Lightning protection

Any suggestions on how to protect the boat/mast against it?

I normally leave the mast up when it is beached

Boat needs to be grounded to reduce damage. The article http://www.cdc.gov/nasd/docs/d000001-d000100/d000007/d000007.html is informative. Research suggests that grounding an object does not increase the possibility of a lightning strike but I am skeptical. However, providing an easy method for the strike to reach the ground is better than having your fiberglass cat destroyed like the one for sale on ebay.

Kris
Nacra 6.0NA

Here is the pic.

Thanks

Excellent info.

So is a 6 to 8 "ligtning rod on the, (when on the beach) top of the mast and a wire path to ground from the bottom of the mast a useful item?

There was some talk about cats and lightning before on this forum wile sailing. There was some disagreement about using a grounding wire. If you do a search for it, you should be able to find it.

Here is a link to the start of a thread
http://www.catsailor.com/forums/sho...amp;Main=22608&Search=true#Post22608

Mark Colby
1973 H16
Jackson, MI

Mark You're right.

I had tried a search before but did not reset the time frame that the search defaulted to.

Thanks

Not to suggest alternative ideas, but has anyone ever thought of putting a ... uhh.. rubber... uhh... err... condom... over their mast ?

Here's a photo of my H16 getting hit by lighting.

Or maybe not.
Jack

needs more fireworks Jack :P

If you're gonna go for the photoshop, gotta make it unbelievable :P

The best way to keep your boat safe is on a trailer with a rubber tire or two under the tongue. If your boat isn't grounded, it will be less likely to be struck. If that isn't possible, then maybe a lightning rod on top would work. It would have to be very pointed and have a substantially strong conduit running to the ground. Insulated copper is good and readily available. Just remember, lightning is an imbalance in charge in the atmosphere. So it's looking to get to the ground where it can be disappated radially. Round insulators are unlikely to get struck. If you actually look at accident reports involving lightning, you'll notice that the strike wasn't at the highest object. Most sailboats are struck at rigging points where there are pointed objects. Not usually the very top of the mast. Its funny a condom was brought up because that is the exact shape that you would need to be completely safe...no pun intended. Even setting your boat on tires would help some. Hope this helps!

Reid

So would a Hobie bob on the top of your mast help to prevent it from being struck by lightning?

No offense to anyone on the board, but lightning is so powerful and so random that only luck will protect your beachcat.

Just drop you mast if you see bad weather. If you are out sailing in bad weather... well you are just asking for trouble. CompTips, condoms, big grounding poles aren't going to help. If lightning hits your boat, something is going to get damaged. Just feel good that you weren't around when it happened.

My insurance covers "acts of "god". I say if there is a "god" and it wasn't to make my mast glow in the dark, it can have it.

There have been several threads about lightning on this forum, and I don't recall any incidents being reported of a beach cat ever being hit by lightning while the boat is on the water -- only on land.