Lightening Dangers?

[jibes138]

Hypothesis testing

Yes, but overall, statistics show that boats with grounding/bonding systems do get hit more often than ungrounded/bonded boats. However,statistics also show that the damage to a grounded/bonded boat that is hit is generally less than a ungrounded/unbonded boat that gets hit.

I can't argue with the statistics you quote not knowing the source, but the question I ask is what is the statistics on boats that are grounded versus those that are not. Saying bonded boats get hit more often is meaningless if 95% of the boats are bonded. Your statement is only valid if there is a 50/50 mix and all are in the same region with the same frequency of storms.

It seems logical that in event of a strike you want the energy to be routed to the water, which is highly conductive, and to have as much surface area of metal in contact with the water. I have heard of lightning hitting ungrounded boats and going through the hull resulting in porous laminate. Not sure the validitiy of that either but an interesting phenomena.

 

[Ross]

Re: Hypothesis testing

Because of the variability of the strength of lightning strikes and the complete randomness of them probably everything that we read works for some boat sometime but at this stage of understanding no one has found anything that works on every boat every time.

 

[zeehag]

because lightning is so random , and because we just experienced sailing thru a bunch of lightning storms off fla last month, i MUST add that there is no rhyme nor reason to lightning strikes--in our unprotected--except for a kat--boat, watching lightning bolts showering everywhere around us, i feel very strongly that our good fortune had something to do with actual randomness and magical powers--maybe the potential anti-zap kat hat----who knows?? i surely do not---there is no mathematical nor scientific factuality proving nor disproving any statements regarding lightning and its effects on a boat in the water under sail or power---houses in the neighborhood in which the boat on which we sailed resides were hit in the past--witnessed house hits--as were boats at dock here--protected and unprotected..so YOU tell ME what kept our boat , in the middle of the gulf of mexico, in the middle of the night, from being hit when we were in the very centers of more than 3 storms...when you are in the middle of a lightning storm in the middle of a sea and you are the only lightning rod around for many many miles and it is 60 miles to nearest shelter and all you are able to do is 6 knots-8 knots-and there are MORE storms in your direct path----in what will you believe when you are not hit????? and--what will you think and do when/if you ARE hit?????--all i can say is pray hard to what ever is guiding us and take your kat with you--you might just need the protection of a potential anti-zap kat hat ...gotta keep a sense of humor when there are no explanations for things which happen AT RANDOM around you.......I DO have a suggestion for those of you addicted to stats----why dont you , with your bonded and protected boats, buddy bat with us on our next outing to fla from louisianna---i will bring kat and you bring your bonding system and we will see who is best protected--the one with the sense of humor or the one with the lightning "protection"....LOL