OK, hypothetical, but my quesiton is how do you handle being caught in
a lightening storm in a boat.

I have two fiberglass boats an 18' and a 23'.

18 has an enclosed bow, and the 23 a small cuddie. basicly a bigger
enclosed bow.

Where I boat is Lake Carlyle, and it's about 10 mi. long and about 3
mi. wide. Now 'pop-up' showers arn't uncommon this time of year, but
sometimes that little sprinkle can turn into a lightening storm while
the boater is unawares. So while being caught in the rain. the bilge
[s] are on, and you're headed in. the baot is wet.. you're wet. what
is the concern about lightening?

I'm thinking at least sit still and everybody head under the
enclosures. until at least the lightning quits.

What say ye?

On Tue, 2 Jun 2009 21:12:38 -0700 (PDT), Tim
wrote:

OK, hypothetical, but my quesiton is how do you handle being caught in
a lightening storm in a boat.

I have two fiberglass boats an 18' and a 23'.

18 has an enclosed bow, and the 23 a small cuddie. basicly a bigger
enclosed bow.

Where I boat is Lake Carlyle, and it's about 10 mi. long and about 3
mi. wide. Now 'pop-up' showers arn't uncommon this time of year, but
sometimes that little sprinkle can turn into a lightening storm while
the boater is unawares. So while being caught in the rain. the bilge
[s] are on, and you're headed in. the baot is wet.. you're wet. what
is the concern about lightening?

I'm thinking at least sit still and everybody head under the
enclosures. until at least the lightning quits.

What say ye?

Lightning is incredibly powerful and unpredictable. In all honesty
there is *no* safe place on a small boat. The only obvious advice is
to try and avoid the storm and get off the water, additionally, stay
away from metal objects or any other electrical conductor.

I've taken one really near miss in a 50 ft sailboat as well as being
in an airplane that took a direct hit. Both times it felt like the
world was coming to an end.

On Tue, 2 Jun 2009 21:12:38 -0700 (PDT), Tim
wrote:

OK, hypothetical, but my quesiton is how do you handle being caught in
a lightening storm in a boat.

I have two fiberglass boats an 18' and a 23'.

18 has an enclosed bow, and the 23 a small cuddie. basicly a bigger
enclosed bow.

Where I boat is Lake Carlyle, and it's about 10 mi. long and about 3
mi. wide. Now 'pop-up' showers arn't uncommon this time of year, but
sometimes that little sprinkle can turn into a lightening storm while
the boater is unawares. So while being caught in the rain. the bilge
[s] are on, and you're headed in. the baot is wet.. you're wet. what
is the concern about lightening?

I'm thinking at least sit still and everybody head under the
enclosures. until at least the lightning quits.

What say ye?

Not much you can do about it other than try to stay at the lowest
point in the boat, duck and cover.

I supposed you could install a grounding system on the cuddy, but a
really effective ground system would include straight wire runs and a
through hull ground plate. There really isn't much you can do.

The NFPA and NASD recommend the following:

Stay in the center of the cabin if the boat is so designed. If no
enclosure (cabin) is available, stay low in the boat. Don't be a
"stand-up human" lightning mast!

Keep arms and legs in the boat. Do not dangle them in the water.
Discontinue fishing, water skiing, scuba diving, swimming or other
water activities when there is lightning or even when weather
conditions look threatening. The first lightning strike can be a mile
or more in front of an approaching thunderstorm cloud.

Disconnect and do not use or touch the major electronic equipment,
including the radio, throughout the duration of the storm.

Lower, remove or tie down the radio antenna and other protruding
devices if they are not part of the lightning protection system.

To the degree possible, avoid making contact with any portion of the
boat connected to the lightning protection system. Never be in contact
with two components connected to the system at the same time. Example:
The gear levers and spotlight handle are both connected to the system.
Should you have a hand on both when lightning strikes, the possibility
of electrical current passing through your body from hand to hand is
great. The path of the electrical current would be directly through
your heart--a very deadly path!

