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Subject: [worldcruising] Lightening Strikes
From: galatea_49 (galatea_49@XXX.XXX)
Date: Tue Sep 10 2002 - 12:36:52 EDT
The news that a friend has suffered a strike whilst his boat was
moored on a canal in Fort Lauderdale prompted me to wonder what
percentage of boats are hit each year. With marine insurance costs
soaring many of us are accepting higher and higher deductables and
thus effectively self-insuring against at least minor damage.
Clearly strikes are more common in Florida and the SW Caribbean but
what are the chances of a boat getting hit? Is a boat more likely to
be struck at sea or in a marina (I assume the former)?
What factors make stikes more likely and what preventative measures
can be taken.
I had a lightening dissipator fitted at the mast head when the boat
was commissioned in Florida - but my friend who was struck has an
identical boat with the same dissipator. When leaving the boat in a
marina I suspend a length of chain from the cap shroud chainplate
into the water - but does this really do any good?
Obviously the amount of damage varies enormously - from a few blown
instruments to major damage to wiring, starter motors and pumps. It
would be interesting to hear of other experiences and to have any
references in the literature to any scientific studies of GRP sailing
boats fitted with Aluminium masts.
David
sv Galatea
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