Aluminium Mast - Lightning Rod, Benefits?

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Alan Wheeler

Well does the fact that you wrote all that and I read all that make us geeks or Nerds or what ever you guys would call...err, ones that would write and read that ;-) :-)

Or you may end up with a new form of alloy. Copper and Aluminium fused together. Hmmm, aluopper, coppuminium, ?? :-)

Yeah good point , I am probably the nerd () 'cause its takes longer to write it than read it.

You are OK 'cause you can say that a Mod. you HAD to read it (you still might get into trouble though for not pulling it )

Wanna see my new coppuminium mast head?

Back to topic, what do you have in the way of lightning mitigation Mr Wheels ??

[Alan Wheeler]

Wanna see my new coppuminium mast head?

Yeah thats a catchy name.

Back to topic, what do you have in the way of lightning mitigation Mr Wheels ??

It's full proof. It's called sail in opposite direction of black clouds. Especially if they light up every few seconds.

[exfishnz]

Originally Posted by Alan Wheeler

It's full proof. It's called sail in opposite direction of black clouds. Especially if they light up every few seconds.

That would be ideal, but there's times when you may just get caught out Over here in West Island, we've had forecasts for sunny days & then rain & lightning comes from nowhere (go figure ).

Re: the nerdy stuff comment I actually did read all of that (in-fact I might save it) & will read it again Don't know a lot about physic's (but do have some books lying around). Oh btw, am a little bit nerdy myself (pop's gave me a unix programming book as a young boy & I've always maintained those roots - even though I fished for several years).

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Alan Wheeler

...Or you may end up with a new form of alloy. Copper and Aluminium fused together. Hmmm, aluopper, coppuminium, ?? :-)

Copper is a common alloying element in Aluminum.

The classification of Aluminum alloys is established by the International Alloy Designation System (IADS), where the first digit* indicates the alloy group according to the major alloying element.

Aluminum-Copper alloys are designated “2 series” (2xxx or 2xx.x).

Wrought Al-Cu (2xxx) contains 1.9% - 6.8% Cu.
Cast Al-Cu (2xx.x) contains 4% - 4.6% Cu.

Duraluminum is Aluminum alloyed /w Copper, Manganese and Magnesium - AA2024.

* A modification of the original alloy or impurity limits is indicated by a serial letter before the numerical designation.

[Alan Wheeler]

I wonder if that is a metal we have here called Duralium. Not sure of spelling and not sure what it would be used for.
Exfish, there is one important point to remember with lightning. Just when some scientist thinks he has it all worked out, someone or something gets zapped in a way it hasn't happend before and they all have to go back to the drawing board.
Speaking of drawing boards, two Kiwis have just discovered something very inmportant about Global warming here in NZ and it will most likely be released to the world tomorrow. Umm, my tomorrow that is and seeing as my day is nearly over that would be your today I guess if you are in that part of the world. Anyway, one guy was trying to do a paper on Terminal Morains and by one very small freakish situation, discovered that the big morain event of the Fransjoseph Glacier was in fact not one at all. it was a landslide. So what I here you all ask? well it seems that this morain was being used to tie the Southern Hemispheres weather system into the Northern hemisphere. The result is that there is no evidence that any warming or cooling in the Northern Hemi has any correlation to events in the Southern. Still scratching heads? well that is really big in the global warming debate and means may wil have to go back to the drawing boards and start again.

[GordMay]

Duraluminum is also called duralium, duraluminium, or duralumin.

Because of its lightness, corrosion resistance, hardness, tensile strength, and other desirable physical properties, Duraluminum / Duralium is widely used in the aircraft industry.

[exfishnz]

Originally Posted by Alan Wheeler

there is one important point to remember with lightning. Just when some scientist thinks he has it all worked out, someone or something gets zapped in a way it hasn't happend before...

Is that what we call "experimental technologies" The lightning example I gave above (in OZ) probably has more to do with the warm air mass coming over the desert towards us, would be a lot less riskier to the boatie in the ocean (unless he's in a marina or very close inshore).

well that is really big in the global warming debate and means may wil have to go back to the drawing boards and start again.

I don't see what the fuss is all about, I've been to the South Australian outback where it gets to 50c & the houses are built into the ground Also, what's wrong with a few more storms (blows), its just a bit of extra wind for the sails - isn't it?

Anyway, have really enjoyed reading your's & Wotname's posts in this thread

Edit: steve's post below just reminded me of a flight I took over here once from wgtn. In the tasman (but on the oz side), there was quite a large & very active lightning storm that we had to go around.

