Lightening and instruments

[Gitane]

Out on the Blackwater today when the rain and lightening swept through.

I noticed that my depth meter, which has been reliable for many years, gave very erratic depth readings at times. One the way back to Bradwell after the storm, everything was working normally again/

I was wondering if anyone knows whether the electrical charge in the air ahead of the lightening can effect depth meters, or do I need to look for another cause, like weed and barnacles on the bottom of the hull?

Gitane

 

[Habebty]

Exactly the same happened to mine in scary lightning off Eastbourne once. Lost all instruments off Orford in a storm on old boat, even had a green glow in the rig (possibly St Elmos fire?).

 

[benw]

We had a near strike off Grain Hard 2 yrs ago on route for Queenborough.
The strike hit the sea some 15-20m off our stern.i had the engine started as a precaution for not being able to get things going if we took a hit. We lost the anemometer and all instruments froze. Once we had picked up a mooring I turned everything off and on restart all instruments had sorted themselves out.
Pretty damn scary the crack of the strike and smell of sulphur was pretty frightening.