Lightening and the Aluminum boat?

DANZIG

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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In particular,,,,,

A buddy and I were having a rambling conversation over several beers that got round to this subject. If lightening hits the water, will the boat charge? As in, shock you?
 

Fisherball

Chief Petty Officer
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Mar 19, 2009
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Re: Lightening and the Aluminum boat?

Aluminum, fiberglass, wood, if lightening hits that close it isn't going to matter, you will be toast!!! If you had drank more beer you would've figured it out!
 

DANZIG

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Re: Lightening and the Aluminum boat?

Not talking about it wacking the boat, just a water strike.

Call it, 50 yards and on out.

I've road out some pretty rough storms in a fiberglass boat, but in a cove and buttoned down so I couldn't say if the water got hit or not.
 

srimes

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Mar 28, 2010
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Re: Lightening and the Aluminum boat?

no.

Well, maybe an induced charge, but you should be fine. If it had an aluminum cabin that'd be the safest place you could be (inside a metal box).
 

jim372

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Re: Lightening and the Aluminum boat?

what i have always been told is that lightening hits the hightest point
if you boat is highter then the water would not the boat get hit.
 

Expidia

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Re: Lightening and the Aluminum boat?

what i have always been told is that lightening hits the hightest point
if you boat is higher then the water would not the boat get hit.

It can hit anywhere. Trick is if lightnings in the area get the f out of there. Usually, you have ample time to out run a lightning storm.

I've been on the water many times running back to the dock to wait out the storm in my car (safest place, unless a tree falls on you). And at the same time I see idiots going in the other direction heading "into" the storm. Sometimes they are even pulling a skier.

Google this subject there is a lot of info out there on it. If you have an 8 foot antenna lay it down.

And lastly, I've wondered about those strikes 50 feet away too. Next time you are in that situation stick your tongue in the water just before it strikes and let us know if you feel a tingling sensation :D
 

Philster

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Re: Lightening and the Aluminum boat?

what i have always been told is that lightening hits the hightest point
if you boat is highter then the water would not the boat get hit.

What you have been told is wrong.

If there is a water strike nearby, this is what to expect:

A brilliant flash, and -- almost simultaneously -- the electric ZZZZZZZZWAPPPPPPPP! sound, followed instantaneously by a thunder clap that will make you crap your pants. You can smell the burned ozone (that certain electrical smell) in the air, but you will be safe (unless it hits you, the boat, the engine or an appurtenance. Total elapsed time would be about 1/8 of a second.

Lightening doesn't hit the highest point all the time, but it's better to be low and in an safe enclosure. A boat cover does not count. Might feel good to be under it, but lightening pretty much doesn't acknowledge its existence.

I lost a friend at 15 years of age to a lighting strike when he was seated next the the outboard engine on a fiberglass boat. Everyone confirmed that the engine took the hit -- Hardly the highest point.
 

Expidia

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Re: Lightening and the Aluminum boat?

What you have been told is wrong.

If there is a water strike nearby, this is what to expect:

A brilliant flash, and -- almost simultaneously -- the electric ZZZZZZZZWAPPPPPPPP! sound, followed instantaneously by a thunder clap that will make you crap your pants. You can smell the burned ozone (that certain electrical smell) in the air, but you will be safe (unless it hits you, the boat, the engine or an appurtenance. Total elapsed time would be about 1/8 of a second.

Lightening doesn't hit the highest point all the time, but it's better to be low and in an safe enclosure. A boat cover does not count. Might feel good to be under it, but lightening pretty much doesn't acknowledge its existence.

I lost a friend at 15 years of age to a lighting strike when he was seated next the the outboard engine on a fiberglass boat. Everyone confirmed that the engine took the hit -- Hardly the highest point.

Locally, last year in my area some kids were swimming in the Mohawk River near the lock. When it started raining they were standing barefoot on land and one kid was near a bbg grill that it's pole was built into the ground. The lightning hit the grill traveled down the pipe into the ground an up through the Boy's "wet" barefeet. Killed him!
 

Home Cookin'

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Re: Lightening and the Aluminum boat?

Lightning (electricity) also moves through damp stuff so your wet bimini may bring in more lightning than an antenna.

I heard that most lightning strikes hit 7 miles from the storm--in other words, bolts are hitting all around it, not directly under the dark cloud. That's why you move out at first sign.
 

Expidia

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Re: Lightening and the Aluminum boat?

