[Rhodes22-list] sailing and lightning

[John Lock]

At 08:46 AM 7/30/2006 -0400, you wrote:
>In Florida sailboats get hit by lightening fairly often. I don't 
>know if the "hit" rate is higher for grounded vs. ungrounded. I know 
>we have had a few sailboats get hit while slipped at marina. Again I 
>don't know the specifics. I just do what I can to stay out of the 
>way but I have been caught out in some violent storms. Once at 
>anchor a storm rolled in and we watched a nearby tree take a direct 
>hit. There wasn't a damn thing we could do other than hope for the 
>best. After a short hail burst the storm passed.

Personally, I'm not worried about getting struck while out 
sailing.  Like others have stated, I'll be heading for port and 
getting under cover whenever possible.

My main concern is for the unattended boat.  In my case, the boat 
will be in the water full-time, with no other boats or tall objects 
nearby other than the tress on the shoreline.  I'd hate to come home 
one day and find just the mast sticking out of the water!

Cheers!

John

"Very funny, Scotty.  Now beam down my clothes."