On Thu, 15 Mar 2007 15:34:33 -0400, "Roger Long"
wrote:

How about a couple of plastic coated battery cables with a snap shackle on
one end and a length of chain on the other. If it looks like you are going
to get caught right in the path of an energetic storm, the kind where you'll
want to either anchor or drift while you seek the safest place in the boat,
just clip them to the shrouds and drop over the side.

Most really large sailboats use zinc fish with an attached wire and
alligator clip. You can buy these at West Marine and other
chandleries. One on each upper shroud is a good start, and you can
also put one on the headstay and backstay (assuming it isn't
insulated.

I use one on each side of my trawler mast when docked, or at anchor in
threatening weather. In the end it's all luck however, lightning is
very capricious stuff.

http://tinyurl.com/zttlk