Styrofoam bits in bilge

[GxK]

Yikes!

I took the winter cover off my TomCat 24 to discover styrofoam bits in the bilge. It's difficult to see but it seems the flotation placed amidships in the bilge has been attacked by a small rodent, chewing the plastic covering to get at the styrofoam.

The bits that I could reach filled the better half of a bucket.

Anyone ever have a similar experience? Since the plastic covering has been chewed apart, should I remove all the styrofoam? Unsure how I would get at it, not being a small rodent myself.

--Georgs

[trpsurf]

Georgs,

Glad to see another Tomcat 24' on the site, as they are a rare breed.

I had some styrofoam in my bilge when I bought the boat. This was from two hatches that had been cut below the rear seat and galley, to install two through hulls. The shop that did the install had to remove two sections of Styrofoam and the small "beads" were everywhere in that area. they also had worked their way back to the bilge pump. I just vacuumed the area out I have had foam bits since.

Your bits, on the other hand do indeed look like a rodent. I would say if all of the electronics have not been effected I would not worry about it. I would probably just drop come mouse poison in the bilge and then would go fishing!

If you have to get to the foam or area below the decks, it would mean that you have to cut out decking material, which is costly.

Good luck. I hope this doesn't grow into a bigger problem.

[GxK]

Thanks, Tim, for your advice. I'm inclined also to leave it be, except for maybe some moth balls inside lockers. Will also take a look at mouse poison. Until we overnight aboard, won't really know if there are critters stowed away.

Your videos bring back many happy memories of the years I spent sailing out of Newport Beach with a Flicka 20. Always have been a small-boat guy, except for one foray into ocean-racing a 60-foot trimaran.

--Georgs