[Rhodes22-list] sailing and lightning (long reply)

[Arthur H. Czerwonky]

Ron,

While not followed in research, I have noticed a factor in lightning storms that you have also possibly seen - the lightning will seem to follow the heaviest concentrations of rain in its chosen path to the ground/water.  Obviously, the easier path to follow in that 1000' or so arc to the surface.  If the greatest density of rainfall is avoidable, odds may decrease significantly, again I speculate.  A wise mariner would prefer to avoid heaviest rainfall in any case. 

If a mast grounding was used , one of Thompson's posted papers indicated 8 gauge wire was the normal cable used, and would melt under a direct strike.  I have emailed him for more info, especially as his posted research is a little dated.  I still wonder if a 6-8 gauge copper, connected to the mast step area (well coupled at the hinge bolt) and welded to a small copper plate would decrease the odds of a bad outcome, given a direct strike.  BTW, I have no plans to research this myself!  Who should we volunteer for this project, Ed?  After all, he started this thread...

Art

-----Original Message-----
>From: Ronald Lipton <rlipton at earthlink.net>
>Sent: Jul 29, 2006 11:10 PM
>To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] sailing and lightning (long reply)
>
>Rummy,
>
>   One of the interesting comments that Ewen thompson made on the
>"Furling Sails" podcast, is that he knew of no lightning-induced
>deaths on a sailboat.  I was surprised by this, but he claims to
>have looked and found no cases. He believes that non-masted boats are
>much more dangerous due to the chance of a direct strike near
>the person.
>
>I don't think that having the mast keel stepped or not makes much
>difference.  The charges on a metal object can move in response to
>hugh fields in the storm and the most direct path to ground will
>still be through the mast, followed by a sideflash to the water through
>the air or the fiberglass. The grounding of the mast through the keel
>only helps in providing a more direct path to the water "ground".  If
>there is an insulating fiberglass layer between the mast/keel and the
>water the lightning will punch a hole in it.
>
>I think going home is a good choice.
>
>Ron
>
>On Jul 29, 2006, at 8:27 PM, R22RumRunner at aol.com wrote:
>
>> Art and all,
>> This is a topic that comes up at least once every year. There are a 
>> lot of
>> people that have done extensive research on the topic and the general 
>> consensus
>>  is that nobody can say with any amount of certainty which is the best
>> approach  for our boats.
>> Since the R22 has a cabin top stepped mast and not a mast that goes to 
>> the
>> keel, I'm suggesting that it makes a lousy and probably an unlikely 
>> target for
>> lightning. I sail on an inland lake which increases the odds that I 
>> will
>> probably never get hit.
>> Now, all that being said, I hate lightning and whenever there's even a
>> slight chance for a storm, I'm at the dock and going home.
>>
>> Rummy
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