Lighting strike likelyhood

[mglonnro]

Apparently multihulls not only capsize but they are struck by lightning as well - almost twice as frequently as monohulls.



https://www.boatus.com/expert-advice...k-by-lightning

[NaClyDog]

Nowhere do I see mention of capsize with respect to multihulls anywhere in that article. Perhaps you are making up your "facts"?

[smj]

Monohulls are known to sink. Maybe the numbers are of because some monohulls sink due to lightning strikes? [emoji38]

[mark_morwood]

Ignoring the trolling comment about sinking, that is a useful link to one of the few articles that actually gives solid data on lightning risk. The best explanation I have heard for the difference quoted is if we assume lightning is essentially random as to where it strikes, then a catamaran with roughly twice the footprint of a monohull will be roughly twice as likely to be struck. Though I don't think it references it in that article, the data is from Florida where most insured boats are packed in marinas where that would be consistent. The data is also consistent with other findings that there is nothing reliable you can do to prevent a strike if you are in a lightning area, but that you can mitigate the damage if you do get struck by providing a "safe" path to earth, though it doesn't prove that either way.

[smj]

Originally Posted by mark_morwood

Ignoring the trolling comment about sinking, that is a useful link to one of the few articles that actually gives solid data on lightning risk. The best explanation I have heard for the difference quoted is if we assume lightning is essentially random as to where it strikes, then a catamaran with roughly twice the footprint of a monohull will be roughly twice as likely to be struck. Though I don't think it references it in that article, the data is from Florida where most insured boats are packed in marinas where that would be consistent. The data is also consistent with other findings that there is nothing reliable you can do to prevent a strike if you are in a lightning area, but that you can mitigate the damage if you do get struck by providing a "safe" path to earth, though it doesn't prove that either way.

Do you know what an emoji is? Notice the smiley faced emoji used at the end of my post, that means it was meant in humor.

[Sailmonkey]

I would suspect that the average cat has a much taller stick than an average monohull.

Now we assume the average lightning will seek the highest most conductive path we can pull average boat grouping in anchorages into play......

Wait.......no we can’t, it’s lightning.

Insurance stats only count fully insured boats. If we got hit, I’d be rebuilding out of pocket and not adding to the stat.

[Nicholson58]

Roxy, monohull, 80 foot air draft main mast, struck three times since we have owned the boat.

[ChrisJHC]

“6.9 or 3.8 chances per thousand.”

Per thousand what?

[smj]

Originally Posted by ChrisJHC

“6.9 or 3.8 chances per thousand.”

Per thousand what?

6.9 catamarans out of a thousand and 3.8 monohulls out of a thousand are struck by lightning.

[C420sailor]

Think about where most multihulls are found.

In regions where strong thunderstorms are prevalent.

This skews the data just a tad.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by C420sailor

Think about where most multihulls are found.

In regions where strong thunderstorms are prevalent.

This skews the data just a tad.

?????? Huh?

Great Lakes, many summer violent storms, near zero cats

Caribbean (lived aboard 5 years now) 50% cats and no electric storms in five cruising seasons.

It would certainly be interesting to add in the regional data too. Only compare monos and cats strike rates in similar areas and times.

[C420sailor]

Florida has a lot of cats, and they get crushed by storms.

I’m not speaking in absolutes, my point is that the data isn’t corrected for location.

[smj]

Originally Posted by C420sailor

Florida has a lot of cats, and they get crushed by storms.

I’m not speaking in absolutes, my point is that the data isn’t corrected for location.

How do cats get crushed by storms?

[C420sailor]

Originally Posted by smj

How do cats get crushed by storms?

Florida gets crushed by storms. Sorry for being unclear.

[smj]

Originally Posted by C420sailor

Florida gets crushed by storms. Sorry for being unclear.

[emoji1303]