Struck by lightning in a boat?

[LongJohnSilver]

Does anyone have the hard facts about lightning strikes on small fiberglass watercraft? We all know lightning and water don’t mix, but hopefully the danger isn’t as high as being on a golf course or an athletic field is it? Does a direct strike have the same effect or is it dissipated somewhat by the water? If you're in a storm is it safer to wait until it's over until docking....i.e. being in contact with the land?

 

[Boatist]

Re: Struck by lightning in a boat?

I would rather be on shore any time. We were caught 26 miles from the nearest port when a lighting storm more than 90 miles in size came in from sea. We could see strikes all over. We ran in as close to a high mountain as we safeley could. Both antennas were making a Loud frying sound. When I touched the Loran C to set a return course I got badly shocked. I had the family lay on the floor of the boat under the front aluminum deck. When it started to rain hard the frying sound stoped and we set a course back to port. It rained so hard could only see about 50 yards. When we got back to Camp talking to other found they all had the same thing happen. Worst part was this storm was not in the marine forcast at all. No one could under stand why it was not forcast. Storm was a huracaine that came from south of hawwaii. Then became a tropical storm. Scary day on the water, One I will never forget. Put me on land anytime. When on the ocean there nothing you and do too not be the highest object around.

 

[magster65]

Re: Struck by lightning in a boat?

Scary. We 'never' get lightning here but I had a bolt touch down 30' in front of me in my truck not long ago on the way home from work. <br />Boat; my bro lives in Toronto. The last time he came out to the west coast I took him and his better half for a cruise in the Tolly... of course our entire family had to come along. It was an awesome outing until it went sour. I had checked the marine forecast before our trip but it wasn't so accurate this particular time. The sky darkened quickly and the seas were calm and lightning started to bolt down. I thought for sure that we'd be hit but it didn't happen. <br /><br />Lightning and water don't mix!

 

[tommays]

Re: Struck by lightning in a boat?

Just hang around a LOT of sailboats those masts make great lightning rods and get most of the hits <br /><br />In reality its much easery for the lightning to hit the water than YOU as your boat is not a good ground path BUT you could just be were the strike hits<br /><br />I did a LOT of long sailboat races up to about 300 miles for many years and was in many scary storms and from my experance boats get hit FAR more offen at the dock (its still pretty rare)<br /><br /><br />And the most scared i have ever BEEN is at a camp sight on Lake George NY were there were no open places away from the trees which is really dangerous<br /><br /><br />tommays

 

[RobDar]

Re: Struck by lightning in a boat?

yeah I think the worry is more voltage transfer through the water than actually striking the boat.<br />The owner of a nieghbooring resort where we used to go in canada was killed in a storm...not by a direct lightning strike, but by a tree on shore that was struck. The tree fell and knocked him off the boat he was tying down and trapped him under water.

 

[bamadave]

Re: Struck by lightning in a boat?

A few years ago in Louisiana, a lawyer was out with a couple when lightning started popping around them. The lawyer stood up, shouted HERE I AM, a second later, lightning hit him. All they found was a shoe. True story. Don't temp the man, he might say well here I am also.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Struck by lightning in a boat?

The gulf coast of the USA has lots of popup squalls. They usually contain lightening. I have been harassed by them many times and usually seek shelter. Only time I got close was when a bolt struck the water an estimated mile or so away, I got a tingling from a piece of metal I was touching (forget now what it was). I assumed that the lightening hit the water and the electric field dispersed across the top of the water. The outboard was in the water so I assume I got hit from the OB picking it up in/on the water. The boat was glass as I recall.<br /><br />Mark

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Struck by lightning in a boat?

The gulf coast of the USA has lots of popup squalls. They usually contain lightening. I have been harassed by them many times and usually seek shelter. Only time I got close was when a bolt struck the water an estimated mile or so away, I got a tingling from a piece of metal I was touching (forget now what it was). I assumed that the lightening hit the water and the electric field dispersed across the top of the water. The outboard was in the water so I assume I got hit from the OB picking it up in/on the water. The boat was glass as I recall.<br /><br />Mark

 

[Bondo]

Re: Struck by lightning in a boat?

For an interesting read,........<br /><br />Google up "Faraday Cage Effect"...............<br /><br />It explains Why a Properly Bonded Aluminum Bimini just might Save your Life.................

 

[dmarkvid2]

Re: Struck by lightning in a boat?

I remember staying at a marina in Ct. and had a thunder storm just hovering over the marina for what felt like an hour and a half. Bolts of lightning seem to strike mostly sail boats because of the high masts in the marina. yet there was enought electricty to fry my radis, even with the antenna down!

 

[LongJohnSilver]

Re: Struck by lightning in a boat?

I did a google on the "Faraday Cage Effect"....fascinating reading.<br /><br />Here is a great site with boat/water/lightning info<br /><br /> http://www.cdc.gov/nasd/docs/d000001-d000100/d000007/d000007.html

 

[horsefly38425]

Re: Struck by lightning in a boat?

been boating 35 yrs never have i seen ligthing strike the water/it strikes a object in the water. It may be vary small and it will spread through the water till the charge disipates.

 

[njlarry609]

Re: Struck by lightning in a boat?

I wonder if the Faraday effect can work against the small boater. A young man was killed when lightening hit his small boat. He was surrounded by large tuna tower sport fishing boats all returning from the Delaware Bay. None of the Sport Fishers were hit. <br />Sometimes there is no place to hide. I have sat out storms under a highway bridge, better than nothing?

 

[chuck216]

Re: Struck by lightning in a boat?

I knew a father and son that were out fishing one day on a river in alabama and storm came up on them, so they started to head to shore to wait the storm out.Once they got to shore the both got hit by lightning killing both. Very sad. But was really bad was the son had a week old baby.

 

[Flukinicehole]

Re: Struck by lightning in a boat?

Aguys boat got hit yesterday here on L.I. It fried all the electronics including engines he had to have seatow come out in the storm to get him.Jerk should have not been out on the water with all the warnings they have posted.None of the people onboard were hurt.