Has this boat suffered a lightning strike?

[Fatboypaul]

Spent the last few days checking out a very neglected boat, the Furuno chart plotter has these strange markings in the screen, that I initially thought was a child's scribblings.
The batteries are completely dead, and no power remotely close so testing systems is difficult at best.
Any thoughts please, does it appear the boat has suffered a lightning strike?
Thanks, Paul.

[MV Wanderlust]

Wow. Never seen anything like that before.

[Fatboypaul]

Weird isn't it?
It definitely on the inside of the screen.

[danielamartindm]

Typically, a lightning strike fries all of the electronics in the vessel. Does that seem to be the case? I'd bring a battery and multimeter to the site and see if the panel and instruments are still functional.

[Fatboypaul]

The boat has been in dry storage for over five years in the Caribbean, batteries long since dead, no power in yard, although no obvious signs of fried wires in the distribution panel.
Not keen on buying batteries for the sellers boat.

[senormechanico]

If it's a CRT, it certainly looks like fried CRT phosphors.
I can't imagine anything BUT a lightning strike causing that.
I used to repair TV sets etc. for 30 years , changed a ton of picture tubes and never saw anything like that.
If it's a flat LCD screen, possibly lightning or a huge magnetic field?

[Fatboypaul]

Thank you guys for your replies, not sure as to my next step, as now as you advise all electronic systems are suspect, and without new batteries I can't test anything, doubtful the current owner will cough up the cost of new batteries, or offer any discount on suspect units.

[pwillems]

Why not pick up a simple battery jump start pack? Unhook the battery and put the pack in it's place. It should be plenty enough to run all the boat's electronics for a couple hours while you check everything out.

[billknny]

I would assume, and make any offer assuming, that the electronics were all dead. Any other assumption is your risk.

[AndyEss]

You can't turn any of the electronics on (no power) so for pricing purchases they are all dead. If the Owner disputes this (offers no discount for all electronics) demand he prove they work by turning them on (i.e. First starting by buying a battery).
If the Owner doesn't agree - walk from the deal.

[Pizzazz]

A strike can do a lot or a little damage. You really need a 12V source and a meter. Did you go there by car? Take your car’s battery with you. You can even make a 12V battery with regular AA batteries to check things, albeit briefly. Just try.

[IslandHopper]

What information has the owner given you? i am assuming you have put your concerns/requests to the owner/seller before asking here?

[belizesailor]

Patterns on the screen like that can be caused by delamination of LCD displays.

[ShoreFun]

I would have a hard time believing that was lighting causing ONLY that damage.

It it was close enough to make the plastic do that then there would be significant other damage. Lightining is a funny animal. It sets up a very high voltage field and will do odd things to conductive parts like blow the tiny wires in chips, or worse erode them so they burn up later. If it is close it will just fry stuff as in it will smell funny burnt electronics smell.

Reguardless, the advice above is correct. If you can not power it up then assume it is all bad and have to replace it and offer accordingly. I am sure if you are that interested you could rig up a battery of some sort to test some of the systems, but you need enough storage to run the inverters and 110 stuff too (I am making some assumptions). Maybe borrow a deep cycle battery with a full charge?

Anyway my thoughts as someone who is always being asked to fix electronics.

[Checkswrecks]

If nothing else, can you hire a cab to get to the boat, explaining to him that you'll pay by the hour to jump the boat from his car?