Yesterday we had a rock'n storm swing thru...winds were not that bad but massive rain (my bucket on the boat had 5" of water in it and it was partially covered from the gunnel. in a couple hours)
The lighting was severe. 4 boats in OB harbor were hit, one twice which was right behind me! Luckily I had my ungrounded outriggers down. Everything seems to work OK on my boat but they said one sail boat lit up like a fireworks display with sparks raining down into the water.

I asked this before but I am not really sure what you can do to protect your electrical systems from storms like this. Yeah the boat is grounded but I don't think it was intended to take a bolt of lighting.

Jim, I believe the only way to "protect" electronics is to unplug them from both the antennae and the panel. That will prevent a strike from being directed through the units. That said, in the event of a direct hit, the amount of electricity in the immediate vicinity of the unit may still cook the boards......

We had quite a show up this way as well from 0315 til about 0400. Never seen so much lightning so close for that period of time. We also lost power for an hour.

I rode that one out in Quicks Hole....with one lousy raincoat and a very unhappy golden retriever.

I know a guy who had a Blackfin hit by lightning in his slip. I think there was something like $40,000 of electrical damage when it was all done and paid for. The entire boat had to be rewired.

You can ground your boat using a big through hull ground plate attached to metal strapping, attached to a lightning rod (my father had this done on his Dyer 29). How much protection it offers, I'm unsure.

I rode that one out in Quicks Hole....with one lousy raincoat and a very unhappy golden retriever.



the no pain, no gain, sauerkraut technique of fishing:)

I was a Pine Hill off of Prudence when the storm hit yesterday morning. Mad dash back to the barn at 35knts.

Yesterday started out with SW at 20 to 25knts. Then fog. Then the thunderstorm.

The fishing in Narr Bay SUCKS lately. There is a decided lack of decent fish. You can't catch what's not there and I live lined pogies for 3 hours in 3 different places where I have always been able to get at least a 20 to 25# fish. Not even a chase. That means they are NOT there.

I don't know if the guys are doing better at the Block of in Newport but the upper Bay is terrible right now.