H26 Lightning ground

Sep 21, 2020
124
Hunter 26 Lake Mead
There was a bit of lightning here in Vegas and it occurred to me that some sailboats have a ground from the mast to the keel - Is there metal that runs from the mast to the water?
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
I don't think so. I have a bucket I keep in the very back locker behind the queen berth (under the cockpit) In the bucket are two short-ish pieces of chain that have a snap on hook. I clip the chain to the shroud and dangle it over the side. I don't know if it works or helps at all but at least I feel like I'm doing something to protect myself.
 
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Likes: CaptainRan
Sep 25, 2008
7,075
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
There was a bit of lightning here in Vegas and it occurred to me that some sailboats have a ground from the mast to the keel - Is there metal that runs from the mast to the water?
You probably don’t want to rely on answers followed by the words “I think”. Some boats are built with grounding to the keel; some aren’t. And for those which are, there is no telling what a previous owner did.

If your question is about your boat specifically, it’s easy to simply look - if you don’t see a large size cable from the mast to a keel bolt, that’s your answer.
 
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Likes: JamesG161
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
You probably don’t want to rely on answers followed by the words “I think”. Some boats are built with grounding to the keel; some aren’t. And for those which are, there is no telling what a previous owner did.

If your question is about your boat specifically, it’s easy to simply look - if you don’t see a large size cable from the mast to a keel bolt, that’s your answer.
Actually what I said was "I DON'T think...":biggrin:
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
So as someone who is very familiar with the H26, let me say that I know the stock set up does not included a grounding system nor are the chainplates bonded.

But what the OP asked was if the mast has a direct line to any metal below the water line.

The only metal below the water line is the keel bracket. And there is a large 7/8th bolt holding that bracket in place that one can get access to from inside the cabin (see figures 6, 7 & 9 in the attached document for photos of what I am talking about). You could ground a lighting strap to that bolt, run it up the tube supporting the table and then through the deck to the mast foot.

If it were me, that would not make me feel safer. I can see the aluminum to steel junction at the mast foot as a hot spot and if the discharge at the keel bracket was violent enough, it would rupture your ballest tank. I still choose dircting the discharge over the side at the shrouds using some chain clipped to the shrouds. YMMV
 

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Likes: Cape Charles
Feb 18, 2011
315
Hunter 260 Cave Run Lake, KY
My 240 had a heavy gauge ground wire attached to the mast step running through the deck down along the wood compression post to the plate bolted to centerboard bracket. I assumed this was some sort of lightning protection. On my 260 there is no wire, but the compression post is metal and welded to the mast plate on deck, and attached to the centerboard bracket at the bottom. Would this serve the same purpose on the 26/260?
See photos of 260 compression post in this thread (scroll down to see post removed):
H260 Compression Post Removal & Table Mod | Sailboat Owners Forums