I was just browsing through a
current Sail magazine where they had an article by cruisers who suffered a
lightning strike on
passage. It took everything out but the
engine battery including
icebox and
watermaker,
chartplotter,
vhf,
ssb, running lights and more. They made it in because they had
charts downloaded on a cell and will now always carry paper back up. The small hand held devices off the
wiring loom are what survived. Like many of these stories they enter port wondering what will happen to their
cruise now that all the "essentials" have to be replaced in paradise, away from the retailers. There have been lots of these stories and
boats on the market because the sailors couldn't afford to put it together again.
This is a long preamble but it brings up another point. What happens with
lithium systems in a
lightning strike? Does the battery survive but not the control module? I know Mark J has had good luck with his lightning prevention system for a conventional set up, would anything else be required?
What about that other
lithium bugaboo, fires when wet? Are they sealed enough to prevent it?
If there is any doubt about these issues I'd suggest a wing mounting near the main
hull side with a floor pan/hatch so the whole thing can be jettisoned in event of thermal runaway or lithium fire. The weight isn't in the ideal place anymore, down low above the waterline in a
capsize, but it could save your bacon instead of frying it. Plus you can play Star Trek. "Mr Scott, we have a warp
core breech. Jettison the drive!"
Speaking of hatches, maybe it should have top access as well for
dock installation of the module and jettisoning if inverted. After all a elevator should go both ways. With luck you'll be the only kid on the
dock who has one giving a leg up in the
race of the Joneses.