Re: New to group, and Static Fireworks on P19

Ted Duke (tedduke@usa.net)
Wed, 02 Jun 1999 13:21:38 -0400


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Geoff, Thomas and gang,

I started to comment on Thomas' incident because twice on
top of mountains while backpacking I have had similar
(though not quite so "electric") incidents. It literally
made our hair stand on end. ALL of our hair. It felt
creepy! Scared us to the point we scurried down the
mountain aways and laid down which got rid of the static
electricity.
Then I decided that didn't relate to boating, but with your
"dry mountain air" comment I thought it might be of
interest.

BTW, there is a man here in Virginia who at last cout has
been actually struck by lightening some 5 or 6 times. Hard
to believe! An article I read once about him recommended
that IF you feel the hair on your arms stanidng up you
should change your location quickly.

Ted Duke

> Thomas,
>
> I have also encountered static as you have. I believe it is a phenomenon of
> dry mountain air. When I have been caught out on the lake during a summer
> thunder squall, I have had very strong electrical buildup everywhere. One
> time it got so bad that I could not start my engine to get to shore. Every
> time I would reach for the cord to start it, sparks would jump to my hand.
> It was spooky. It has been explained to me that this is caused by ionization
> from the strong dry wind in the rigging. The static is not as much a danger
> as the fact that the charged boat can attract lightning.

snip