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25-09-2014, 06:12
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Daphne Alabama
Boat: Bristol 35
Posts: 400
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How to Prepare for Lightening Strike?
I was just reading up on Noah Cullen, the victim of lightening in the Keys. Can you protect your vessel and person from a lightening strike on a sailboat? Houses have lightening rods, can you put one on a boat?
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25-09-2014, 06:23
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#2
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Long Range Cruiser
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Australian living on "Sea Life" currently in England.
Boat: Beneteau 393 "Sea Life"
Posts: 12,822
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Re: How to prepare for lightening strike???
Anchor between a catamaran and a steel hulled boat?
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25-09-2014, 06:24
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#3
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Jacksonville/ out cruising
Boat: Island Packet 38
Posts: 31,351
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Re: How to prepare for lightening strike???
I think this has been talked about a lot, a search will probably come up with many threads, but the few I have read, because lightning scares the beezus out of me, is there is no definitive way to protect yourself from lightning, even houses, you don't, or at least I don't see lightning rods on new construction anymore, use to be at least all the Churches had them on their steeples, not anymore.
There are several devices, even I guess what would be called dissipators that you put on your mast head, and large grounding plates connected electrically to your mast to give the lightning a path to ground.
I'm guessing if lightning is near, you should get in the center of the boat, stay away from chainplates etc. and wait it out?
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25-09-2014, 06:26
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#4
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: PORTUGAL
Posts: 30,652
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Re: How to prepare for lightening strike???
Quote:
Originally Posted by biker6977
I was just reading up on Noah Cullen, the victim of lightening in the Keys. Can you protect your vessel and person from a lightening strike on a sailboat? Houses have lightening rods, can you put one on a boat?
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Yes... Lightning and Your Boat - BoatSafe.com
__________________
You can't beat a people up (for 75yrs+) and have them say..
"I Love You.. ". Murray Roman.
Yet the 'useful idiot' of the West still pays for the beat of the Apartheid Drum.
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25-09-2014, 08:49
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Daphne Alabama
Boat: Bristol 35
Posts: 400
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Re: How to prepare for lightening strike???
Quote:
Originally Posted by boatman61
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Thank you, good information and yet I feel most have not done this. Do any manufactures do this as a regular practice?
I am old school and our houses were and are always grounded- tornadoes and hurricanes don't bother me- lightening - yikes!
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25-09-2014, 09:02
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 230
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Re: How to prepare for lightening strike???
I lightened my boat by leaving one of the two anchors ashore. I lightened the sails with an application of Concrobium, then clean water. I didn't prepare for either event, other than having some chilled beer ready to drink after the sail cleaning.
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25-09-2014, 09:04
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,604
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Re: How to prepare for lightening strike???
Also, anything with a circuit board in it is at risk from a strike, even a close miss. Cell phones, vhf, gps, etc. That subject has been pretty well covered here-
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ps-122684.html
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25-09-2014, 09:36
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Lakewood Ranch, FLORIDA
Boat: Alden 50, Sarasota, Florida
Posts: 3,489
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Re: How to prepare for lightening strike???
Quote:
Originally Posted by jwing
I lightened my boat by leaving one of the two anchors ashore. I lightened the sails with an application of Concrobium, then clean water. I didn't prepare for either event, other than having some chilled beer ready to drink after the sail cleaning.
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Wonder if he "got" it yet?
Can someone describe what a "lightening rod" is?
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25-09-2014, 09:58
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,604
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Re: How to prepare for lightening strike???
The use of the English word "strike" in reference to work stoppages first appeared in 1768, when sailors, in support of demonstrations in London, "struck" or removed the topgallant sails of merchant ships at port, thus crippling the ships.
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25-09-2014, 10:07
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Skagit City, WA
Posts: 25,534
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Re: How to prepare for lightening strike???
I think the consensus is there is no fix but luck. A lightening rod and large conduit to ground water may help, or may attract lightening, or the bolt may strike there and fan out several places on the way to ground.
Airplanes are struck all the time, I wonder why they don't usually have damage? No path to ground?
__________________
"I spent most of my money on Booze, Broads and Boats. The rest I wasted" - Elmore Leonard
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25-09-2014, 10:12
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#14
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Jacksonville/ out cruising
Boat: Island Packet 38
Posts: 31,351
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Re: How to prepare for lightening strike???
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cheechako
Airplanes are struck all the time, I wonder why they don't usually have damage? No path to ground?
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Yes, same reason the squirrel can run down a high power line, aircraft do often sustain minor damage though, not sure about the squirrrels
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25-09-2014, 10:14
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#15
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Jacksonville/ out cruising
Boat: Island Packet 38
Posts: 31,351
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Re: How to prepare for lightening strike???
I don't know about lightning rods, but here is a picture of lightning holes
Rods, Holes ??
http://www.vx-aviation.com/rv-9a/pho...103_0388_1.jpg
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