Tow vehicle storage is also something I tend to like to take extra precautions with. Because, like you, I tow with an RV and so I can't just leave an "empty truck" at the launch ramp and hence not worry about it. I do find that part to be a pain, although of course towing with the RV is very nice in other ways. Always wondered how others handle it.
On the mice: Yep, and I have twice gotten mice on board at Powell even with those precautions. The only thing that kept me from going completely nuts about it is that I was able to keep them out of the inside of the boat (drastic measures, tape, etc.). But still, even having them on deck was horrid and I had to keep the cabin door closed until I got rid of them. What a pain.
First year, I used all the normal precautions, and no mice aboard.
Second year, I got "fancy," and instead of just hacking a slit in the frisbees I put on my lines, I drilled a neat hole prior to heading to the lake. Pretty sure they then came aboard by squeezing through the gaps between the strands of the three-strand line and the tidy round hole in the frisbees :cry I couldn't find them aboard - just turds on deck in the morning. Finally (after tearing outside of boat apart at a potty island) we figured out that (at Oak) they were running aboard during the night but then leaving before morning. Scamper, scamper! We anchored out the rest of the trip and no more mice that time.
Third year I thought I might have them licked. Ha, nope. This time, they came aboard while I had my boat tied to the launch ramp dock (when taking tow rig back up). I did notice a HUGE houseboat came in to the same dock and tied up behind me. I didn't have the full regalia with the frisbees and etc. set up since I usually did that when anchoring and one doesn't tend to do a lot of farting around while at the launch ramp. Funny thing was I had them aboard (outside only) for around five days. Then there was a HUGE windstorm, and I came in to the dock intending to take out. Tied to an outer dock with the full catastrophe of lines. But then the ramp got super busy as it was Sunday, and I ended up spending some hours helping others land, after which I decided to go back out for another week or so. No more mice on the boat after that, so I guess they got tired of rocking and rolling at the dock that day and bailed out
After that I only anchored out (which I like to do anyway). Ahhhh, finally no mice aboard.
Not sure how I'm going to handle it next time at the launch ramp. Perhaps if I can find a time when the ramp is very sparsely used, I can anchor out and kayak back to the dock to park the tow rig. Or set up the mouse gear at the dock. Or just get lucky and no mouse-infested houseboat shares my dock...? Curious how others handle that time at the dock during launch and tow vehicle stashing.
