Muskrat Mayhem

S

seeray96

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exMember
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Jan 21, 2005
RO Number
16115
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113
Last April, before the "Maggie J" was launched, I installed two Hurley Marine Muskrat Guards. It seems in the fall these creatures develop an affinity for exhaust systems. The boat was pretty much idle for the last month, and last week I stopped to check the batteries. I heard some scratching near the stbd exhaust in the engine room, but convinced myself that it was my imagination. Later, my mechanic gave me the same report. I checked, and the stbd Muskrat Guard was intact as mounted.
There's no way a muskrat could get through the guard, but I started the stbd engine to see what would happen. Lots of fur pieces were washed out, followed by four VERY bloated foot-long (not including tail) almost hairless muskrats.
The question is - how in the devil did they bypass the intact guard? Could the mother have given birth in the water, then pushed them through a very small opening? If so, without food, how did they grow to the size they were when they exited?
 
I'm thinking if they could be blown out they could have gotten in. Perhaps the M Guard was only tensioned so one side could still hinge up even though it looked secure?
Sounds like you just demo'd a new Ron Popeil product.
 
Hey - I can be a Sat afternoon TV star - a pivoting muskrat door!
I doubt it, though. I really tightened all the bolts very securely, and the "door" held until I turned-on the engine and blew-out the four
deceased visitors. I talked to the guy at Hurley, and he wondered if, in fitting the guard to the exhaust port, the bolts, which
were pretty much fully extended, had left enough room in the center for a small muskie to get through.
I'll measure the diameter of the inner ring on the guard when I haul the boat.
 
Are you sure they weren't just sea monkeys? I've heard they can spontaneously grow most anywhere . [;D]
 
quote:
I talked to the guy at Hurley, and he wondered if, in fitting the guard to the exhaust port, the bolts, which
were pretty much fully extended, had left enough room in the center for a small muskie to get through.
I'll measure the diameter of the inner ring on the guard when I haul the boat.

Click to expand...


I installed those on my boat last year, and wondered about that myself. I did not measure mine either but I would estimate it was 1.25 to 1.5 inch opening left in the center once the bolts were tightened. Keep us posted on what you discover. We might need attach some sort of screen over the opening created by tightening those bolts.
 
As I recall, the stbd exhaust exhaust opening required that I thread the bolts in almost all the way.
The guy at Hurley suggested that using longer bolts might resolve the issue by reducing the center opening.
Unfortunately, when I ran the 6V92 at approx 2000rpm, the bodies hit the guard hard enough to blow it out.

I'm going to order a replacement with longer bolts. As an alternative, heavy ss wire could be tied across
the center opening to stop the entry.
 
quote:
Originally posted by seeray96

I'm going to order a replacement with longer bolts. As an alternative, heavy ss wire could be tied across
the center opening to stop the entry.

Click to expand...


I will do that.
 
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