Muscrats in my Exhaust

rickalan35 · Post by **rickalan35** » Sun Sep 28, 2008 9:03 am

I went up to the boat yesterday, after a week absence and started up my engines. All kinds of scary noises and stuff. Turns out muscrats had got up into both my darn exhausts and built nests.

I got the mechanic over and he revved the heck out of the boat in neutral (4000 rpms) he said, and blew a bunch of stuff out.

Taking clients out today

Auuuughhh

Rick

Lookout · Post by **Lookout** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 4:18 am

This is very common where I am. there was actually a mechanic that ran into one face to face after pulling the mufflers off a 530 carver, he went down a few days later to put the exhaust back together, and there they were staring at each other. just get a pair of flaps for your exhaust, not expensive at all, and problem solved.

rickalan35 · Post by **rickalan35** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 9:43 am

Lookout

Thanks for the tip re: Exhaust Flaps

I haven't heard of them before and the marina mechanics haven't suggested them. Any models or manufacturers in mind. I'll start researching on google.

Thanks

Rick

Stripermann2 · Post by **Stripermann2** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 2:17 pm

Rick, check out the lower right hand corner here:

http://boatfix.com/catalog/608.pdf

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 6:31 pm

Or your could stop docking next to Searays

rickalan35 · Post by **rickalan35** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 6:38 pm

Thanks Striperman

MattSC · Post by **MattSC** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 7:50 pm

I have a pair of 4" sierra flappers and they work well

jimbo36 · Post by **jimbo36** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 9:56 pm

Rick, Sorry to hear about your "critter" A friend of mine had his Chris Craft houseboat sink as a result of a muskrat chewing through his exhaust at his 1000 Island cottage dock. They also sent a few to the bottom that had the old "rubber boot"OMC outdrive.

The flapper won"t work for you if your exhaust outlet is the same as my 1974 F36 Tricabin. A rounded tip with the opening on the under side so the exhaust is semi submerged for less noise. The flapper is for a flat pipe. Not sure if mine are oringinal equippment.

Jimbo

mr elevman · Post by **mr elevman** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 10:23 pm

i use steal wool wadded up on all exhusts bike boat snow blower any whare a rodent might try and find a nesting place rodents wont chew or claw at it it cuts thair mouths and pads

Lookout · Post by **Lookout** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 4:25 am

prowlersfish wrote:Or your could stop docking next to Searays

lol yea, the searay exhaust is kinda like a little muskrat waterslide....

Lookout · Post by **Lookout** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 4:27 am

mr elevman wrote:i use steal wool wadded up on all exhusts bike boat snow blower any whare a rodent might try and find a nesting place rodents wont chew or claw at it it cuts thair mouths and pads

I think his problem is when the boat is in the water. Putting anything actually in the exhaust might cause back pressure that wouldnt be healthy to the engines.

wowzer52 · Post by **wowzer52** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:09 am

I had a bad experience with steel wool in my exhaust years ago. Maybe I used too much, but back pressure blew out the side of the exhaust pipe. Won't do that again.

rickalan35 · Post by **rickalan35** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 3:43 pm

Yep, curved exhaust flanges pointing down into the water like Jimbo mentioned.

Today, the marina mechanic laid across the swim platform and bungee chorded a mesh bag full of urinal pucks around each of the exhausts. He claims critters won't go near them. ''

Now just have to remember to pull them off when going out.

mr elevman · Post by **mr elevman** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 6:54 pm

yes the steal wool is for when the boat is out of the water not in