Hello fellows, I am a new owner and please forgive my English because I am French speaking person. I was wandering if somebody know if a lightning rod was included in the mast or how I can find outif it is. My second question is wich windex is best suitable for a 19
lightning rod
- Thread starter jenisy
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The mast is a lightning rod!
Don't feel bad about the language differences. My ancestors moved from Canada to Louisiana over 250 years ago and we still have trouble with English. The Macgregor 19's most important lighnting protection device is the 40HP outboard. It helps you get to a safe harbor fast. I'm not aware of any trailer sailer that comes with lightning protection as standard equipment. Although there are things you can do to reduce the damage caused be a strike, there is no way to 100% protect your boat or yourself in a fiberglass boat under 10 meters. Article below on boat lightning protection. Picture caption: "Lightning strike in the Gulf of Mexico" or "Time to change the underware again" Happy sails *_/), MArk
Don't feel bad about the language differences. My ancestors moved from Canada to Louisiana over 250 years ago and we still have trouble with English. The Macgregor 19's most important lighnting protection device is the 40HP outboard. It helps you get to a safe harbor fast. I'm not aware of any trailer sailer that comes with lightning protection as standard equipment. Although there are things you can do to reduce the damage caused be a strike, there is no way to 100% protect your boat or yourself in a fiberglass boat under 10 meters. Article below on boat lightning protection. Picture caption: "Lightning strike in the Gulf of Mexico" or "Time to change the underware again" Happy sails *_/), MArk
Web sites to see...
Look at http://www.marinelightning.com/science.htm and http://www.thomson.ece.ufl.edu/lightning/SGEB17.html Both are good sites on lighting. The second is a web version of State of Florida booklet. See: http://www.flseagrant.org/program_areas/boating/boating_pm.htm I have a Mac 19 and I have thought about it. If ever caught in a lighting storm, and running away is not an option, I plan on wrapping a spare anchor chain around the base of my mast and next to a shroud and into the water. Then stay away from metal parts of the boat. Thankfully, southern California has very few lighting storms. Happy sails, Ron
Look at http://www.marinelightning.com/science.htm and http://www.thomson.ece.ufl.edu/lightning/SGEB17.html Both are good sites on lighting. The second is a web version of State of Florida booklet. See: http://www.flseagrant.org/program_areas/boating/boating_pm.htm I have a Mac 19 and I have thought about it. If ever caught in a lighting storm, and running away is not an option, I plan on wrapping a spare anchor chain around the base of my mast and next to a shroud and into the water. Then stay away from metal parts of the boat. Thankfully, southern California has very few lighting storms. Happy sails, Ron
Jumper cables?
A friend told me once that when he was sailing as a youngster, that when caught in a storm the owner would attach a set of jumper cables to a shroud, and then trail the other end into the water. Any thoughts on this concept?
A friend told me once that when he was sailing as a youngster, that when caught in a storm the owner would attach a set of jumper cables to a shroud, and then trail the other end into the water. Any thoughts on this concept?
jumper cables
I think there are 2 schools of thought on lightning. 1) ground the mast to a ground plate that contacts the water. (You have to install thru hull ground plate, sandwhich type w/ a bolt going thru the hull.) 2) do nothing, as an un-grounded boat is less likely to be hit. (however, if hit, it will look for a ground which could be you) If I didnt have a water balast boat I would use the lead keel as the ground and attach a bolt and suitable (thick) wire to it and the mast, and the negative ground) on the waterbalast boats I would have to drill thru the hull to attach the ground plate. wiser souls than me have covered this before, so search the archives here and trailersailor.com.
I think there are 2 schools of thought on lightning. 1) ground the mast to a ground plate that contacts the water. (You have to install thru hull ground plate, sandwhich type w/ a bolt going thru the hull.) 2) do nothing, as an un-grounded boat is less likely to be hit. (however, if hit, it will look for a ground which could be you) If I didnt have a water balast boat I would use the lead keel as the ground and attach a bolt and suitable (thick) wire to it and the mast, and the negative ground) on the waterbalast boats I would have to drill thru the hull to attach the ground plate. wiser souls than me have covered this before, so search the archives here and trailersailor.com.
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