Is it safe to be inside of a sailboat when the lightning strikes?

Question

another question. which lights do you need to have on a sailboat? I've seen boats with only one or two white lights.

Answer 1

When in an electrical storm on a sail boat, you can sustain injury, however, having lived aboard for 3+ years in all weather, and having taught boating safety courses, one has to use reason.

First, on top of the mast, you will either have a lightning rod, which will attract lightning, then the mast is grounded to the water via a copper cable to the keel, or separate grounding plate.  This directs a lightning strike directly to the water.

Second option is a static device that will release the build up of ions at the masthead, making the mast a less likely target.

It is advisable to stay clear of the mast and any connected rigging, as well as any massive metal objects, like your engine during lightning storms.

The kind of lights required on a sail boat depends on the size.  For general usage:

bow lights, 1 red, 1 green.  1 stern light, white.  If operating a sailboat under power, you must also display a white light forward, often referred to as a "steaming" light.  If you are at anchor, you are to display an all around anchor light.

Some smaller craft can get by with just 1 white light, but these would be in the category of row boats and canoes, and very small sail boats.

Answer 2

if ur on a sailboat when lightening happens, all you really can do is get sumwhere on the boat that is safest. although lightening doesn't usually strike on water, or motor vehicles (forgot why), because there is no electric stimulation happening. electrons and protons are on land and that's why lightening happens. It is just safest to not be on the water incase it does happen to your boat.

mitch

Answer 3

There's some good stuff here and bad stuff here.

Firstly...look the boat over. Not all boats have a mast and fitting Bonding System(ground path interconnection)...not all boats have mast head attraction or dissipation devices. No two experts agree an these gimics.

Secondly...many boats have water in their bilges and wet laminate. Even if they are properly bonded(the ground cable previously mentioned) lightning will seek a path out the hull directly if it is wet...out the prop shaft and out the through-hull fittings.

In the case of the hull..a baked and brittle laminate results which is still sailable untill the wave that has it's number on it!...or at the very worst a hole is popped in the hull.

With the shaft...the packing gland is blown out and you will have to dive with underwatewr epoxy putty to stuff the leak from outside. Then haul the boat to redo the gland or stuffing box.

With through hulls...(bronze) the burst will make jagged paths in the internal barrel that will allow water to trickle in even when closed. Plastic ones can explode, crack or partially melt.

Okay...there's the truth and worst. Like it's been said, saty away from the mast and rigging. We hang bared jumper cables or chain from the rig into the water to prevent it from entering the cabin.

The points about electronics are good too...you need a Faraday Cage to protect them. Most people just shove all the good stuff into the oven or microwave. They're decent Faraday devices.

The short answer to your question is PROBABLY. It is said that one can even swim around a sailboat in lightning within a radius less than the height of the mast...a cone of protection. Who wants to test that theory?

Lights?...what is legal and what is enforced is different. You are nuts to not have proper bow and stern lights as mentioned. The Coast Guard is less anal about steaming lights and anchor lights.

Good luck.

Answer 4

no its not

Answer 5

I've lived on a sailboat for several years and wonder the same thing.  I've read everything I can find, and still don't understand it, but it seems that the mast and rigging offer some protection.  You need to turn off electrical devices like TV and computers, and stay away from the mast or chain-plates.  My mast and chain-plates have a heavy copper wire attached to the through hull fittings, but I've no proof that helps. The sailboat next to me was struck a few months ago, and it blew up his VHF but that's all.  A sports fishing boat a few docks away also got struck.  More damage to electronics, but no one hurt.  Good Luck!!!   On the light question you need the normal red and green on the front, white on the stern and a white masthead anchor light.  You also need a white on the front of the mast for use if under power (a steaming light).  Strobes are optional.

Answer 6

Lightning strikes where ever and when ever it wants. It likes sharp pointy things made out of a good conductor. If your sailboat is struck and your leaning against the mast--your toast.  People are apparently real good conductors. Large boats have a strap of metal that ground the mast step to the keel. Your best position  would be as far away from the mast and rigging as you can get. The reference to being in automobiles is that they are not grounded.(4 rubber tires). So- anything that is grounded looks better to lightening than something that is not.

white lites are for moring

Answer 7

Everything Tom B said.

Boats on the water are prone to lightning strikes generally, by virtue of being the tallest and pointiest thing for however many miles around. In addition to being a physical shock hazard, the electromagnetic pulse going through your grounding-tree will very likely fry all of your electronics and your engine. If you are a sailboat, assuming you still have sails which weren't destroyed by the lightning (like that 120 genoa that's always taking up space in your v-berth), you still have propulsion. This is where a sailboat beats a powerboat hands-down. Your GPS, chart plotter and radar will all probably be gone, but a magnetic compass probably won't be severely affected by the EM pulse, and your paper charts will presumably be fine. Your sextant will also be fine, and your mechanical wristwatch will also be fine; your quartz wristwatch may or may not be. So you have propulsion, and you have navigation. So no matter where you are in the world when you're struck by lightning, you can still get safely back to the nearest port. A powerboat is just dead in the water, with no radio or satellite to call for help.  

Proper running lights for a sailing vessel are port and starboard running lights and a white stern light, with no white masthead light. You may also run an all-around red light over a green light at the masthead. If you are motoring or motorsailing, you must display the lights of a power-driven vessel.