Being Hit By Lightning - To Ground or Not

[sailingdog]

Thanks for that link...since my boat is technically a trailer sailer. A big one...but still.

[SimonV]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Gburton-

Using the jumper cables is far more likely to give someone a false sense of security than it is to actually help. There are far too many variables to really say for certainty. It depends on whether the boat is deck-stepped or keel stepped, whether it has a metal or a wooden compression post, whether the keel is encapsulated or not, etc.

However, in the overall scheme of things, jumper cables are far more likely to cause sideflashes or do nothing than to actually reduce the risk of getting hit. That's been pretty well proven by what studies are out there. You might want to take your own advice and not post a technique, which at best is going to give a person a false sense of security and possibly prevent them from taking effective measures.

From what I have found out. The use of jumper cables or chain is not to direct the lightning hit but to bleed off the static built up in the vessel, thus making the vessel less attractive to the lightning.

[Hartley18]

Originally Posted by SimonV

From what I have found out. The use of jumper cables or chain is not to direct the lightning hit but to bleed off the static built up in the vessel, thus making the vessel less attractive to the lightning.

Simon, there's two issues at stake here:
a) before the hit, and
b) after the hit.

Sure, jumper cables "might" bleed off static beforehand, but if you get hit they'll be toast... just like this thread should be given that it's approaching 3 months of age...