Lightning protection?

[bobk]

Does anyone know if Hatteras took any special precautions to minimize lightning strikes and damage? The reason for the question: We found a metal 'bar' that looked like a copper alloy sandwiched into the core of the hard top when the wet balsa was removed. It ran for and aft, but I have no idea what it was for or if it even had electrical continuity to anything. Has anyone actually taken a hard top apart and seen what this is about?

Bob

 

[eze2bme]

That sounds like the RF Grounding Screens for your radios. According to my manual there is copper screen embedded in the salon roof used as a counterpoise ground for marine radio equipment.

 

[bobk]

What I saw was more like a bar, perhaps 3/32X1/2" and it was on edge. It was on the port side, but there may have been a mate on the starboard side. We didn't dig as much rot out of there so can't be sure.

Bob

 

[Nonchalant1]

It's the RF ground plate. It should have had had bronze bolts sticking up into a cabinet to attach VHF ground wires.

Re: lightning = some say that if lightning hits your boat, it'll mostly go around the outside of the cabins and hull to the water and is unlikely to kill people inside. If you have a "lightning rod" it'll do more to attract lightning and a hit will still destroy all of your electronics and gear inside, just like if you didn't have the lightning rod.

Of course, if you're near blowboats, they'll take the hit for you.

Doug

 

[Passages]

Of course, if you're near blowboats, they'll take the hit for you.

Ain't that the truth. During a violent T-storm, you'll be glad to have a blow boat as a neighbor.

Few years back we were anchored overnight in a populat harbor. Middle of the night, all hell broke loose - much lightning and the kind of thunder that shakes the (gl)ass. While watching the light show, we saw a sailboat mast take a hit. Didn't seem to phase the sailboat at all.

 

[bobk]

Ain't that the truth. During a violent T-storm, you'll be glad to have a blow boat as a neighbor.

Few years back we were anchored overnight in a populat harbor. Middle of the night, all hell broke loose - much lighting and the kind of thunder that shakes the (gl)ass. While watching the light show, we saw a sailboat mast take a hit. Didn't seem to phase the sailboat at all.

I generally feel the same way, but at our YC a big sail boat took a hit in a bad storm a couple of years ago and they did sustain damage as did several power boats around them... mostly electronics on the powerboats. I guess you want to be inside an all metal boat. I generally leave my engines on at fast idle during a bad storm on the theory they will continue to run in the event a pulse takes out starters etc.

Bob

 

[Passages]

I generally leave my engines on at fast idle during a bad storm on the theory they will continue to run in the event a pulse takes out starters etc.

Interesting strategy.
Might work on a diesel but probably would not do much good with gas engines. Fry the electronic ignition and you're calling for a tow regardless.

 

[seacolt]

A few years ago I owned a 33 egg harbor. We raced to our marina with a lighting storm on our tail. We all got off the boat ok. The next day I went down the the boat and attempted to start the boat. Both engines were dead, I thought it was odd both would not start. come to find out I got hit by lightning. I started to check things out, my ignitions were fried and so were my electronics, My antenna was completely gone only the metal stub was left and my mic had a perfect burn hole right in the middle of the mic. Cant imagine what would have happened if I was on the radio at the time.
took me a while to straighten out the mess from that hit.
moral of the story, dont talk on the radio when in lighting storm.

 

[thoward]

From everything I have read there is really nothing you can do for a power boat getting hit by lightning. I have only been on a sailboat 1 time and that was to help dock it, but my understanding is some of them run a very large cable from the mast to the keel. I do not think I want one of those running down the middle of the saloon

 

[MikeP]

Nigel Calder's book has an extensive section on lightning protection and the 45 degree "cone of protection." It's well worth a read, as is the entire book. That and Chapman's are always on the boat.

http://www.amazon.com/Boatowners-Me...9541438?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1180452917&sr=1-1

 

[Trojan]

Sorry guys, but I think the Calder book sucks. So does the price. His lightning strike protection really sucks. There is only ONE lightning arrester on the market for the radio that works and you don't want to know the price. You are not going to save your radios when lightning strikes. If you want try to save them disconnect them. It's the only way you stand a chance. To much generalisation in his book for me. 6th grade reading in one paragraph, Collage plus reading in the next. I feel very sorry for any beginner that is trying to use this book to learn from and make repairs. Just another writer trying to make a buck. Just my sorted opinion. The book goes back to the library

BILL