Lighting Striking Sailboat - 7/8/19

[mnmpizza]

In case you all didn't see this: https://www.usatoday.com/videos/new...ng-strikes-sailboat-boston-harbor/1672484001/

Pretty awesome display! I'm thinking the batteries are "Fully Charged" now...

Shannon

 

[Brian D]

I witnessed a lightening strike on a 46' Irwin back in the 80's. It was less than a hundred yards from where I was standing. Sound, heat, flash, all at the same time. Wow! Caused the hair on my arms to raise. Immediately called the owner of the boat and he came down to look. Other than a chard mast top, very little damage done.

 

[kloudie1]

Saw a J-30 get hit about 50 yards in front of us as we left Gulfport Ms. for an overnight race to Pensacola.. Everyone was on deck.. no one hurt but they lost all electronics.. We could see the wind instrument flying away on fire.. Got our attention !

 

[Bill19233]

Really wild video! The dealer I bought my boat from, said a boat three or four slips down was struck by lightning and the PO's insurance paid to replace all the electronics right before I took delivery. Couple years later, I ran across a boat forum post by the PO of my boat about it getting hit by lightning motoring out in the bay and trading it in ASAP for a power boat to the dealer I bought it from. I've had it going on a decade and found no lightning strike issues. I like to think it's like that scene in "The World According to Garp" when the house they want to buy get's hit by a plane, "this house is safe now!" Hopefully, lightning won't strike twice in the same place.

 

[Davidasailor26]

Lightning struck a boat about 100 feet from ours last summer. Witnesses said there were sparks from their masthead. That boat ended up with about 75 starburst style burn marks on the hull -

It fried the networking circuitry in our chartplotter and VHF. They would still turn on but wouldn't work over NMEA. Also fried out stereo. Other boats around also lost things like radars and bow thrusters. After our three affected devices were replaced we haven't had any other random residual failures, knock on wood.

 

[jssailem]

starburst style burn marks on the hull

Wow David. That is what I call "leaving your mark". I wonder if the strike did you a favor. Could the exit sights be places where the hull had moisture in and between the layers of fiberglass?
How did the marks get repaired? Any fiberglass damage?

 

[Davidasailor26]

Wow David. That is what I call "leaving your mark". I wonder if the strike did you a favor. Could the exit sights be places where the hull had moisture in and between the layers of fiberglass?

The Starbursts were on the direct hit boat, not ours, so I'm not sure about the integrity of the hull before the event. It was an older model (70's or early 80's) so it's possible there was extra moisture in some spots. I didn't notice any blisters after it was hauled, but I was mostly looking at the burns and not the rest of the area. They were scattered pretty much everywhere - hull, keel, rudder, and all thru hulls.

How did the marks get repaired? Any fiberglass damage?

Sure was. They took all the bottom paint off to start, then ground the burn marks down -

Then built it back up with what looks like fairing compound. Not sure if they added more glass underneath -

 

[jssailem]

I would hope they used epoxy and fiberglass in the hole to provide strength. Fairing compound filled holes would bother me.

 

[dLj]

I would hope they used epoxy and fiberglass in the hole to provide strength. Fairing compound filled holes would bother me.

+ 10000 (or more)....

dj

 

[higgs]

Happened to my Irwin 32 about 20 years ago. No witnesses, but it exploded my smart charger with pieces all over the bilge, took out all electronics, blew out part of the depth sounder sending unit, but not enough to leak. Also had to replace all through hulls and repair small exit marks just above the water line.

 

[Chief RA]

Wrap your anchor chain around your mast and drop anchor into water if experiencing a lightning risk. Chief

 

[All U Get]

Wrap your anchor chain around your mast and drop anchor into water if experiencing a lightning risk. Chief

My wife told me to wrap that chain around my ankle to keep me safe. What was she thinking.

 

[Chief RA]

AUG: I am not going to touch that! Chief