dratsea
Well-Known Member
In Panama?
We Portobello, where you?
J
We Portobello, where you?
J
Lightening storms
- Thread starter Galaxy
- Start date
PhilipH
Well-Known Member
Boat in Shelter Bay Marina, we in UK until end December.
KellysEye
Well-Known Member
We were on our way from Grenada to Mustique and a big squall came though and lightning struck the sea about 30 yards ahead of us, we got Elmos fire crackling in the rrigging but no damage.
Also on passage from Bonaire to the island chain I was on watch at night and there was lightning all around. In a split second there was the loudest bang I have ever heard, a blinding flash of light and the smell of ozone. Fortunately it was cloud to cloud although all the rest were fork. Just been very lucky.
On a long passage I would settle for a storm rather than lighting, we find it very scary because there is nothing you can do about it.
Also on passage from Bonaire to the island chain I was on watch at night and there was lightning all around. In a split second there was the loudest bang I have ever heard, a blinding flash of light and the smell of ozone. Fortunately it was cloud to cloud although all the rest were fork. Just been very lucky.
On a long passage I would settle for a storm rather than lighting, we find it very scary because there is nothing you can do about it.
Sänna1
New Member
We sailed down the Malacca Straights from Malaysia to Singapore, apparently the most lightening risk area for yachts in the world. In Raffles Marina boatyard there were five yachts undergoing repairs from lightening strikes and the yard guys there consider themselves the world's experts. In their opinion protection to the mast top is a waste of time as 95 percent of strike damage is through the sea and up the keel to the mast. These guys knew their stuff and could tell from damage which direction the strike hit the sea and the distance from the yacht.
Their considered advice was to 'just hold on to your balls.....'
Their considered advice was to 'just hold on to your balls.....'
chuckr
Well-Known Member
we have been hit
we have been hit twice --
the first time was in the bahamas just after we anchored and i mean just after - had enough time to walk from bow of boat to cockpit and into salon and BANG - no one was injuried and it took a few minutes to find out what happened - ruined the beginning of a good trip - $20K US to repair the damage - i had one of those witches brooms at the top of the mast and the surveyor and 2 electricians said it prevented a direct strike as they said all we got was a side strike and not a direct hit -
2nd time was on south carolina intercoastal water way - had large canopy over head when thunderstorm rolled in - stayed under canopy by motoring forward and backward - one boat came by us and evidently did not have their vhf on and left the canopy and immediately got hit and we got a burst of energy that took out our wind thingy at the top of the mast and damaged the vhf antenna -
this is a family forum so i will not say what i told the guy later as i had to lead him into charleston,sc as he had no charts and no idea how to get there
we also had a close strike between bocas del toro and colon panama during a nasty squall - lightening hit about 20-30m behind our boat - but just kicked out all the circuit breakers - not bad except it was 0300 and 30-40k winds and pitch black - quick recovery through and no damage
just our opinion and thoughts
chuck patty and svsoulmates
in trinidad for hurricane season
we have been hit twice --
the first time was in the bahamas just after we anchored and i mean just after - had enough time to walk from bow of boat to cockpit and into salon and BANG - no one was injuried and it took a few minutes to find out what happened - ruined the beginning of a good trip - $20K US to repair the damage - i had one of those witches brooms at the top of the mast and the surveyor and 2 electricians said it prevented a direct strike as they said all we got was a side strike and not a direct hit -
2nd time was on south carolina intercoastal water way - had large canopy over head when thunderstorm rolled in - stayed under canopy by motoring forward and backward - one boat came by us and evidently did not have their vhf on and left the canopy and immediately got hit and we got a burst of energy that took out our wind thingy at the top of the mast and damaged the vhf antenna -
this is a family forum so i will not say what i told the guy later as i had to lead him into charleston,sc as he had no charts and no idea how to get there
we also had a close strike between bocas del toro and colon panama during a nasty squall - lightening hit about 20-30m behind our boat - but just kicked out all the circuit breakers - not bad except it was 0300 and 30-40k winds and pitch black - quick recovery through and no damage
just our opinion and thoughts
chuck patty and svsoulmates
in trinidad for hurricane season
fuss
Well-Known Member
I had a couple of those, once in Kas but before the new marina was built. Hail 3 inches thick all over the deck at 5:30 in the morning.... I was sure the winds were over 60 kts as I could not stand and boat was knocked over quite far.
Wind transducer blade broken off by hail, plastic spray dodger windows broken by hail.
