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CapnCape
I have a 1973 G 26. Is the lightning protection (grounding setup) adequate and safe? How can I check it to verify that it is working?
Even if someone were to describe 30+ year old original grounding to you, there is no guarantee someone, sometime throughout it's life didn't make changes, improve it or eliminate it. When you consider what normal deterioration, corrosion, etc can do, the original configuration is irrelevant. The only way for you to know definitively is to inspect what is currently there. Once you do that, describe it here and ask for suggestions/comments.
what you describe sounds like a basic grounding system absent gounding wires to each thruhull, the engine and tanks. Lightning will not always take the direct path to ground via the stays without jumping around unpredictably which is why many manufacturers include all metals in the bonding system. Others choose to bond nothing under the theory that grounding attracts lightning. Your choice - there is no absolute here.There is a wire cable attached to the port chainplate that is attached to the most forward keel bolt which is embedded in the iron keel. Obviously the chainplate is bolted to the port stay which is attached to the mast head via a clevis pin.