Of Mice and Boats
As we know, not all boats are created equal. Many small runabouts and ski boats have wood
decks covered with carpet. Almost anyone would think the manufacturer would use a good quality
waterproof plywood in this type of structure, especially as exposure to the elements, insects, and
small animals is imminent. I received a call for an insurance survey and the new owner said he just
needed a short form as his new acquisition, although a few years old, was like new, and it had been
kept in a garage for the past two years. I arrived at the boat in the company of the new owner and
found, from all outward appearances, what looked like a new boat. The new owner mentioned he paid
top dollar for it because of its great condition. He also mentioned there was a minor soft spot in the
deck right near the engine cover. By the way, an insurance survey is just as thorough as a pre-
purchase survey, so this fellow could have saved a lot of heartache by calling for the survey before he
made this purchase. As usual I checked out the outside, bottom, and various attachments before
climbing aboard. Everything did seem fine from the outside. When I stepped onto the deck my foot
penetrated the deck and carpet, all the way to the hull below. What a surprise. Now this fellow tells
me that he never actually got into the boat before right now, what a surprise. What we found during
the next half hour was truly amazing. The deck material was the original particle board covered with
regular carpet. As I had already made a hole in the deck I began my inspection at that hole. There
was very little particle board left and most of the stringers and frames were gone. What could have
been the cause? The new owner said let’s pull up the carpet and see what we can find. After
removing quite a bit of the carpet and what was left of the deck we found the residential dwellings of
several mouse families. I thought I could hear some squeaking and other scurrying about when I
stepped through the deck, but I never imagined such a large number of mice in one place. Further
inspection indicated that the mice had, for sure, been living in, and dining on this boat for the past
couple of years. The owner said there was no use in me finishing the job. He paid me and off I went. I
felt bad for the guy. He called me a few weeks later with another survey opportunity. This one turned
out o.k.. He tells me the seller of his other boat moved to Florida and refuses to answer his mail. Gee,
I can’t imagine that.
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