Lightening!

[Scott F. Murphy]

This weekend I was out sailing alone. The wind was blowing from the SW 10-15. Being alone I was just relaxing reaching along on just a 120% Genoa at 4 kts. I noticed a dark gray area in the sky down wind from me getting larger and more distinct as time went by. The marina was West of the storm, I was upwind of the storm but I've seen these things do some weird things so I decided to run for home. I figured the sooner I reached the tree line the better my chances. I started the engine and ran it at 3200 rpm, a mile to the bayou and 2 more to the trees. The storm was headed to the marina too. It was a race. I got to the trees before the rain and thought that I was winning.
Suddenly like touching a spark plug, the wheel in my hand shocked me. I remember thinking I had an electrical short. Yes I actually had time to have one thought before the blinding flash of light and Kaboom. I never saw a lightening bolt so I don't know where it hit. I immediately checked below but smelled nothing and saw no water so I continued to the marina, steering with a line looped on the wheel.

 

[Sail123]

wOw!

Another thread in here somewhere is going on and on about lightning. People are teaching one another to make lightning arrestors out of car jumper cables and duct tale. lol

I for one have studied lightning, and it is like not something you can control with car parts and props from the Red Green show.

Glad you are OK!

 

[kloudie1]

Glad you are OK, Scott. Little I've read says that you are better to stay out away from land.. sort of counter-intuitive , but probably better to be one great conductor of a random area on the water surface instead of the tallest best conducting tree in the woods.
Definitely a phenomena to be considered in our sailing area! Did you lose any gear from the strike? Usually if the strike is even close, the VHF gets toasted because of the aerial at the mast top.

 

[richk]

for more info...

for some more info about lightning see http://www.srh.weather.gov/jetstream/lightning/lightning_intro.htm

 

[Benny17441]

We hear all the time about forest fires started by lightning strikes but almost never about a sailboat having been struck at sea. Most sailboat strikes occur to docked boats which statistically are unattended. It could be that lightninstrikes that go down to the ground are more common around land than at sea where many seem to strike in the air. I have been at this game for a long while in an area where thunderstorms are plentyfull (Tampa is an indian word meaning "fire stick") and I have never heard of a sailor being killed by a lightning strike when sailing. Power boaters and golfers yes but no sailors. Perhaps there is something to the theory that the mast affords a cone of protection starting at the top and expanding down to a diameter at sea level equal to its length. Those that subscribe to that theory refuse to ground their mast as they feel it will tend to attract strikes. Less damage more strikes, who knows. The only thing I believe is that the odds of not getting killed are heavy in my favor and that there is nothing that I could do to improve them so there is no need to worry. I try to stay at home when it storms but undoubtedly you are going to get caught out there a few times in a season. The main reason I head away from land is to gain sea room as the winds that accompany these thunderstorms can be quite strong and don't want to be pushed into the shallows or obstructions.

 

[KennyH]

My boat was struck by lightning while anchored in a rather large river. It exploded the vhf antenna at the top of the mast and camed down the RG52U cable to fry a SSB that shared the same cable. Then a fire ball jumped from the SSB to a TV set which we saw from inside the boat. Only damage was to the antenna,SSB and TV. All where toast. I somehow believe having a lot of electrical equipment on board may attract it but hard to prove. Cable it came down was undamaged as well as VHF which was saved by a switch to antenna. I was using the antenna for the TV as well as VHF and it was in the TV position.

 

[rivettw]

Scott, you must have been the only other sail I saw on the lake that Sat. with all the big offshore power boats out for the Tickfaw 200. I got off before the rain but the wind was sure nice while it lasted. Did 5 to 6 knots most of the day well heeled. Sorry you had that "shocking" experience.

Wally