[Rhodes22-list] sailing and lightning

[Slim]

Richard,

Yes, and it would seem the nine shrouds on the R22 would also create a
Faraday cage.  I've heard of an experiment with a man sitting in a car that
was struck by an artificially produced lightening strike--nowhere close to
the voltage of real lightening--but the electricity went through the metal
in the car and arced to the ground from one of the wheel hubs.  The man
inside was fine.  

When lightening happens, there is the primary stroke coming from the
negatively charged cloud and a lesser return stroke coming from the
positive, say, tree.  The return stroke builds in the ground and moves
toward the tree like ripples of water going in reverse.  Now say you are
standing under the tree.  If you are standing face to, or face away from the
tree with both feet the same distance from the tree, each "ripple" will flow
across your two feet at the same time and you'll be OK.  (or not--even a
close call can kill you.) But if you're standing sideways to the tree, one
ripple will hit one foot and another ripple will hit the other foot with
these two ripples being of different voltage.  Then you've had it for sure!
(or not--many have survived direct hits.)

Of course this is just theory but if I were in a storm I would position my
feet equidistant to the mast...and say my prayers.

I love this topic.  There's so much to say and so little agreement or
conclusion.  

Slim

On 7/31/06 9:24 AM, "Richard Smith" <sailnut at att.net> wrote:

> 
>> When I was in high school, a friend's brother died when lightening struck
>> his car.  He was lying underneath working on it.  He probably had a wrench
>> touching the engine when it happened.  A very tragic freak accident.
>> 
> 
> Yes... BUT if had been in the car he would have been OK.  The car would
> function as a Faraday cage.
> 
> Richard Smith
> 
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