In an H22 should I be afraid of lightning. It seems the mast is grounded to the ballast. Is that enough protection if struck by lightning?
Should I be Afraid of Lightning?
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no definitive answer
There are pros and cons to grounding the mast and everyone has their own pet theory which is safest. Some mfgs do and some don't. With a boat that size, I'd be more concerned with the gusts and sea state in a squall,
There are pros and cons to grounding the mast and everyone has their own pet theory which is safest. Some mfgs do and some don't. With a boat that size, I'd be more concerned with the gusts and sea state in a squall,
Not withstanding ...
The previous posters comments ... If you put aside the discussion of whether or not a grounding system (or any other device) make it more or less likely that you will be and you examine the issue of what may happen WHEN you get hit, I think you will find that the concensus is that the more bonding you have in place the better. Having your mast well bonded to the keel is good, but it's better to have your shrouds, life lines, pushpit/pulpit, backstay, forestay, steering pedestal, etc. all bonded. The goal is prevent a side flash (from your mast for example) from hitting a crew member. If all major conductors are bonded and are at equal potential, then a flash is much less likely. Chris
The previous posters comments ... If you put aside the discussion of whether or not a grounding system (or any other device) make it more or less likely that you will be and you examine the issue of what may happen WHEN you get hit, I think you will find that the concensus is that the more bonding you have in place the better. Having your mast well bonded to the keel is good, but it's better to have your shrouds, life lines, pushpit/pulpit, backstay, forestay, steering pedestal, etc. all bonded. The goal is prevent a side flash (from your mast for example) from hitting a crew member. If all major conductors are bonded and are at equal potential, then a flash is much less likely. Chris
Yes, but
Having a direct path for the lightning to travel from mast-head to keel is believed by some to be the safest means of insuring lightning "doesn't get in the boat". Of course your mast runs right through your salon so I'd say, IMHO, the lightning will be getting into your boat if it ever strikes. Just stay away from the mast and keel when there is thunder. My $0.02 is that you should un-ground the mast and use the stays as ground paths. By attaching a modified battery jumper cable to each stay you effectively give the lightning a path to ground that does not pass through the salon. This is a problematic solution if your mast is keel stepped as the distance between the bottom of the mast and the keel are small compared to the gap lightning can cover. The cables I use have a large jumper cable clamp (hand squeeze) on one end and a piece of SS (1'x1') bolted to the other. They are long enough to go from the stay to a few feet in the water in a smooth line so as not to upset the lightning gods as they try and find the shortest path to ground. Lightning HATES to turn sharp corners. I'm not a big fan of mounting VHF antennas on the top of the mast as that gives a path right into the boat too. Also think of having some way to disconnect your mast electricals easily. Preferably a grounded outlet that you can plug them into at the mast base. Insurance is the only answer to lightning. If it hits, no amount of prior planning or fancy system can really save you. The biggest concern is blowing a hole in the hull or blowing the keel off. Fried electronics or welded bearings in the engine are inconvenient but a leak could mean a total loss of the boat if hit while you are not there.
Having a direct path for the lightning to travel from mast-head to keel is believed by some to be the safest means of insuring lightning "doesn't get in the boat". Of course your mast runs right through your salon so I'd say, IMHO, the lightning will be getting into your boat if it ever strikes. Just stay away from the mast and keel when there is thunder. My $0.02 is that you should un-ground the mast and use the stays as ground paths. By attaching a modified battery jumper cable to each stay you effectively give the lightning a path to ground that does not pass through the salon. This is a problematic solution if your mast is keel stepped as the distance between the bottom of the mast and the keel are small compared to the gap lightning can cover. The cables I use have a large jumper cable clamp (hand squeeze) on one end and a piece of SS (1'x1') bolted to the other. They are long enough to go from the stay to a few feet in the water in a smooth line so as not to upset the lightning gods as they try and find the shortest path to ground. Lightning HATES to turn sharp corners. I'm not a big fan of mounting VHF antennas on the top of the mast as that gives a path right into the boat too. Also think of having some way to disconnect your mast electricals easily. Preferably a grounded outlet that you can plug them into at the mast base. Insurance is the only answer to lightning. If it hits, no amount of prior planning or fancy system can really save you. The biggest concern is blowing a hole in the hull or blowing the keel off. Fried electronics or welded bearings in the engine are inconvenient but a leak could mean a total loss of the boat if hit while you are not there.
