Capn Trey Posted June 10, 2003 Posted June 10, 2003 While sitting out a thunderstorm at anchor on Sunday with the lightning popping I got to thinking about the mast sticking up higher than most everything else. Has anyone concidered lightning protection and if so what was your solution? Quote
Andrew Posted June 10, 2003 Posted June 10, 2003 Trey I've often wondered how others go about mounting their antennas for their marine radios and how this would affect conductivity for lightening. Andrew Quote
Frank Hagan Posted June 10, 2003 Posted June 10, 2003 This is a hot topic! You find people really arguing about this one. The reason for lightening protection is, IMHO, to protect sensitive electronic components. I wonder what happens to a wooden boat, with a wooden mast, when its struck by lightening whether or not it has a size 00 wire running to a bonding plate attached to the hull! Quote
Guest Anonymous Posted June 10, 2003 Posted June 10, 2003 Ever put a real hot dog in a microwave and put it on high for about 3 minutes? Or a marshmallow? Kinda the same thiing. Varnish and paint just go everywhere. Sometines it just vaporizes and you have a charcoal stump left. Sometimes nothing but a big glow and your hair is straight for a while. Most often the route of the grounding wire ends up getting a little chared but is otherwise Ok. At least that is what I have seen thus far on three boats that I worked on after being hit. Electronics....wasted! :cry: Quote
T. Nelson Surbrook Posted June 10, 2003 Posted June 10, 2003 To provide lightning protection I would recomend running a 00 or better line from a shroud to the water. The best thing to do in a storm is to get off the water. This should be a no-brainer, if the weather is bad, the boat is not a good place to be. Quote
Capn Trey Posted June 10, 2003 Author Posted June 10, 2003 The best thing to do in a storm is to get off the water. This should be a no-brainer' date=' if the weather is bad, the boat is not a good place to be.[/quote']I agree, but if you wait for a day with no chance of thunderstorms here in the Deep South you would never get to sail in the summer. Thunderstorms are a almost daily thing in the afternoon during summer here due to high heat and gulf moisture. Quote
Capn Trey Posted June 10, 2003 Author Posted June 10, 2003 This is a hot topic! You find people really arguing about this one. The reason for lightening protection is' date=' IMHO, to protect sensitive electronic components. I wonder what happens to a wooden boat, with a wooden mast, when its struck by lightening whether or not it has a size 00 wire running to a bonding plate attached to the hull![/quote']My thoughts exactly! Quote
Craig Posted June 10, 2003 Posted June 10, 2003 Having been caught in a few electric storms I have found there are two options: The first is to run for a sheltered place to get off the boat (that has never worked as shore was too far away and storms move fast down here) the other is to ride it out. Heave to, let her drift, go into the cabin, and enjoy the show. Shut off all the electronics but leave your running lights and mast head lights on. If in a skinny place where you can't drift send everyone else into the cabin, don your personal flotation device and enjoy the show from the helm station. Keep you hands off the metal rigging and out of the water and you should be fine. The first year I was down here I had a cat's rigging light up like a Cristmas Tree in a storm. It didn't get hit but scared the hell out of me. Quote
Barry Pyeatt Posted June 10, 2003 Posted June 10, 2003 We were hit by lightning in the Carib. Direct strike on the mast. It went to ground and all we saw was white light for about an hour. Horrific experience and there were no clouds around or signs of a thunder storm. No one was holding onto anything metalic and nobody was injured, but it sure was loud. No damage to the boat, but the masts were grounded thru the shrouds to the keel. Quote
Sailor3356 Posted June 10, 2003 Posted June 10, 2003 Put your VHF radio in the ice box, Put jumper cables on your stays and throw the other end in the water. Reduce sail and put on your rain slicker. Your in for a bumpy ride. :shock: Quote
Guest Anonymous Posted June 11, 2003 Posted June 11, 2003 I have a ground on the shroud that I had in the water during the storm, but after watching lightning strike a near by tree and seeing the bark disintergrate in a puff of smoke and blinding flash I sure do not want to test the ground on my boat. Quote
Capn Trey Posted June 11, 2003 Author Posted June 11, 2003 I have a ground on the shroud that I had in the water during the storm' date=' but after watching lightning strike a near by tree and seeing the bark disintergrate in a puff of smoke and blinding flash I sure do not want to test the ground on my boat.[/quote']oops forgot to log in before posting last reply Quote
Mike Pennington Posted June 12, 2003 Posted June 12, 2003 I was wondering about that myself, interesting post. Jumper Cables! I had thought about tossing the steal cables and go to line and eye blocks. But the grease monkey in me likes the jumper cables. Well folks got to go water the garden, the Wife just reminded me Quote
TexasPhil Posted June 12, 2003 Posted June 12, 2003 How about extending the chain-plates below the water line... then you have complet circuit from near the top of the mast to the water. You could add a lighning rod to the top of the mast, connected to the shrouds if you want to be anal about it. Quote
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