Keeping Critters Out

[rodgerole]

Wondering what y'all do to keep critters out of your yaks between uses? My yak has been resting comfortably on the front porch since I got it. I immediately got sick, but that's another story. I noticed quite a few bugs flailing around in the kayak when I was mopping the water out after a couple of days on the porch. I know, I prolly should have gotten the water out as soon as I got home,but..didn't.
I was planning on storing my yak in a shed out back. It seems there are many mice roaming my back yard where the shed is located.
I hadn't planned on hanging the yak,but worry that mice will gnaw their way in even with a cover. Am I being paranoid or..... What your best advice?

[GILs_GONE_WILD]

The only problem I have storing mine outside are wasps and spiders ... none of which are small. Especially them HUGE spiders and they're all BIG UNS when they're in the kayak with you and you're on the water with no where to go.

I just knock mine around with a broom handle or such so's to let me know if there are any wasps in there. I pack a .44 magnum for them GIANT spiders.

[Diane]

When I had kayaks I got cockpit covers for them.. like a skirt but no way in. Like you, I had to store them outside. I put the kayaks under a deck and forgot about them until next spring. To prep for winter I washed out the inside, made sure the hatches were empty, made sure they were completely dry, covered the cockpits, and bob's your uncle. Now I have canoes. I store them upside down on saw horses. No prep, no cover. What you should NOT do is to let any kind of tarp rest directly onto a fiberglass, kevlar, gel-coated boat for long periods when there is a lot of sunshine. Boats can easily de-laminate from that method.

No mice ever went into my cockpit covers but during the same periods they managed to visit inside the house more often than I'd like.

[teasels]

I have a couple of cloth bags with cedar shavings in them that I put in my canoe.So far no spiders or bees or other crawly things.
Dennis

[dudley]

A couple of years ago, on the first of the year outting with the canoe I pulled into the river launch area to a group of folks pointing at the roof of my car.
I thought there was something wrong with the canoe.
When I got out to take a look there were a couple of mice running around on the car roof.
They were shooed away and off we went.
The next year on the first trip I got out of my car and was happy to see no mice running around.
As I went to loosen the tie downs there was a mouse between the straps, holding on for dear life.
Poor guy

As for my kayak, not even the spiders will go in there.
I think it's the smell

[teasels]

reminds me of Eddie Murphy in Dr.Dolittle with the gerbil on the roof "I'm Gettin WHISKER WHIPPED"
Dennis