Lightning and Sailboat

unbusted67 · 03-06-2007, 14:41

I recently had a skipper cancel a daysail due to warnings of thunder storms. I was wondering what is the deal with lightning and sailboats? What do people do to avoid being hit by lightning? Does the fact that you have a huge metal rod sticking up in the middle of the ocean greatly increase your chances of being struck (I feel dumb asking this)? What do people do if they are struck, can you rig a mast to act as a lighting rod to disperse electricity? I know that there are other dangers that come with sailing into a thunder storm, high, squally winds and such, but I am mostly wondering about the electricity part, the theory behind it.

03-06-2007, 14:41	#1
unbusted67 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Boat: NO BOAT! Posts: 589	Lightning and Sailboat I recently had a skipper cancel a daysail due to warnings of thunder storms. I was wondering what is the deal with lightning and sailboats? What do people do to avoid being hit by lightning? Does the fact that you have a huge metal rod sticking up in the middle of the ocean greatly increase your chances of being struck (I feel dumb asking this)? What do people do if they are struck, can you rig a mast to act as a lighting rod to disperse electricity? I know that there are other dangers that come with sailing into a thunder storm, high, squally winds and such, but I am mostly wondering about the electricity part, the theory behind it.

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