Lightening
Be Afraid! Be Very Afraid! You can take some measures to miminize damage but there is no way to lightening proof your boat. Try not to be part of the grounding path. Here's a few links on this subject. http://www.cdc.gov/nasd/docs/d000001-d000100/d000007/d000007.html http://www.alohaowners.com/pages/projects/lightning/lightning.htm http://powerandmotoryacht.com/columns/electronicsc/0503electronics/ The best strategy is to get off the water fast.
Be Afraid! Be Very Afraid! You can take some measures to miminize damage but there is no way to lightening proof your boat. Try not to be part of the grounding path. Here's a few links on this subject. http://www.cdc.gov/nasd/docs/d000001-d000100/d000007/d000007.html http://www.alohaowners.com/pages/projects/lightning/lightning.htm http://powerandmotoryacht.com/columns/electronicsc/0503electronics/ The best strategy is to get off the water fast.
On being afraid.
It wont help you one little bit to be afraid. It will more than likely make things worse because it will interfere with your rational thought processes. Being wise and taking appropriate action is the thing to do. The lightning could care less if you're afraid.
It wont help you one little bit to be afraid. It will more than likely make things worse because it will interfere with your rational thought processes. Being wise and taking appropriate action is the thing to do. The lightning could care less if you're afraid.
Lighting
Of Course, Alan is correct. Maybe I should have said: Move to the nearest exit and don't run.
Of Course, Alan is correct. Maybe I should have said: Move to the nearest exit and don't run.
I have a very healthy respect for electricity
Just like when I am working around the house when working on any electrical components, I don’t understand everything there is to know about electricity. However, I am not afraid of it, but I respect it. There are different school of thought about lightening protection for boats. Bonded or not bonded, install a mast top fuzzy or not, or install a strip or not. Well, luckily I am here in the PNW and we don’t have much lightning here. As to what I do if there are lightning around me, I will stay away from anything metal, like the mast, nav station, rails, etc. If I am in a heavy lightning region, like a tropic charter cruise, and if I have the time, I may unplug my electronics, grab my handheld VHF and GPS, and sit on some wooden seat in the cabin. There is a great article in BoatUS’s Seaworthy magazine. Their claim records shows that lightning damage is a very small percentage of all insurance claims, and obviously, it also points out that us with sail boats have more hits than any other type of boats. Here is the link to that acricle.
Just like when I am working around the house when working on any electrical components, I don’t understand everything there is to know about electricity. However, I am not afraid of it, but I respect it. There are different school of thought about lightening protection for boats. Bonded or not bonded, install a mast top fuzzy or not, or install a strip or not. Well, luckily I am here in the PNW and we don’t have much lightning here. As to what I do if there are lightning around me, I will stay away from anything metal, like the mast, nav station, rails, etc. If I am in a heavy lightning region, like a tropic charter cruise, and if I have the time, I may unplug my electronics, grab my handheld VHF and GPS, and sit on some wooden seat in the cabin. There is a great article in BoatUS’s Seaworthy magazine. Their claim records shows that lightning damage is a very small percentage of all insurance claims, and obviously, it also points out that us with sail boats have more hits than any other type of boats. Here is the link to that acricle.
