Mahe 36: Hull

[LarryW]

JC
The guy who came to our club to talk about lightning is Ewen Thomson, Ph.D.
He has a web site Marine Lightning Protection Inc., if you are interested.
I added two pictures of my exits.
Larry

[SurfNRG]

I have a friend that hangs jumper cables overboard from his shrouds as a storm is approaching. Also heard of people hanging chain over from their backstay. From my prior experience as an electronics technician, my theory is to not ground at all since electricity will take the path of least resistance. In other words, when you tie your mast into any thru hulls or saildrives, etc. you're increasing your odds of getting the hit. Like I say, it's my theory and I'm sure some of you all disagree but I'm sure some others agree. I've been talking with fellow boat owners and yard owners and it's about 50/50 on opinions as to ground or not to ground. And you can bet that I'm knocking on wood cause any boat could be hit - it's just trying to find a way to keep your boat at less odds of being the one to take the hit.

Last month, while anchored in Marsh Harbour in the Abacos, we had a gnarly storm roll through (during the cruisers net) and a bolt of lighting hit inside the harbour scaring the Bejesus out of everyone. Within seconds flames started roaring from a Moorings 430 charter cat (super nice boat) that was tied up at the Conch Inn dock. It took a hit and within one hour burned to the waterline - a complete loss (see photo). The boat was around 100 yards behind me. I've heard someone reply on this forum that all of the Moorings boats are grounded. Either way, I would say you're grounded the moment you plug your boat into shore power at the dock. If my boat was the one that was hit - and not being grounded and away from the dock - my theory would have been null and void. But luckily, and I'm still knocking on wood cause I know sH&% happens - we were fine so that's my theory and I'm sticking to it. We also ran through some crazy lightning storms leaving the Bahama Bank near Mantilla Shoals at 12:30 a.m.. I'm talking about running in pitch dark (no moon) with lightning popping all around you. Had one real close one that looked like it stuck to the water and sizzled. Crazy!

Also, Larry W, where were the two exit spots on your boat from the lightning strike? Too bad I missed you at Green Turtle. We were in White Sound for a few days and decided to head back to Florida just before the onslaught of boats arrived for the regatta. Also, what's the beam of your Mahe?

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by SurfNRG

... From my prior experience as an electronics technician, my theory is to not ground at all since electricity will take the path of least resistance. In other words, when you tie your mast into any thru hulls or saildrives, etc. you're increasing your odds of getting the hit. Like I say, it's my theory and I'm sure some of you all disagree but I'm sure some others agree. I've been talking with fellow boat owners and yard owners and it's about 50/50 on opinions as to ground or not to ground. And you can bet that I'm knocking on wood cause any boat could be hit - it's just trying to find a way to keep your boat at less odds of being the one to take the hit...

With all due respect, I’d postulate that the supposed 50/50 ratio, on opinions as to ground or not to ground, would be mostly due to the number of uninformed persons offering uneducated opinions.
The conventional behaviour of electrical/electronic circuits, in which you are expert, are not quite analogous to the very high energy physics of phenomena such as lightning.
Most experts judge that Lightning Protection (grounding & bonding) adds very little, if any, risk to the likelihood of being hit by lightning.
Those same experts overwhelmingly agree that boats that do not have a lightning protection* system do suffer much more damage, if hit.
Since you cannot have much influence upon whether you get hit, or not; it may be wise to try to mitigate the damage, in the event that you are hit.

I prefer the term: “Lightning Mitigation” meaning the diversion of the lightning current into the water, without its causing any hull and electronics damage, or personal injury.

[jean1146]

Thank you all for sharing your experience .we have got some pretty nasty storms this year on the west coast,this lightning thing is always on the back of my mind but so far I have done a lot of procrastinating.
JC.

[jean1146]

Most of the squeaking is gone on our boat after 15 months that we owned our boat. It is probably going to do a lot of bouncing over the next 24 hours with the storm approching. Over all I think we should be doing OK but you never know ,but those things can be very unpredictible. we need to take one day at the time.
JC.

[IrieCat]

Question for the forum, is anyone familiar with a boat yard in Northern/ Central FL with a lift that can handle a Mahe 36 and may be able to do some minor gel coat work. Thanks in advance for your help.
Lonnie

[Scott730]

Lonnie
I've used Scorpion's marina in Port Canaveral for a recent haul out. They have a new lift with a 28' beam and haul a lot of Cat's. you can see them on www.scorpionmarine.com. They did a nice bottom job on my Mahe.

Scott

[IrieCat]

I will check them out, thank you very much. Anyone there I should ask for?
Lonnie

[Scott730]

Eric is the owners son and runs the marina, Phil works for Eric and runs the yard. I was there 2 weeks ago so they should remember my boat.
Good luck

[SurfNRG]

Yep, Newport Scorpion Bay is the place. Not sure if they'll let you do anything yourself though. Cracker Boy in Ft. Pierce (DIY yard) isn't wide enough, Riverside in Ft. Pierce is 22 feet wide and will let you do your own work and Harbourtown in Ft. Pierce can haul you but you can't do anything. But Ft. Pierce is a couple day sail south of Canaveral anyways. Good Luck.

[RoadRacer]

Mark,

He's taking some shots of our hull at the factory though I do like the one you've posted! Where was it taken?
I worked at General Dynamics in the early 80's and spent a lot of time in Mystic. One of my favorite places in New England.

Chuck

[DtM]

It is amazing how much quicker you go with a clean bottom.
Your antifoul looked like a great job.

Do you have any plans to sail up to the Whitsundays ?

[jean1146]

Hello everyone. Our boat is sitting on the hard right now for a bottom job. I got some bad news this morning,we found about 20 blisters,most of them on the inside,I will post some pictures when available....I am not very happy. Next time you get a chance you all need to ckeck your boats.This was not suppose to happen.
JC.

[Scott730]

JC
I had 7 blisters on my hull last year when I hauled out for a bottom job (all on the inside), 2 had water in them. F-P paid to repair them, you have a 5 year warranty on the hull. I was told that there was not primer placed on my hull just antifouling paint. F-P paid for a new primer coat as well as blister repair.

Scott

[DtM]

Scott and JC,

Can you give reasonably accurate descriptions of the locations please?

What hull numbers are you?

daniel