Lightning Strike - Close Proximity

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Steve Sayian

Last week a boat that was 2 slips down from me (about 45 feet) took a direct hit on his mast head.  Needless to say, he lost everything at the top and all electronics and all things electrical. 
It's been a very active thunderstorm season in Boston and Western Massachusettes so far this year!

I suffered 'bleed over' in the form of a static burst.  Toasted my Raymarine C-80 display, ST-50 instruments and Autohelm 4000 as well as the VHF radio, stereo and battery charger.

Insurance company required the boat to be hauled for underwater damage check (none) and then damage assessment to systems.

Awaiting the replacement cost proposal.

Going to be fun reverting back to the 'old way' of navigating w/charts, dividers and parallel ruler.  Fortunately my hand-held GPS still works...

Steve Sayian
"Ocean Rose"
1999 Mk II
Wing, Std Rig, Kiwi Prop
#1448, Hingham, Mass

mainesail

Steve,

If you were plugged in it is quite likely your "bleed over" came in through the earth ground. Be sure to check your galvanic isolator as lightning takes the diodes out and you never know it. GI's don't stop lightning.. :cry4`

In my experience you should replace EVERY piece of electronic gear on the boat. It may not appear failed right now but usually will fail in the near future.

We were hit last August and compensated for everything. Two items were still working, the TV and the tachometer. The tach failed within two weeks and the TV lasted until last weekend though it had been acting funny since.

The strike we took also fried SIX devices not plugged into anything two HH GPS's, a Raymarine wireless AP remote, an iPOD, a laptop computer & the EPIRB..

Lightning SUCKS!
-Maine Sail
Casco Bay, ME
Boat - CS-36T

https://marinehowto.com/

Ken Heyman

How do things that are not "plugged in" get involved ?-----simply a high static environment? I assume the handhelds etc. had no obvious damage but simply stopped working.

Ken
Ken Heyman
1988 c34 #535
"Wholesailor"
Chicago, Il

Ted Pounds

Ken, I suspect that a close lightning strike will generate  a pretty good EMP (electromagnetic pulse).  That in turn will generate currents in any nearby wires.  The currents will probably take out any sort of micro-electronics that isn't shielded.   SAC was always concerned about that if we had to fight a nuclear war.  A nuke gives off a huge EMP.  So all our aircraft electronics were shielded and hardened against EMP.  (We actually still had a lot of tube-driven electronics on the B-52 when I was flying them.  :shock:)
Ted Pounds
"Molly Rose"
1987 #447

dodgercc27

We had a lightning strike at my Marina last week two.  A 38 ft Catalina took the direct hit 4 slips down from me.  He lost all his electronics too and the list is still be compiled.  He got hauled out the other day. 

So far I have lost my battery charger and I had to replace my 30 amp main breaker.  I'm going to have to change all of them I believe.  When I got to the boat the next day, the fuse on my charger was blown, the DC breaker had been tripped. 

Not fun at all. 

Where is the galvanic isolator ???

I will examine that.

Bobg

3 years ago a boat 3 slips down from me took a direct hit on the mast head, tallest mast in the marina, I lost my battery charger, but that was about it.  The other boat had 35 thousand dollars in damage to electronics and pin holes in his boat hull, Boat US covered everything,
Bob Gatz, 1988 catalina 34, Hull#818, "Ghostrider" sail lake superior Apostle Islands

Stu Jackson

Even better reasons to NOT plug in all the time.  Get a solar panel and buy a cold six pack on the way to the boat, instead of running your fridge 24/7 plugged in.

Your boat, your choice, but... :shock:
Stu Jackson, C34 IA Secretary, #224 1986, "Aquavite"  Cowichan Bay, BC  Maple Bay Marina  SR/FK, M25, Rocna 10 (22#) (NZ model)

"There is no problem so great that it can't be solved."

scotty

Boats near a lightning strike will be affected because of the EMF (electromagnetic force).  The strike creates a magnetic field.  This field then produces an induced electric current in nearby boats' circuits.  Look up Faraday's Law.  The load often is to large for the circuits to handle.  Zizzzzzz!
Scotty

Ken Heyman

Thanks Ted,

I do remember all those science fiction films from my youth where automobiles, electronic watches, water picks etc. all succumbed and failed just before the mushroom cloud. I never realized that this magnetic field could also occur from a lightning strike but it certainly makes sense.Relative to frying components from the surge related to being "plugged in" I think I'm probably a bit better off since I'm on a mooring and obviously never plugged in (notwithstanding the 1500 foot underwater extension cord that I may occasionally run :lol:).

Thanks,

Ken
Ken Heyman
1988 c34 #535
"Wholesailor"
Chicago, Il