Very little seems more dangerous down here
Been struck and didn't like it*yks. While "afraid" may be a little too blunt for some I certainly agree with George and Landsends statement and I'm always hastily running for cover if I see conditions worsening. I'd sail through a blowing gale of freezing rain in a pram before I'd take our boat head first into a black, boiling, Fl thunderstorm. The OP asked "should I be afraid?". I'd say in the same way you should be leary of a loaded gun. While normally harmless, I have a world of respect for the potential it has to really screw up my(and other peoples) day if I don't take its handling seriously. It may seem extreme to some but our boat goes into the shop from about mid June to oct 1st in west central Fla. Until you've experienced our daily summer storms you can't grasp the violence and unpredictable power of literally thousands of strikes from a typical Fla afternoon lightening fest. Clashing seabreezes from the east and west coasts of fl along with intense heat and stifling humidity create the fiercest combination in the world. We're so lucky to be sticking out in the ocean on our 300mi long sandbar. Michael
Been struck and didn't like it*yks. While "afraid" may be a little too blunt for some I certainly agree with George and Landsends statement and I'm always hastily running for cover if I see conditions worsening. I'd sail through a blowing gale of freezing rain in a pram before I'd take our boat head first into a black, boiling, Fl thunderstorm. The OP asked "should I be afraid?". I'd say in the same way you should be leary of a loaded gun. While normally harmless, I have a world of respect for the potential it has to really screw up my(and other peoples) day if I don't take its handling seriously. It may seem extreme to some but our boat goes into the shop from about mid June to oct 1st in west central Fla. Until you've experienced our daily summer storms you can't grasp the violence and unpredictable power of literally thousands of strikes from a typical Fla afternoon lightening fest. Clashing seabreezes from the east and west coasts of fl along with intense heat and stifling humidity create the fiercest combination in the world. We're so lucky to be sticking out in the ocean on our 300mi long sandbar. Michael
Unbonding the mast...
...runs against expert opinion. True the experts used to think the Earth was flat, but that was not based on science. Using a tall strait metal tube to conduct lightning directly into the water is based on science. Additionally grounding the stays may deal with stray current reducing the risk of side strikes. Lightning would probably still mostly travel strait down the unbonded mast which then would be more likely to blow holes in the hull if not properly bonded. Even deck stepped masts are usually held up by metal compression posts these days, side strikes are more likely if they are not properly bonded. Yes be afraid or respect it, which ever term you use. Make sure your boat is protected, avoiding storms is best. You could get hurt/killed even if your boat is protected as best as possible. alan
...runs against expert opinion. True the experts used to think the Earth was flat, but that was not based on science. Using a tall strait metal tube to conduct lightning directly into the water is based on science. Additionally grounding the stays may deal with stray current reducing the risk of side strikes. Lightning would probably still mostly travel strait down the unbonded mast which then would be more likely to blow holes in the hull if not properly bonded. Even deck stepped masts are usually held up by metal compression posts these days, side strikes are more likely if they are not properly bonded. Yes be afraid or respect it, which ever term you use. Make sure your boat is protected, avoiding storms is best. You could get hurt/killed even if your boat is protected as best as possible. alan
Question for Alan on grounding
Alan, I've got a 35.5 Legend too and have wondered if the mast is grounded to the keel?
Alan, I've got a 35.5 Legend too and have wondered if the mast is grounded to the keel?
I don't know, it certainly should be.
Check for heavy gauge wire going from mast to compression post to keel and or dissapator plate on hull (don't paint although not much of an insulator). Even then corrosion could have over the years degraded the connections. If any doubt have someone qualified examine the boat. Not sure what the proper qualifications are. Is your mast deck or keel stepped? By the way are you looking for alan (me) or Alan, there are two of us here? alan
Check for heavy gauge wire going from mast to compression post to keel and or dissapator plate on hull (don't paint although not much of an insulator). Even then corrosion could have over the years degraded the connections. If any doubt have someone qualified examine the boat. Not sure what the proper qualifications are. Is your mast deck or keel stepped? By the way are you looking for alan (me) or Alan, there are two of us here? alan
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