Lightning....what to do : Weather, Road Conditions & River Levels

ccc · Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 7:33 pm Post subject: Lightning....what to do

Hi

Having not lived where there are lots of thunder storms and heaps of lightning I"m not sure what one should do when caught out at sea in an electrical storm.

Is there any smarts I should be doing, maybe I would start with lowering the aerials on the T top.

What do you do other the run for the ramp?

Cheers
CCC

max · Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 7:55 pm Post subject: Re: Lightening....what to do

be sure you are sitting lower in the boat than your mate

sheps · Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 8:42 pm Post subject: Re: Lightening....what to do

i try and drive my boat faster then the lightening, so far it has worked.

Chronic · Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 9:31 pm Post subject: Re: Lightening....what to do

Yeah dodging the storm (or the electric bits) is normally the go,

gets pretty scary sometimes but i guess thats the place were living :mrgreen:

NathanL · Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 10:41 pm Post subject: Re: Lightening....what to do

well, seeing as lightning can strike 10kms out from a storm or more, not much you can do but hope for the best.

...worked well for me so far? :rofl:

freon · Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 10:59 pm Post subject: Re: Lightening....what to do

If you have any carbon fibre rods i would take them out of the rod holders and lie them down
Then I usually put my head between my legs so I dont see whats going to kill me and while your there
you can kiss your arse good bye
cheers

c9h14n · Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 11:38 pm Post subject: Re: Lightening....what to do

I got this advice from an old sea dog years ago, so it most likely is all cr@p, but my nutz have'nt been fried yet, so it must work.

rule 1. Study the Faraday principle
2. Don't be there!!!!
3. If you have a canopy with metal in it (most of em) put it up.
4. Stay under it.
5. Don't be there!!!
6. If you don't need to anchor, don't, and let the anchor hang in the water with the chain still touching the boat.
7. don't take your aerials down, if your going to get hit, get hit where you want it.
8. If it looks real bad, power down and isolate your batteries, apparantly you don't need to disconnect the electrics as if the current goes through your boat (mainly alloy) it will most likely fry them anyway, but apparantly not always.

Apparantly the idea is that if your going to get one, its coming anyway. The idea is that if you can attract it high and give the current something to run around the outside of the hull to the water, then it will. If you have more interest in it, there are plenty of yachting guides to deal with it (they can't take their masts down) and have developed some pretty good ways of minimising it to the point where most don't worry about it.

I just like to take rule 2 and 5 wherever possible.

Matt Flynn · Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 2:46 am Post subject: Re: Lightening....what to do

Yachts have a substantial conductor strap from the mast to the water, the idea being that the lightning goes down that and not through the hull, which would blow a hole if the hull is not a conducting material.

In a dinghy, the flee principle is absolute No.1, if not, then, as suggested, use the Faraday's Cage principle, which is what protects people in cars.

Put the canopy and everything else up, keep people low, crouched or lying flat. Take off metal objects (they get hot and burn) and wear ear plugs - deafness can result from the bang.

Hanging a stainless steel cable over both sides of the canopy into the water might add a tiny extra measure of safety in directing the current around you, and likewise there is a case for earthing the alloy canopy frame to the hull if it is the type with plastic mounts. There's not much added safety in this though, as it takes a lot of metal to conduct a lightning strike properly. The straps on yachts are substantial. You might be better off using modification time to put in a nip dispenser :-)

I have an insulated area under my front casting deck which I hope will work as a Faraday's cage. Not too keen on testing it.

I don't know if a fuel tank will explode from a lightning hit, but if it does a Faraday's Cage will become your Smeg Cooker :lol:

itsinmeblood · Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 10:49 am Post subject: Re: Lightning....what to do

A properly registered boat won't get hit by lightning

fishfanatic · Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 11:47 am Post subject: Re: Lightning....what to do

itsinmeblood wrote:

A properly registered boat won't get hit by lightning

LOVE IT.....

nomad · Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 5:21 pm Post subject: Re: Lightning....what to do

itsinmeblood wrote:

A properly registered boat won't get hit by lightning

I always thought that if you count the time from zap to bang you can work out how far away it is and take the necessary action.
Since then, I was told by someone in the know that “if you can hear it, it can zap you”

I've got a mate who has been struck twice. Once while climbing out of a poo via the ladder and another time just walking in a paddock.

I like the huddle in the bottom of the boat with your head between your knees and kiss your arse goodbye. I can't bend over that far :rofl:

grumpy · Posted: Thu Dec 02, 2010 7:02 am Post subject: Re: Lightning....what to do

itsinmeblood wrote:

A properly registered boat won't get hit by lightning

In the event you do get hit does that mean we get 3rd party insurance :rofl:

I usually just drop my dacks and hang my butt over the side. That way when you get hit the mess goes over the side and it makes the rescue easier and less messy when help arrives :rofl:

Matt Flynn · Posted: Thu Dec 02, 2010 11:09 pm Post subject: Re: Lightning....what to do

Quote:

I usually just drop my dacks and hang my butt over the side. That way when you get hit the mess goes over the side and it makes the rescue easier and less messy when help arrives

As long as you aren't reading a Picture magazine at the same time, the coronial findings could embarrass your family :mrgreen:

ponyplay · Posted: Thu Dec 02, 2010 11:15 pm Post subject: Re: Lightning....what to do

Matt Flynn wrote:

Quote:

I usually just drop my dacks and hang my butt over the side. That way when you get hit the mess goes over the side and it makes the rescue easier and less messy when help arrives

As long as you aren't reading a Picture magazine at the same time, the coronial findings could embarrass your family :mrgreen:

Wat the

god matt you must get bored out doing your mapping and reaserch :lol:

nomad · Posted: Fri Dec 03, 2010 11:10 am Post subject: Re: Lightning....what to do

Just spoke with BOM re lightening safety.
Firstly get away if possible but if you get caught, the cage/canopy is the go. try to stay as dry as possible because any wet skin may get flash burns.
He said that more strikes occur close to land ie within ½ kms
Don’t hold the antenna or canopy of course.

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