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--></style><title>Re: [Alberg30] Lightning
protection</title></head><body>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<div>There are a lot of theories about lightning protection. One of
those is that a thin, broad piece of metal on the hull is better than,
for example, the strip on the A 30. Another says that creating a link
from the stays to the water - for example, by using a battery cable
with a piece of metal welded to the wet end - can help also.
Still others suggest bonding all metal on the boat together and
leading that to a proper ground on the keel. So there are lots of
opinions, very little that is known for sure. Evidence seems to point
to the thin broad metal. Also, a lightning bolt isn't just a small
jolt. If the lead to ground isn't sturdy enough, the lightning can
shoot out and connect to other pieces of metal onboard, or even pierce
the hull in its search for ground, causing a multitude of small
pinholes. You can imagine the fun that would be. There was a tale in
Gam about one boater who suffered that fate.</div>
<div>You might check in Nigel Calder's books re lightning protection.
Also, the ABYC standards are worth looking at. I'll look this weekend
and see what other books address the issue and post that info
later.</div>
<div>Have you considered prayer? As they say, there are no atheists at
sea in a storm.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Wally Moran</div>
<div><br>
<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font size="-1">A posting to this
mail group in 1999 suggested all Alberg 30's are lightning grounded by
virtue of the stainless strip running from the stemhead down to about
3 feet below the waterline. It connects to the forestay and
thereby providing a grounding from the masthead to the
water.</font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font size="-1">Any comments as to
whether this should be sufficient and what alternatives there might
be.</font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font size="-1">George and Kathy
White</font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font size="-1">Close Harmony #
637</font></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font size="-1">email:</font> <a
href="mailto:salty@ns.sympatico.ca"><font
size="-1">salty@ns.sympatico.ca</font></a></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><font size="-1">Telephone: 902 893
1080</font></blockquote>
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<div>The gods do not deduct from man's allotted span the hours spent
in sailing. Anon<br>
www.georgianbaysailing.ca for interesting reading for sailors</div>
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