It would be desirable to have individuals aboard who are competent in
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid. Many individuals
struck by lightning or exposed to excessive electrical current can be
saved with prompt and proper artificial respiration and/or CPR. There
is no danger in touching persons after they have been struck by
lightning.

If a boat has been, or is suspected of having been, struck by
lightning, check out the electrical system and the compasses to insure
that no damage has occurred.

http://www.cdc.gov/nasd/docs/d000001...7/d000007.html

Having had radio towers, I can tell you pretty much flat out that
there's not much you can do about lightning strikes - I went for years
without getting a direct hit on the towers, then in one year, I was
hit six/seven times and at least twice, three times a year up until
the time I took them down. You can protect your equipment using gas
discharge devices and direct, heavy ground straps, but other than
that, forgitaboutit.

On Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:01:07 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

I've taken one really near miss in a 50 ft sailboat as well as being
in an airplane that took a direct hit. Both times it felt like the
world was coming to an end.

My house took a hit on a lightning rod six feet from where I was
sitting. Not all that loud. Lightning bolts vary in power.

Casady

On Wed, 03 Jun 2009 06:14:45 -0400, Wizard of Woodstock
wrote:

I'm thinking at least sit still and everybody head under the
enclosures. until at least the lightning quits.

What say ye?

Not much you can do about it other than try to stay at the lowest
point in the boat, duck and cover.

I have an aluminum cuddy. Better than a glass bow rider, at least.

Casady

On Tue, 2 Jun 2009 21:12:38 -0700 (PDT), Tim
wrote:

OK, hypothetical, but my quesiton is how do you handle being caught in
a lightening storm in a boat.

I have two fiberglass boats an 18' and a 23'.

18 has an enclosed bow, and the 23 a small cuddie. basicly a bigger
enclosed bow.

Where I boat is Lake Carlyle, and it's about 10 mi. long and about 3
mi. wide. Now 'pop-up' showers arn't uncommon this time of year, but
sometimes that little sprinkle can turn into a lightening storm while
the boater is unawares. So while being caught in the rain. the bilge
[s] are on, and you're headed in. the baot is wet.. you're wet. what
is the concern about lightening?

I'm thinking at least sit still and everybody head under the
enclosures. until at least the lightning quits.

What say ye?

Pretty much what everybody else said.
I once posted a link
Still have it
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/SG/SG07100.pdf
Mostly about sailboats, if I recall, but there should be an
interesting part there about a "cone of protection."
Not to be confused with the Cone of Silence.
Here's something else you don't want to hear.
Lightening strikes in fresh water are MUCH more intense
than those on salt.
Don't know or can't remember why. Ain't a scientist.
Staying away from that stuff is the best bet.

--Vic

On Wed, 03 Jun 2009 01:50:22 -0400, wrote:

The real trick is to be able to read the clouds and try to see them
coming in time to get to a safe place to wait it out.

You can get a radar that will pick up a storm at 20 miles for under a
grand. In 1970 I saw a sixteen foot boat with radar. It wasn't cheap
then. A commercial fishing boat. [ Stockholm ]. I think it was used to
handle the other end of the net for a bigger boat.

Casady

On Jun 3, 1:50*am, wrote:
On Tue, 2 Jun 2009 21:12:38 -0700 (PDT), Tim
wrote:



OK, hypothetical, but my quesiton is how do you handle being caught in
a lightening storm in a boat.

I have two fiberglass boats an 18' and a 23'.

18 has an enclosed bow, and the 23 a small cuddie. basicly a bigger
enclosed bow.

Where I boat is Lake Carlyle, and it's about 10 mi. long and about 3
mi. wide. Now 'pop-up' showers arn't uncommon this time of year, but
sometimes that little sprinkle can turn into a lightening storm while
the boater is unawares. So while being caught in the rain. the bilge
[s] are on, and you're headed in. the baot is wet.. you're wet. what
is the concern about lightening?

I'm thinking at least sit still and everybody head under the
enclosures. until at least the lightning quits.

What say ye?

