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Lighting strikes
Last summer I met a fellow who was visiting on my dock. He had an well made expensive boat. I noticed a black mark on the cabin as asked him about it. He said the boat was struck by lighting in the water at the dock. His boat was about 38' or so and he was surrounded by 60'ers with all kind of towers and riggers and he was one of the lower boats in at the dock. None the less it hit his boat WHILE HE WAS ON IT! It struck a tiny antenna mounted on the side of the cabin top (when there were higher antennas all around it) and it went thru and into the cabin. He said there was a ball of light so bright he couldn't see and the bang was so loud it knocked him down. He was unhurt. To top it off he told me this was the 2nd time that lighting has hit his boat. This is a new boat, less than a year old. (I think it was a teira ) anyway, he said it fried everything, engine computers, every electrical thing on the boat was fried, AC and DC, the expense was huge and insurance covered it (both times). Although they had a hard time beliving him the second time and came down to inspect it but came way saying the only thing that could have done this was a bolt of lighting. Nothing worked, nothing. He said everything was done to protect the boat all properly grounded and still everything was cooked.
I have never done a thing but the thought has crossed my mind esp when I have been out offshore and have seen lighting strike the water and I am not that far away.
What do you think is the best way to handle this? Beyond grounding what else can one do besides pray?
I suppose it is more of a problem with sailboats but then again that giant metal pole can be easily grounded making it a direct shot thereby protecting the boat. But power boats are more of a problem I think.
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