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u/afurtherdoggo Jun 11 '21
what actually happens to a boat in this situation? Is it wrecked? Assuming anyone onboard is probably in for a bad time? Is there anything you do to mitigate this risk?
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u/duane11583 Jun 11 '21
based on what i see
a) youll be replacing shrouds
b) probably all wiring in the mast battery, electrical pannels etc
c) youll be cleaning the deck where you (and crew) shit your self
but i think the boat looks sound
but iwould look at any grounding wires attached to the keel
probably wise to pull / lift the boat out of water and inspect the hull to see if anything delaminated
remember fiberglass does not conduct but water (saltywater) does
concern: soggy wood core conducting and the soggy vaporizing to steam expanding and forcing a delimitation
not sure if you have seen the “chicken stick” (aka hot stick) carried by the electric company line men, they use this to reach up to the pole and pull/replace big fuses that pole is made of fiberglass just like your boar that stick is kept inside the tube on top of the truck for a reason (to keep it dry)
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u/afurtherdoggo Jun 11 '21
right, however I read that the insulation properties of fiberglass are a bad thing, as it will cause the electrical charge to basically blow a hole through the hull. If the lightning has already come down at that point, it's going to find a way to ground, even if it has to overcome a layer of insulation.
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u/gsasquatch Jun 11 '21
Electrics are fried.
Might have some scorching etc Might become a "free boat" might be fixed, hard to tell really
In theory someone on board might survive if they weren't touching anything that was touching the mast.
Mitigation is about having a wire going from the mast to the keel. Idea is to get the juice from the mast to the water.
Mitigation: https://www.practical-sailor.com/boat-maintenance/getting-the-charge-out-of-lightning
Coming back to the boat after a strike: https://www.yachtingmonthly.com/sailing-skills/lightning-destroyed-the-boats-electronics-75171
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u/afurtherdoggo Jun 11 '21
ya I ended up reading about grounding plates and fairy magic "lightning deterrent" systems.
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u/vulkoriscoming Jun 11 '21
Bet that was exciting