We have thunderstorms all the time and most of us in open boats worry
about getting hit by lightning but I haven't really heard any stories
about it happening.
The real trick is to be able to read the clouds and try to see them
coming in time to get to a safe place to wait it out.
If you do get caught in it get as low in the boat as possible and away
from the T top. Sailboat guys probably have tips about grounding since
that mast is a pretty attractive target.

The real trick is to be able to read the clouds

Or buy a hand held Barometer......

On Jun 3, 12:13*pm, wrote:
On Wed, 3 Jun 2009 05:07:03 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
On Jun 3, 1:50*am, wrote:
On Tue, 2 Jun 2009 21:12:38 -0700 (PDT), Tim
wrote:

OK, hypothetical, but my quesiton is how do you handle being caught in
a lightening storm in a boat.

I have two fiberglass boats an 18' and a 23'.

18 has an enclosed bow, and the 23 a small cuddie. basicly a bigger
enclosed bow.

Where I boat is Lake Carlyle, and it's about 10 mi. long and about 3
mi. wide. Now 'pop-up' showers arn't uncommon this time of year, but
sometimes that little sprinkle can turn into a lightening storm while
the boater is unawares. So while being caught in the rain. the bilge
[s] are on, and you're headed in. the baot is wet.. you're wet. what
is the concern about lightening?

I'm thinking at least sit still and everybody head under the
enclosures. until at least the lightning quits.

What say ye?

We have thunderstorms all the time and most of us in open boats worry
about getting hit by lightning but I haven't really heard any stories
about it happening.
The real trick is to be able to read the clouds and try to see them
coming in time to get to a safe place to wait it out.
If you do get caught in it get as low in the boat as possible and away
from the T top. Sailboat guys probably have tips about grounding since
that mast is a pretty attractive target.

The real trick is to be able to read the clouds

Or buy a hand held Barometer......

If you only went out when there was a rising barometer you wouldn't
get away from the dock around here in the summer.

One thought about "blue sky" lightning, be sure to look up!

There are lots of times here in the sub-tropics where there will be
blue sky and sunshine all around and if you looked straight up you
would see a big white puffy cloud. It might be a tower 15,000 feet
tall.
Radar can be deceiving too. Until it starts raining, these clouds
don't really look that bad on radar. That can be a pretty sudden
occurrence. These are the kind of storms Florida is famous for where
one guy can get an inch of rain in 15 minutes and the guy on the block
over doesn't get a drop.

Having had waaaaay too much experience with lightning, I tend to
obsess over it. Living in N. Florida and being both a sailor and
powerboater I have developed strategies for both. Your best strategy
is avoidance of thunderstorms.
If you cannot avoid them, here is what I do:

Sailboat. Disconnect VHF and GPS from power AND antennas so they will
work after a strike. Get passengers below decks so the wet decks and
hull can form a "Faraday Cage" for them and minimize effects on them.
Make sure nobody goes near metal stuff including the sink or the mast
on a keel stepped mast boat.
I drop my sails long before the storm hits and have my engine running
and attempt to power into the wind. if it gets too strong I turn and
run with the wind. Make sure everything is bonded to the engine shaft
and hope the prop will dissipate a strike.
I'd rather be at anchor during such a storm and I have a 2' x2' copper
sheet soldered and clamped to a 00 guage tinned copper braided cable
that clips to the mast as high as I can reach with another lead going
to the shroud at the edge of the deck. All of this should give me a
"cone of protection". I crouch as low as possible.

Powerboat (outboard): I run like hell back toward shore. Beach the
boat if necessary because I want trees near shore to offer a better
strike path than me, but stay on the boat. IF necessary, I anchor. I
also have a length of OO tinned braided cable I attach to my danforth
anchor that I drop overboard with anchor line attached so it hangs in
the water (Yes, I carry two anchors on my 20' boat) so the anchors
area will dissipate the current of a strike. Lower the VHF antenna
and disconnect the VHF from power and antenna. Crouch low in boat
under RAISED bimini. The bimini is grounded and helps form a Faraday
cage. Do not touch the wheel or throttle unless necessary. Stand one
one foot or keep feet together, SERIOUSLY. This avoids current using
your torso as a conduction path from one place on the hull to another,
your body is a better conductor than the wet fiberglass.

