[Alberg30] Lightning Protection

[Kevin Blanc]

George, when are you going to start? How many times have you been 
struck? (joke).

George Dinwiddie wrote:

>Coincidentally, SailNet has just published an article on the subject
>(http://www.sailnet.com/view.cfm?page=9396).  As for web sites,
>make sure you check out the work of Ewen Thomson
>(http://www.thomson.ece.ufl.edu/lightning/).  I looked into this
>some years back, and my conclusions were:
>
>  There's no guarantees, no matter what.  (Well, there are some
>  companies that "guarantee" their product such that if you install
>  it and get damaged by lightning, they'll pay your insurance
>  deductible.  Given the cost of the product and the likelihood of
>  payout, this is a good bet, even without installing the product.)
>
>  Well thought out and well installed lightning protection seems,
>  by empirical evidence, to give slightly better results, especially
>  in fresh water.  A poor installation could make the problem worse.
>
>  A boat with an exposed metal keel and a keel-stepped mast has a
>  tremendous advantage in the feasibility of installing effective
>  lightning protection.  A boat like the A30, with a deck-stepped
>  mast and an enclosed ballast in the keel is much more difficult.
>
>Based on this analysis, I decided not to attempt any lightning
>protection other than living an honest and upright life.
>
> - George
>
>>Helmes, Gail S. said:
>>
>>While Encore is still out of the water and the mast is down, I am thinking
>>about adding lightning protection that would include a grounding plate on
>>the bottom of the hull.  We have read up on Nigel Calder,  and have found
>>some good Web sites, but would like to hear some experienced opinions.  A
>>survey of the local boat yard indicates that most boats don't have lightning
>>protection, but if we are going to do it, now is the time.  Any thoughts on
>>whether to add it?  Any advise on how to do it?  Does anyone wish they had
>>installed it?
>>
>

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