess they learned cane doesn’t last very long. Our house is surround by miles of woods in all direction too. Plus there are 8-10 big black walnut trees within a 100 yards of the house and wood shed (aka: squirrel magnets). So I got freaky herds of squirrels.

Guns&Rotors (and others) – We also have tons of deer and the occasional bear. The deer can wipe out a whole yard full of our azaleas in days. I started spraying “Repels-All” on the azaleas during the winter months and that seems to be quite effective against vermin. It’s sold at Lowes. And it seems to work well for all sorts of furry critters according to the bottle to include squirrels. We shall see how that works on my canoe. I think over-wintering the canoe under the porch will be the most effect solution.

Bear - A.jpg

[bignose]

Dang Howard, I don't know where you are getting your pricing from, but Austin Kayak lists the Old Town carrying yoke for about $24.00, the seats with cane webbing for $32.00, nylon webbed seats are a little more, and the thwart is about $16.00.
Of course, this is dependent on availability from Old Town.

You may even be able to do better via eBay.

You could also cut your own, the seats could be cut from 3/4"-1" marine plywood, and the thwart and yoke could be made from a hardwood. Old Town uses Ash, but Oak, or Walnut (if you want to spend a lot) would work. I'd avoid Maple, it doesn't weather as well.
I made the supports for my pivoting seats from 1" Philippine Mahogony-Luan.

[HJS]

I'm buying all the necessary parts, plus shipping, directly from the Oldtown people... and I rounded up. Plus I need to replace the trailer electric plug. I bought the plug plus electrical connectors and a spoil of electrical wire from Tractor Supply. It adds up. I don't do Ebay. I'm an old curmudgeon set in my ways. I even use cash whenever possible... dag-nabbit.

[kevinfry]

Could be squirrels,

could be.......
chupacabra.jpg

[M1A4ME]

Sweat, salt. I've even seen rabbits chewing on the undercoating on my dad's truck getting the left over winter/road salt that is stuck to the frame/undercoating. You'd think the tar/solvent/paint taste/smell would deter them but they want the salt so bad they take the undercoat with the salt.

Seen axe, hoe, mattock handles chewed on, too. Sweat on them in the spring/summer and put the in the shed and somehow the little rodents get in there a enjoy the wood along with the salt.

[HJS]

That’s pretty much like I was thinking too… squirrels after salt. I also do a fair bit of saltwater fishing on the inner Patapsco launching at Harbor Hospital. So lots of saltwater splashes on my canoe every time I swing the paddle over to the other side.

Its all fixed now to the tune of $204. A kayak/canoe/bike place in downtown Shepardstown, WV, ordered the parts for me from the Oldtown people for the same price Oldtown charges. That way I can get my hands on the parts to see if they are indeed the right parts of the right size... and they were all correct.

All fixed.
Fixed Canoe - A.jpg

The seat (used) I got from my daughter.
Fixed Canoe - B.jpg

The measuring board I made years ago for my canoe, snaps on top of the yoke. The board photographs well.
Fixed Canoe - C.jpg

Now I'm waiting for the Susky at Harrisburg to drop down to summer low flow so I can go chase me some SMBass. But with all the rain we have been having the river keeps going up and up and up.

[Mark]

You do nice work Howard.

Clever idea with the ruler.