Here is a good article on the effects of lightning. Actually and aluminum boat is good because it dissipates the energy into the water. You don't want to be sitting there holding onto metal though.

I would think if you had a bimini top, if it was up it probably might create what the call a Faraday cage effect where the frame might offer a quicker path through the boat to the water.

If I hear lightning forecast I pick another day or head in the opposite direction for another lake yet boaters in places like Fl which is the lightning capital are out there all the time. If they did not go out with a forecast of lightning they would never be able to go boating.

Still, I've been on boats in Fl trying to out run the storms which you can see coming miles off on the open ocean, but once you finally get to the shore and head down the canals the Manatee warning signs say 5 mph. Fl is not my idea of good times for boating unless the boat is big enough to have a mast that transmits the lightning strike down a wire into a big plate mounted to the boat under the water line that channels the hit into the water. Still can do a lot of damage to your electronics.

Good article:
http://boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/lightning.htm
 

CATransplant

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Re: Lightening and the Aluminum boat?

If you can see the lightning or hear the thunder and the storm is heading your way, it's time to head for the dock. Fishing and boating are wonderful, but hardly worth dying for.

If there's a storm coming, get off the water. It's that simple. Think about how long it will take you to get to the dock or ramp. Leave before it's too late.
 

Expidia

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Re: Lightening and the Aluminum boat?

If you can see the lightning or hear the thunder and the storm is heading your way, it's time to head for the dock. Fishing and boating are wonderful, but hardly worth dying for.

If there's a storm coming, get off the water. It's that simple. Think about how long it will take you to get to the dock or ramp. Leave before it's too late.

Another tip is to carry a cheap little AM radio on board. You can hear lightning as static many miles away. I just switch my AM/FM radio to AM and can track storms way before they get close to me.
 

DANZIG

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Re: Lightening and the Aluminum boat?

"If you can see the lightning or hear the thunder and the storm is heading your way, it's time to head for the dock."



Sound advise.
However, often not practical. Especially on the stretch of River I run.

For Murphy's sake, I run upstream from my launch point. 8 out of 10 storms run that way too.

With the topography here you often do not get much warning, and to "run for the dock" most times you would be running into the storm. Same difference.

Likewise, being a pre-retirement person, if I wait for the "perfect day" I would be lucky to get out 5 days a season.

That just leaves dealing with the risk as best you can.
 

Bondo

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Re: Lightening and the Aluminum boat?

Ayuh,... Out running is Many times not practical...

The semi-rigid bimini on my tinboat, I'm Sure will set up a Faraday Cage Effect,...
I've ridden out quite a few thunder-busters,... Never been struck,.. yet..
But I still feel Safe... Probably more concerned the bilge pumps keep up...

The fiberglass hull project I'm working on will have a similar bimini,+ a be bonded to a bonding plate...
 

Silvertip

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Re: Lightening and the Aluminum boat?

If you happen to be fishing and a lightning storm pops up, just hold your carbon fiber rod up high. I've been told it is a great repeller of lightning. (Being cynical of course!) Actually, it makes a great lightning rod so whether you are fishing or not, get the heck off the lake and if you can't, at least stow rods horizontal and make for shore or as close to it as you can get in the amount of time available.
 

DANZIG

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Messages
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Re: Lightening and the Aluminum boat?

Carbon fiber rod?

I reckon we travel in different circles! LOL!! An Ugly Stick is about as fancy as I get.

BTW The new "Field & Stream" has a pic of what a rod looks like after a direct lightening strike,, scary! I think I would just as soon avoid that.
 

JoLin

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Re: Lightening and the Aluminum boat?

I use lightning to charge my batteries

:D
 

DianneB

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Re: Lightening and the Aluminum boat?

The article on lightning sited above is excellent.

In my work in communications, lightning protection/survivability has been part of my job for over 30 years and one premise is generally agreed upon - when it comes to lightning, "rules" are only generalities and lightning hasn't re4ad the rule book. In my yard at home I had lightning come in horizontally last August to strike a 40 foot wood pole that was adjacent to a well-grounded 70 foot metal tower. :eek: Go figger!

The Faraday Cage concept mentioned in the article is the ONLY way to protect people and property from lightning - bond EVERYTHING together with high current high frequency wire and let the lightning go AROUND you. It has come a few thousand feet to a few miles to get to you and nothing else you can do will protect you.
 
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