|
Electrical Grounding for an Encapsulated Keel?
So a Formosa 41 has an encapsulated keel. Like everything else there's pros and cos. I don't worry about keel bolts corroding or working loose, but I do wonder how I am going to create a ground.
I've followed the ground/repel lightning debate for a while but it's all academic if I can't find an efficient and large ground for my boat. The proponents of grounding for lightning safety all tell you to ground to a keel bolt. That's great, except I don't have any. Grounding to my prop shaft just seems like a bad idea intuitively, and my through-hulls aren't big enough.
Another issue is Ham/SSB which I plan to add at some point. How do I create an effective ground plane for the radio with a hull like mine? I hear that some people run a large copper strip along the outside of the hull which is (I guess) through-bolted. Would that work for lightning too?
What does everyone else with encapsulated keels do for lightning and SSB grounding?
MedSailor
__________________
"True, your boat will outperform mine to windward, but my boat will always outperform yours at anchor." --MedSailor
|