Lightening on Sunday - Eastern Solent - Decision?

[Mark-1]

I plan to sail/motor to the IOW tomorrow which commits me to motoring/sailing from the IOW to Chi early Sunday morning. I can't go on the evening tide.

There seems to be lightening in the forecast, although they find it hard to predict and it's in and out of the forecast. (Currently out.) Certainly feels thundery right now in Chi.

Boat is a Corribee so not a tall mast but substantially taller than sea, obvs.

As the Clash so wisely queried, "Should I stay or should I go?".

 

[jlavery]

I'd go.

 

[capnsensible]

Looking on the plus side, if you did get hit by lightning, it'll never happen again.

 

[PhillM]

Tbh I wouldn’t. Same boat.

 

[Boathook]

Go. Otherwise you will never go anywhere.
The met office aren't showing any warnings at present and if they do I suspect that it is a low risk of them happening. Then add in the risk of being hit; so 1 million times 1 million makes the drive to the boat more dangerous ....

 

[Pye_End]

I hate sailing in thunderstorms.

Apart from the risk of a strike, there is also the risk of other extreme weather which often go with it.

Personally, I would keep a close eye on the forecast.

 

[MontyMariner]

You won't be the only boat on the water, many with taller masts than yours.

 

[fredrussell]

Put a rubber glove on the top of your mast.

 

[ProDave]

The half hour I spent at the helm in torrential rain with lightning striking all around and almost no visibility still ranks as the most frightening thing I can remember. It was not in the forecast.

 

[steveeasy]

Sod that , after this weather there will be a right storm. No thanks
Steveeasy

 

[jlavery]

Sod that , after this weather there will be a right storm. No thanks
Steveeasy

Having said I'd go, I'm inclined to agree, looking at the current and predicted conditions.

 

[Daedelus]

Get ready to go then check the radar on netweather.tv which should show any rain and they also have the ability to conjure up lightning strike information.

You can then leave - depending on what the situation looks like, put it off for an hour or two (I'm assuming you have a reasonable window) or resign yourself to the fact that you have to stay (or the boat does) until it sorts itself out.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Whata ye got to lose ?

 

[steveeasy]

Having said I'd go, I'm inclined to agree, looking at the current and predicted conditions.

Having said I'd go, I'm inclined to agree, looking at the current and predicted conditions.

Take no notice of anything I say. I am a Fair weather sailor.

Steveeasy

 

[newtothis]

As the Clash so wisely queried, "Should I stay or should I go?".

"If I go there will be trouble, and if I stay it will be double."

 

[srm]

Many years ago I was motor sailing, at night, up the Sound of Jura. 42 ft sloop, steel hull, wood mast, standing rigging not insulated from the hull. A thunderstorm decided to take the same route up the sound and passed over us. We had to drop the mainsail as the wind increased and veered through about 500 degrees, or perhaps the compass card slowly spun around. Boat and mast were the highest points for a mile or so around us. I was standing on the coachroof, stowing the sail and feeling very exposed watching multiple lightning strikes hit the water. We were not struck though the guy on the helm noticed flickering on the backstay (perhaps St Elmo's fire?) but the electronics continued to work. It was not raining much so the strikes were probably further away than I thought: its difficult to judge in the dark.

 

[johnalison]

Just find a forty-footer and stick close to it. Shouldn’t be difficult for an Anderson 22’. Oh, I see it’s a Corribee. Never mind.

 

[LittleSister]

Just find a forty-footer and stick close to it. Shouldn’t be difficult for an Anderson 22’. Oh, I see it’s a Corribee. Never mind.

The don't think an Anderson 22 wouldn't need to stick by a forty footer. They're impervious to weather (and criticism), aren't they?

 

[LittleSister]

It was not raining much so the strikes were probably further away than I thought: its difficult to judge in the dark.

Isn't it easy to calculate the distance of a lightning strike, regardless of whether it's dark or light? Just a case of applying a simple formula (though I forget what it is) to the time lapse between the flash and the bang? (Due to the huge difference in the speeds of light and sound transmission.)

 

[newtothis]

The don't think an Anderson 22 wouldn't need to stick by a forty footer. They're impervious to weather (and criticism), aren't they?

Lightning backs the eff off when it spots an Anderson 22, It knows which will come off worse.