Boating and Lighting
Submitted by fishmad69 on Thu, 2013-10-31 15:52
Guys
what are the dangers of taking the boat out in a thunder storm? People have told me no problems but I'm not so sure. Your opinions would be appreciate so no mistakes are made?
Cruise Control
Posts: 973
Date Joined: 03/11/10
I was out on a charter and
I was out on a charter and the skipper was dodging through the thunderheads. Wrong . . . we were that close to a lighting strike in an alumiium boat that it sizzled and the clap of thunder was enough for the skippers ring to clench that much he almost took a bite out of the seat. We then bolted at top speed for cover.
That was seriously scary and I will never, ever, do it again. Dont mind the rain but you can stick that lighting.
Swompa
Posts: 3882
Date Joined: 14/10/12
Getting hit by lightning
Getting hit by lightning certainly not a cool.
Paul H
Posts: 2104
Date Joined: 18/01/07
MMM prefer to avoid it but
MMM prefer to avoid it but then again I have a preference for graphite rods.
When caught out anything that folds down gets folded down is down and rods on the floor not sticking up. Dont put the graphite rod in the rod holder above the fuel tank. :-(....
It's not nessecarily the highest point that gets struck it will be the path of least resistance (put your thongs on). Best not to hang onto any railings that go near/to ground!! so the rail for the tuna tower is a no no
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makai
Posts: 459
Date Joined: 28/10/08
Lightning
I was in Shark Bay a few years ago and speaking to a guy whose glass boat got struck by lightning on the way home between South Passage & Denham. The UHF aerial and Perspex windscreen both exploded embedding shards in the 3 guys on board. Everything electrical on board was fried, including the electrics in the motor so they had no functioning motor or radio. And the lightning blew holes in the hull below the waterline where it "earthed". Luckily nobody died and the boat stayed afloat as it had a sealed floor. They drifted across to one of the promontories down Useless Loop way and were able to set off flares after dark and were rescued. That has put me off going out in anything resembling a thunderstorm!
jayce
Posts: 564
Date Joined: 10/12/11
Yeah not the best feeling to
Yeah not the best feeling to be caught out in. We where in the tinny fishing for KGs in the inlet down at peacefull bay and a lightning storm come over. We could hear the graqphite rods arcing on the ali as the storm was getting closer. We bolted for shore and got out of the boat and waited for it to pass.
Wilmy
Posts: 48
Date Joined: 29/11/12
I have a mate who was fishing
I have a mate who was fishing from a float tube a few years back, the lightning hit the dam bank and he got quite a zap in the water. YIKES