Owners split on lightning

[CO Editorial]

50% of responding Catalina owners would run for cover if they saw an electrical storm coming, according to last week's Quick Quiz. If you were in that uncomfortable position, what would 'run for cover' mean to you? What would be the safest, most protected course of action? Or, if that wasn't your answer, what, if anything, would you do to maximize your safety? Publish your striking answers here.

 

[B J Egeli]

Lightnings fater than you can ever run !!!!!

If one wants to avoid a lightning storm, it should be principally to avoid the wind gusts that may come with it, not to try to outrun the lightning. Most production sailboats, Catalina included, are fairly well grounded to take a hit from lightning. This is not to say that all your electronic equipment is protected, however, and it is always good advice to have a pro (a real Pro) look over your grounding situation. It can be well worth the money. You might also want to install a diffuser on your masthead, which will go a long ways to disbursing the excess static electricty that has built up on your boat.

 

[Dick of the Sylvan]

Look Out

Probably best to try to stay away from lightning-- don't go out on thunder-stormy days and keep aware so that you might steer clear of thunderstorms whenever possible. And its best if we have previously run a heavy wire between mast and keel or other underwater plate. Also a "diffuser" at masthead is an easy addition to have made well ahead of trouble. My friend "Lightning Don" suggested once that a chain wrapped around the mast and trailed into water might help if you hadn't taken earlier precautions. Above all he cautioned to keep people away from rigging and other metal parts of the craft when lightning strikes are possible. With such precautions, lightning discharges hopefully will go thru the rigging/mast into the water rather than through us. Heading into dock could also be trouble. With lightning about, its not the time to be changing sails or doing the other activites which require touching stays, shrouds, booms, or other potentially lethal conduits as we normally do when putting our crafts to rest. Dick.

 

[Bill Nixon]

shocking experience

Yes, my first choice is to seek a harbor and have done so. In good weather,I check out approaches to various storm ports or lee inlets.I carry a BAC [big ass chain] with me,when it gets to looking bad I hook one end around the mast and drop the other into the drink.Maybe it's a false sense of security, no grounding plate in the 25. NFPA has interesting info...