Frogwatch wrote:
On Jun 3, 12:13 pm, wrote:
On Wed, 3 Jun 2009 05:07:03 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
On Jun 3, 1:50 am, wrote:
On Tue, 2 Jun 2009 21:12:38 -0700 (PDT), Tim
wrote:
OK, hypothetical, but my quesiton is how do you handle being caught in
a lightening storm in a boat.
I have two fiberglass boats an 18' and a 23'.
18 has an enclosed bow, and the 23 a small cuddie. basicly a bigger
enclosed bow.
Where I boat is Lake Carlyle, and it's about 10 mi. long and about 3
mi. wide. Now 'pop-up' showers arn't uncommon this time of year, but
sometimes that little sprinkle can turn into a lightening storm while
the boater is unawares. So while being caught in the rain. the bilge
[s] are on, and you're headed in. the baot is wet.. you're wet. what
is the concern about lightening?
I'm thinking at least sit still and everybody head under the
enclosures. until at least the lightning quits.
What say ye?
We have thunderstorms all the time and most of us in open boats worry
about getting hit by lightning but I haven't really heard any stories
about it happening.
The real trick is to be able to read the clouds and try to see them
coming in time to get to a safe place to wait it out.
If you do get caught in it get as low in the boat as possible and away
from the T top. Sailboat guys probably have tips about grounding since
that mast is a pretty attractive target.
The real trick is to be able to read the clouds
Or buy a hand held Barometer......
If you only went out when there was a rising barometer you wouldn't
get away from the dock around here in the summer.

One thought about "blue sky" lightning, be sure to look up!

There are lots of times here in the sub-tropics where there will be
blue sky and sunshine all around and if you looked straight up you
would see a big white puffy cloud. It might be a tower 15,000 feet
tall.
Radar can be deceiving too. Until it starts raining, these clouds
don't really look that bad on radar. That can be a pretty sudden
occurrence. These are the kind of storms Florida is famous for where
one guy can get an inch of rain in 15 minutes and the guy on the block
over doesn't get a drop.

Having had waaaaay too much experience with lightning, I tend to
obsess over it. Living in N. Florida and being both a sailor and
powerboater I have developed strategies for both. Your best strategy
is avoidance of thunderstorms.
If you cannot avoid them, here is what I do:

Sailboat. Disconnect VHF and GPS from power AND antennas so they will
work after a strike. Get passengers below decks so the wet decks and
hull can form a "Faraday Cage" for them and minimize effects on them.
Make sure nobody goes near metal stuff including the sink or the mast
on a keel stepped mast boat.
I drop my sails long before the storm hits and have my engine running
and attempt to power into the wind. if it gets too strong I turn and
run with the wind. Make sure everything is bonded to the engine shaft
and hope the prop will dissipate a strike.
I'd rather be at anchor during such a storm and I have a 2' x2' copper
sheet soldered and clamped to a 00 guage tinned copper braided cable
that clips to the mast as high as I can reach with another lead going
to the shroud at the edge of the deck. All of this should give me a
"cone of protection". I crouch as low as possible.

Powerboat (outboard): I run like hell back toward shore. Beach the
boat if necessary because I want trees near shore to offer a better
strike path than me, but stay on the boat. IF necessary, I anchor. I
also have a length of OO tinned braided cable I attach to my danforth
anchor that I drop overboard with anchor line attached so it hangs in
the water (Yes, I carry two anchors on my 20' boat) so the anchors
area will dissipate the current of a strike. Lower the VHF antenna
and disconnect the VHF from power and antenna. Crouch low in boat
under RAISED bimini. The bimini is grounded and helps form a Faraday
cage. Do not touch the wheel or throttle unless necessary. Stand one
one foot or keep feet together, SERIOUSLY. This avoids current using
your torso as a conduction path from one place on the hull to another,
your body is a better conductor than the wet fiberglass.



Nice to hear from you again, Dr. Emmett Brown.