Mahe 36: Original FP Mahe 36 Thread

[Jef & Marin, Netherlands]

DtM, if you order the spifurl FP delivers this with a Facnor model 2500 continuous line furler. Works well.
Jef & Marin

[SurfNRG]

Originally Posted by LarryW

JC, Thanks for the info on the LP tank - How's your bimini? When you get a chance I'd like to see a picture - so we can get ideas on changing ours. Lightning damage so far totals $15,000. It took out all the elctronics, lights, engine panels and two exit spots in the hull. Larry

Sorry to hear about your boat being struck. Had a boat nearby us get hit last month in Marsh Harbour and it burned to the waterline. Was curious as to if your boat was grounded? And were you onboard when it hit?

[DtM]

We are trying a Facnor 1500 with our gennaker. i will let you know how it goes.

[LarryW]

Mahe's are not grounded. It happened at the dock, when no one was on board. I belong to a sailing club, and we had a speaker come and speck about lighting and different ways to protect youself and your boat. But he said that any kind of a strike would in most cases take out all electronics. He did have some thru hull devices that mount above the water line and connect to the mast, or ground on a grounded system. They should keep from having the under water exits. I plan to install some soon.

I just returned from the Bahamas, so I have included a couple of pictures. The big suprise is I won class in the Around the Turtle race at Green Turtle Abbaco. Competion was two Corsairs F28, of course the one didn't show for the start, and the other one pull out of the race because his mother boat was draging ancor. But A first place is still a first place.

Larry

[LarryW]

To any one interested, here is how my sail numbers turned out

Larry

[jean1146]

Congratulations Larry.This must have been a lot of fun.We just return from our trip in the keys,and had to go through some pretty scary lightning storms with no problems other than me beeing shocked pretty good while at the wheel. kind scary,so keep us informed on what ever you will do to protect your Mahe.So far we have plans to go to the bahamas next April and May. JC.

[pguillemin]

larry,Eileen
Bravo.
Whatever the reason you came first.
Didn't you use to sail a Corsair before? That will be Irony!

[jean1146]

When we were in the keys I saw a cat pull next to us,had something in the water on each side,so I went to check it out,the guy had jumper cables tied up to the stays and the other end in the water.So I asked him what this was for,his reply was lightning protection......I wonder has anybody done that and does it works...? Sounds like pretty cheap fixing to me.
JC.

[pguillemin]

JC
cheap but not very easy to go sailing with
You can also ground your chain from chainplates to the water

[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.

[gramos]

hi , what batten cars / slides do you have on the mahe ?

Originally Posted by LarryW

To any one interested, here is how my sail numbers turned out

Larry

[VisaView]

Hello Larry,

I have yet to take delivery of the Mahe 36, but I believe the batten cars are Harken?
I will be in the Med in the middle of October, it seems as if you are in the Greek Islands. I am looking to lay up my boat in the Med for two months this winter and return to the States are there any places you would suggest or stay away from.
Thanks,
Bill Fitzgerald
VisaView.com