[Steve Pope]

On a trip from Brissy to Whangarei we spent the best part of a night surounded by lightening, the strikes must have been in the thousands, we were on a steel Roberts Mauritius and certainly felt vulnerable. Not one hit us.
Re your full proof was that OP rum?
Some guy on another thread is curious about putting a still on board.
And yes "Duraluminium" is the same here as in the states.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Alan Wheeler

... there is no evidence that any warming or cooling in the Northern Hemi has any correlation to events in the Southern ...

The news report:
New findings by three University of Canterbury researchers could pour cold water on evidence that climate change is happening simultaneously around the world.

University News - Communications and Development - University of Canterbury - New Zealand

Glacial find pours cold water on world theory - 30 Jun 2008 - Climate change news - NZ Herald

Dramatic Headline - but I'd wait for the actual findings, before drawing any broad conclusions. They'll be published later this week ,in the prestigious international science journal, Nature Geoscience.

See also:
“Synoptic climate change as a driver of late Quaternary glaciations in the
mid-latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere” in European Geosciences Union 2006 ~ by H. Rother and J. Shulmeister

And:
“What happened 13,000 years ago?” In “New Zealand Science Monthly, June 1999 ~ by Dr Jamie Shulmeister
NZSM OnLine -- Ten years of New Zealand Science Monthly magazine

[Lancerbye]

Does this mean we can call off the scheduled protests to save the Antarctic Penguinns because of the disappearing glaciers that aren't really disappearing? This will totally ruin my planned protest week.

[Lancerbye]

Back to the lightning thread. What are the real odds of getting struck by lightning? Are they higher than that of winning the lottery? Are the sellers of lightning protection systems in the same reverence as the sellers of magnetic algae killers in your fuel lines? When I was very young( when dinosaurs ruled the earth) a smooth talking salesman sold my dad a lightning protection system for our buildings on the farm in the Canadian prairies. This area was prone to lightning strikes. Well it must have worked since we never had any buildings destroyed by lightning. It must also have been protecting all the neighbors since none of them had the system and they never were struck by lightning.

[exfishnz]

Originally Posted by Lancerbye

What are the real odds of getting struck by lightning? Are they higher than that of winning the lottery?

I'm no expert (as you already know ). My understanding (& after reading the posts in this thread), is that we're more likely to be hit in area's prone to lightning. Like the above posts mention, there's nothing we can do to prevent being struck, so its probably a bit like the "lottery" (as you state) .

Anyone think I'm wrong?

When I was very young( when dinosaurs ruled the earth)

You know, I knew another old salt who was in his 80's[1] & I don't think the dinosaurs were around then... were they???

[1] was an active Italian ex-fisherman, shot ducks, netted for whitebait & even had a couple of girlfriends on the go

Edit: I don't know the odds, but like most people here, have read of other boats getting hit.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Lancerbye

B... What are the real odds of getting struck by lightning? Are they higher than that of winning the lottery? ...

According to the National Weather Service Lightning Statistics:
NWS Lightning Safety Medical Information

Odds of being struck by lightning in a given year (estimated total deaths + injuries) 1 in 400,000
Odds of being struck in your lifetime (Est. 80 years) 1 in 5000

According to some web-humourist:
Odds of being the victim of serious crime in your lifetime: 20 to 1
Odds of being murdered: 18,000 to 1
Odds of being struck by lightning: 576,000 to 1
Odds of winning a lottery 1,000,000 to 1
Odds of being killed by lightning: 2,320,000 to 1

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Lancerbye

Back to the lightning thread. What are the real odds of getting struck by lightning? Are they higher than that of winning the lottery?

Gord's post not withstanding, I reckon it must depend on where you sail. Several folk on CF have posted experiences of being involved in a lightning incident.

However FWIW, I was caught out in a thunderstorm in Darwin harbour in the mid 90's. For about 20 minutes lightning was flashing everywhere, probably 5 to 10 bolts per minute. I guess about 1 in 10 hit the water and about 4 or 5 where within 100 metres on the boat. The rain was extermely heavy and we just sailed in a circle waiting for the big one to fry us - never happened so I am with Wheels in heading away from the thunderheads these days. BTW the boat was 28 ft timber with an AL mast and no lightning mitigation.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by GordMay

.....
Because of its lightness, corrosion resistance, hardness, tensile strength, and other desirable physical properties, Duraluminum / Duralium is widely used in the aircraft industry.

See also Alclad - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alclad is widely used in general aviation.