[Alberg30] Lightning Protection

[George Dinwiddie]

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?

-- 
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
  George Dinwiddie                             gdinwiddie at alberg30.org
  The gods do not deduct from man's allotted span those hours spent in
  sailing.                                    http://www.Alberg30.org/
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------


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