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I've never sailed in waters where lightning was a worry, so I have no first
hand experience. It seems to me, however, that you would not want to
"invite" a lightning strike into the interior of your boat, but rather to
lead it off to the side, away from passengers and crew.
H.A.Calahan remarks in Learning to Sail (1933) that "...lightning need not
necessarily be dangerous so long as you keep away from the mast and the
shrouds." and "Lightning always leaves a boat above the water line". He
reports his experience when lightning struck the mast traveled down the
shrouds and jumped directly to the water without following the chainplates
or the hull. Of course he sailed boats constructed of wood, probably with
wood masts, where as most of us sail fibergalss hulls with aluminum mast,
which may make a difference - but I don't think I would do anything to lead
the bolt toward the interior of the boat, but rather out and over the
sides.
Lee Page in Sacramento, CA
WWP #602, "Archaeopteryx"
----------
> From: Gordon <hlg@pacbell.net>
> To: wwpotter@tscnet.com
> Subject: Re: Lightning storm precautions and procedures
> Date: Friday, April 30, 1999 4:41 PM
>
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> West Wight Potter Website at URL
> http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> Intuitively (not influenced by any substantial knowledge), I would think
> that the iron centerboards of the P15 and P19 would provide a very
> substantial grounding to the water. A large cable connecting the mast to
> the centerboard would be required.
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I've never sailed in waters where =
lightning was a worry, so I have no first hand experience. It =
seems to me, however, that you would not want to "invite" a =
lightning strike into the interior of your boat, but rather to lead it =
off to the side, away from passengers and crew.
H.A.Calahan =
remarks in Learning to Sail (1933) that "...lightning need =
not necessarily be dangerous so long as you keep away from the mast and =
the shrouds." and "Lightning always leaves a boat above =
the water line". He reports his experience when lightning struck =
the mast traveled down the shrouds and jumped directly to the water =
without following the chainplates or the hull. Of course he sailed boats =
constructed of wood, probably with wood masts, where as most of us sail =
fibergalss hulls with aluminum mast, which may make a difference - but I =
don't think I would do anything to lead the bolt toward the interior of =
the boat, but rather out and over the sides.
Lee Page in =
Sacramento, CA
WWP #602, =
"Archaeopteryx"
----------
> From: Gordon =
<hlg@pacbell.net>
> To: wwpotter@tscnet.com
> Subject: Re: Lightning storm precautions and =
procedures
> Date: Friday, April 30, 1999 4:41 PM
>
> =
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> =
West Wight Potter Website at URL =
> http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - =
- - - -
> Intuitively (not influenced by any substantial =
knowledge), I would think
> that the iron centerboards of the P15 =
and P19 would provide a very
> substantial grounding to the water. =
A large cable connecting the mast to
> the centerboard would be =
required.