[Rhodes22-list] sailing and lightning

[Bill Effros]

Art,

There are too many boats for any one person to really know about 
everything going on.  If a boat was sunk by lightning I'm sure the word 
would spread, and I've never heard anyone speak of it.  I do know people 
whose boats have been struck by lightning, but I know of no one getting 
hurt, and apart from fried electronics, no major damage.

I don't know of anyone with a stepped mast whose boat was struck by 
lightning.  I'm sure it must have happened, just as Dave's car was hit.  
But it seems to be rare.  I do know of someone with a stepped mast who 
installed a ground whose boat was never hit before installing the ground 
but was hit after.

Bill Effros

Arthur H. Czerwonky wrote:
> Bill,
> Have there been cases of known strikes - damage other than fried electronics?
> Art
>
> -----Original Message-----
>   
>> From: Bill Effros <bill at effros.com>
>> Sent: Jul 30, 2006 1:03 PM
>> To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] sailing and lightning
>>
>> John,
>>
>> There are 1000s of boats on moorings here.  We've lived here for over 30 
>> years.  I've never heard of one sunk on a mooring by lightning.
>>
>> Bill Effros
>>
>> John Lock wrote:
>>     
>>> 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."
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