Fresh water shore power electrocution near miss

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Tribu336

Tribu336

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Jan 22, 2008
29
Hunter 336 Lake Champlain, NY
Thanks for sharing this very important subject with us. We also sail on Lake Champlain and I have often jumped into the water around our sailboat. Luckily, our marina's electrical system is in good shape and we have never experienced this kind of incident.
I have forwarded a copy of the newspaper article to all of our friends to alert them of this.
Thanks again.
 
Mark Ferrick

Mark Ferrick

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Mar 18, 2010
91
O'Day 222 Smith Mountain Lake, VA
how to determine before jumping in

So, at the risk of Hi-hacking this thread ( I don't think it is, but if j Hunter does, I will start a new one), how can you determine / measure for the current/voltage in the water. One of the articles said just a probe from a volt meter would measure it, but that does not sound right.

Any ideas?
 
Bill Roosa

Bill Roosa

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Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
measuring current

Take a multi meter and set it to its lowest voltage setting then measure between a shore side receptical ground and the water. You must get no volts for safety. A voltage between the shore side ground and the water means current will flow any time you touch a ground or offer a better path between the source and water further from it.
Think of your body as a wire. If you offer less resistance than the fresh water you will be the path the current follows. If the source is a boat and your head is at 1 volt potential and your feet (body suspended in the water and not touching the bottom) are at 0.5 then some small current will flow, and it does not take much current across your heart. Glad I'm in salt water which has a much better conductivity than my body.
 
Peggie Hall HeadMistress

Peggie Hall HeadMistress

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Dec 2, 1997
9,011
- - LIttle Rock
The simple solution:

Stay out of the water while in the marina--ANY marina!

Measuring the current in your slip will only tell you whether it's safe to go into your slip...it won't tell you how much current is in the next slip...or behind the boat...or coming from the transient boat that just moved in next door.

Diving on a boat to clean the bottom while in the slip is suicidal...take your boat to a cove and anchor it to dive on it.

Besides, the water in any marina is so filthy that I can't imagine why anyone with an IQ above room temperature would even consider going into it!
 
BobM

BobM

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Jun 10, 2004
3,269
S2 9.2A Winthrop, MA
Re: The simple solution:

This really makes me want to talk to our dock master. The kids always swim off the dock after the wrap up party for junior sailing. Seems like a really bad idea unless someone is checking for stray current first...then is it still a bad idea though.
 
Mark Ferrick

Mark Ferrick

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Mar 18, 2010
91
O'Day 222 Smith Mountain Lake, VA
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