"Over40pirate" wrote...
A few years ago while cruising, I was weighing anchor, and when I got to
the
chain (no windlass then) I was shocked, not by what was on the hook, but
as in
electrical shock. I dropped it and pulled it in again with the same
shocking
results. It wasn't a killing shock, and as the hook was clear of the
bottom, I
motored off enough with the hook in the water to be sure I didn't pick up
a
live cable, then hauled it aboard, getting shocked as I did it.
Before I tell the cause, any guesses?


Skip Gundlach wrote:
You've got an aluminum boat.

IIRC he's got an old IOR racer converted for cruising, not aluminum.

My guess was that the boat was in the area of one of those magnetic
disturbances they mark on the charts, and was sailing around the anchor fast
enough that the magnetic field could induce current in the conductive anchor
chain.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Skip Gundlach wrote:
You've got an aluminum boat.

IIRC he's got an old IOR racer converted for cruising, not aluminum.

I do have an old IOR racer, converted for cruising that IS Aluminum, however
that is my Wifes boat. The boat the shocks happened on was a Fiberglass boat.
The wind generator threw a winding, and it was grounding on the magnets in the
housing. I may have been barefoot, as it was in the little latitudes.
Capt. K

Over40pirate wrote:

I do have an old IOR racer, converted for cruising that IS Aluminum,
however
that is my Wifes boat. The boat the shocks happened on was a Fiberglass
boat.
The wind generator threw a winding, and it was grounding on the magnets in
the
housing. I may have been barefoot, as it was in the little latitudes.
Capt. K

I'd be interested in knowing how you figured out what had caused
the shock and how long it took.

Cindy

Well without the diesel running the shocks were still happening. It also
happened when touching the bow rail and stern rail. Lets see, the wind
generator pole is clampet to the stern rail. Hmmmm, Lets see what happens when
I stop the wind generator. No shocks. Took the gererator apart, and found the
broken winding. Any body know a good place to get a armature rewound at a
decient price. I was quoted $175. Another solar panel, kept the generator on
the shelf since then, but I might like to get it running again, for those
cloudy days.
Capt. K