geeviam Posted March 4, 2021 Report Share Posted March 4, 2021 Forgive me if this sounds like a dumb question... I've read that sailboaters bond their metal rigging to a grounding plate (the water) for lightning protection. Would the same be a best practice with a poling tower on a flats boat? Would bonding the poling platform to the motor (the water) protect the occupants aboard the boat? Or would it attract lightning and zap everyone on its way to the water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. Troy Posted March 4, 2021 Report Share Posted March 4, 2021 There is no such thing as lightening protection for a direct hit IMHO. Bonding helps to some degree and there is a thing called the cone of protection common with sail boats. A million volts that has the potential to jump many miles is what it is. I have installed in another life some very expensive surge suppressors the size of a pick up truck. Direct hit blew them up and the equipment they were protecting. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE OUTLAW Posted March 5, 2021 Report Share Posted March 5, 2021 Pucker n prey ! 🇺🇸🏴☠️ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCFD rtrd. Posted March 6, 2021 Report Share Posted March 6, 2021 Typically, sail boats use a grounding plate because of the high mast and the metal posts and cable that runs around the perimeter of the deck. The grounding plate provides a path for the lightning to travel, rather than blowing a hole in the bottom of the hull. Adding a grounding plate to a skiff is a slippery slope because lightning is looking for a good ground path to earth. Adding a grounding plate makes your boat the best ground in the immediate area. Honestly, I don't know the best answer. I worked for the fire dept. for 30 years, near to several big lakes and the St. Johns River and never heard of an alarm associated with a boat being struck by lightning while on the water. I know it has to happen, because a fire dept. friend told a story about his boat being struck by lightning in the Keys, while he and his family were aboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuddyBottomBluz Posted March 6, 2021 Report Share Posted March 6, 2021 On 3/4/2021 at 7:02 PM, THE OUTLAW said: Pucker n prey ! That's about it. If this can happen, anything can happen.....https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna19917324 What are the chances, I remember when it happened 14 years ago! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geeviam Posted March 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2021 52 minutes ago, MuddyBottomBluz said: That's about it. If this can happen, anything can happen.....https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna19917324 What are the chances, I remember when it happened 14 years ago! Wow! Y'all are right! I puckered and prayed one night on Biscayne Bay after bully-netting lobster on the flats out at Caesar's Creek, with my wife and young son. There was so much static electricity around us that the short SS VHF whip antenna had a blue flame of sparks coming off the tip of it, as I was hauling *** toward the Bayfront ramp! Worst lightning storm that ever caught me by surprise, out on the water! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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