Only boat anchored so it was quite safe from that side
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KellysEye
Well-Known Member
Lightning at sea is the scariest thing, a gale doesn't come anywhere close, you feel like a sitting duck.
We were surrounded by lightning as far as we could see off the Venezuelan coast. I was on watch at night and Jane was asleep. There was the loudest bang I've ever heard, the brightest flash I've ever seen and the smell of ozone, exactly what happens when a boat is struck. Fortunately this particular bolt was cloud to cloud, others weren't.
On the way from Grenada to Bequia there was a monster squall line, lightning struck the sea about 25 yards ahead, with a similar sound etc as above, we had Elmo's Fire crackling in the rigging but no damage.
We saw a boat in Trinidad that had been hit and all the electronics were fried. There was even a scorch mark on their ensign that was tied to the backstay.
We were surrounded by lightning as far as we could see off the Venezuelan coast. I was on watch at night and Jane was asleep. There was the loudest bang I've ever heard, the brightest flash I've ever seen and the smell of ozone, exactly what happens when a boat is struck. Fortunately this particular bolt was cloud to cloud, others weren't.
On the way from Grenada to Bequia there was a monster squall line, lightning struck the sea about 25 yards ahead, with a similar sound etc as above, we had Elmo's Fire crackling in the rigging but no damage.
We saw a boat in Trinidad that had been hit and all the electronics were fried. There was even a scorch mark on their ensign that was tied to the backstay.
oldvarnish
Well-Known Member
Protecting your boat is a hugely complex business which I don't claim to understand.
But I have read this book:
http://tinyurl.com/cwuy6uu
which suggests that grounding your mast 'could' encourage a strike. I wouldn't attach the frying pan to the shrouds without reading it first,
But I have read this book:
http://tinyurl.com/cwuy6uu
which suggests that grounding your mast 'could' encourage a strike. I wouldn't attach the frying pan to the shrouds without reading it first,
Cariadco
Well-Known Member
Frightenned of Lightning???
Taken off Ithika.........
Taken off Ithika.........
GrahamM376
Well-Known Member
If I saw that lot heading for me, I'm pretty certain I would head for shore
binch
Well-Known Member
lightning
Have just been doing a programme for Canadian TV on lightning strikes at sea.
I have had two. The first was in a warship in the Indian Ocean. With shorting bars fitted to radio transmitters and radar isolated. Radar (type 277, 10cm wavelength) we still lost the radar, but no serious damage.
In our steel ketch in the gulf Stream, just after hurricane Alberta (1982) I was not so lucky.
Everybody on board quite safe but ship's electric cabling ruined because of induced currents.
precautions I advise.
1. Have a steel boat with steel doors and storm hatch-covers.
2. Go below and pray.
3. Be insured.
4. Take your hand-held VHF below and put in metal container.
5. Note the direction of any swell. You would certainly have the compass deviation drastically altered. From the swell direction you can recover an approximate course. The abnormal deviation (ours must have been about 70 degrees) will reduce quite rapidly. After about a week it was back within 5 degrees of where it was before.
Peter Bruce wrote our experience up in Heavy Weather Sailing. All cruising boats should have that book.
I say again: steel boats are best.
Have just been doing a programme for Canadian TV on lightning strikes at sea.
I have had two. The first was in a warship in the Indian Ocean. With shorting bars fitted to radio transmitters and radar isolated. Radar (type 277, 10cm wavelength) we still lost the radar, but no serious damage.
In our steel ketch in the gulf Stream, just after hurricane Alberta (1982) I was not so lucky.
Everybody on board quite safe but ship's electric cabling ruined because of induced currents.
precautions I advise.
1. Have a steel boat with steel doors and storm hatch-covers.
2. Go below and pray.
3. Be insured.
4. Take your hand-held VHF below and put in metal container.
5. Note the direction of any swell. You would certainly have the compass deviation drastically altered. From the swell direction you can recover an approximate course. The abnormal deviation (ours must have been about 70 degrees) will reduce quite rapidly. After about a week it was back within 5 degrees of where it was before.
Peter Bruce wrote our experience up in Heavy Weather Sailing. All cruising boats should have that book.
I say again: steel boats are best.
macd
Well-Known Member
If I saw that lot heading for me, I'm pretty certain I would head for shore
It probably wasn't quite as bad as it looks: the photo would have been taken with a very slow shutter speed, allowing separate bursts of lightning to superimpose. (Same reason photos of firework displays are often more elaborate than the displays themselves.) Good pic, tho.