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Frogwatch[_2_] Frogwatch[_2_] is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Nov 2008
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Default Lightning strike probability

On Jul 2, 11:23*am, Gene wrote:
On Thu, 2 Jul 2009 08:19:45 -0700 (PDT), Frogwatch

wrote:
I once did a calculation of lightning strike probability.......
What I do remember is that your probability of being struck went up
with the SQUARE of mast height so a mast or tuna tower twice as high
as another quadrupled your probability of being struck.
This number said nothing about the probability of a sailboat with
others being in a marina being struck.
So, after this calculation, I am very careful about sailing in
thunderstormy weather.


Uh.... is this some sort of justification of a low transom.....
--

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"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by
the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do.
So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover." * - Unknown

Grady-White Gulfstream, out of Oak Island, NC.

Homepagehttp://pamandgene.tranquilrefuge.net/boating/the_boat/my_boat.htm


No, its my way of avoiding work.
OK, I cannot help myself. I looked up the strike density.year for
where I am, roughly 10 km2/yr multiplied by protected cone area of my
mast gives a roughly 1/1000 chance of being hit IF THE BOAT WAS ALL
ALONE. This is NOT the same as the probabiluity of being hit if you
sail under a storm. That probability is much higher.