Lightning Strikes

PDQ issues applicable across all PDQ Yachts (or if you can't find a place for something, it probably belongs here for now)
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PDQ-Dave
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Lightning Strikes

Post by PDQ-Dave »

We are cruising Central America this year (2009) including the summer months and expect plenty of lightning storms, especially in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and Columbia.
  • Have any PDQ 36 owners been hit by lightning?

    What were the circumstances (i.e. direct mast head strike, side flash, EMP, anchored, sailing, docked in marina or on the hard)?

    What if any lightning protection system was employed?

    What path did the lightning take(i.e entry/exit points)?

    What were the resulting damages?
We lost our radar dome and water temperature sensor to a "near" strike last summer while sailing in the Chesapeake in a severe thunder storm. . Even after sailing 2 years and over 15,000nm across the South Pacific in all sorts of weather I mark that the most severe squall I'd yet experienced. Countless bolts of lightning striking the sea, driving rain that had me don my scuba mask and a weak wheel auto pilot that couldn't effectively steer the boat in the high winds requiring me to hold bare metal (steering wheel) as we ran off at 10+ knots. This experience was the impetus for upgrading our Autopilot to a below decks model.
Dave Kane
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Page 83
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Re: Lightning Strikes

Post by Page 83 »

My PDQ 32 was struck in a slip off the Potomac River in 1999. The windex and vhf antenna blew up, and the antenna cable in the mast melted. Every circuit board on board was fried, including a Street Pilot III in a drawer, but we found no discernible exit point. One witness said the entire boat glowed. Another (drunk and peeing in the water in front of my Cat) said God told him to cast his glasses on the concrete dock and crush them under his foot. So much for witnesses.

Markel American's Yachtsman Policy replaced every single item with new, using the installer I specified. Radar, chart plotter, radios, autopilot, chart cartridges, instruments, handhelds, et. al. I can't speak highly enough of them, certainly worth the premiums I paid, plus whatever premiums I will pay in the future too! Do the math.

Paul Fleury, a leading authority on Marine electrical systems, lightning strikes (and consultant to PDQ), assured me that no "Lightning Protection Device" would have mattered. Still in doubt, I did a lot of research myself, and came to the same conclusion. I was working for the NTSB at the time and had the resources for a definitive examination of the claims, counter claims, good science and bad from all over. Sources that sounded like they should know better plainly didn't. Arguments about preventing an electrical differential through static discharge equal but do not overcome arguments against creating an electrical path for lightning. In short, no one has an answer, YET.
Sandy Daugherty "Page 83" PDQ 36026
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PDQ-Dave
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Re: Lightning Strikes

Post by PDQ-Dave »

From the perspective of life safety would you modify your PDQ in anyway (i.e provide a path of least resistance by connecting the mast to the sea)?
Dave Kane
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Re: Lightning Strikes

Post by Page 83 »

If one worked, definitely. As of this moment, no, I would not and have not. Like Radar Reflectors, the false sense of security is in itself dangerous; time and money is better spent on AIS and weather avoidance. And a complete set of dry hole plugs, a Farraday Bag, eternal vigilance and prudent seamanship!

Mother Nature herself mandates some new incredible cure for this or that catastrophe on an annual basis; it preserves her mystique!
Sandy Daugherty "Page 83" PDQ 36026
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Re: Lightning Strikes

Post by ATTITUDE »

I have read that catamarans have a greater propensity for getting zapped.

ATTITUDE (Capella) had what I believe was a near lightening strike. Fried the power transformer in the
VHF radio. Took out the anenometer, battery charger, antenna tuner as well as several of the yellow indicator lights on the electrical panel. Also adios to the t.v. antenna. Not sure about the SSB antenna connections.

Ah, the joys of boat ownership. Charter, anyone?
ATTITUDE
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Ed Ellis
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Re: Lightning Strikes

Post by Ed Ellis »

It may be a myth, but I’ve heard that wrapping your PC or other precious electronics in aluminum foil and then placing them inside your metal stove will protect them from the pulse… so I do it religiously every time we get into bad lightening.

I’ve heard that the problem with catamarans is they provide no direct path between metal keel & mast top like you have on monohulls, thus they are a lot more prone to strikes due to lack of grounding. Thus, I’ve also bolted #2 gage battery cable wire to my port, starboard, and stern stanchions and let them dangle in the water continuously when off the boat and during storms. I also leave the engines down during storms because they provide grounding.

I installed one of those wire brush thingy-dos that mount at the top of the mast. The theory being they bleed off ions and thus prevent lightening strikes. An engineer told me that they are completely bogus but I installed it anyway because it makes my wife feel safer during storms.

So where’s the safest place on the boat? I’ve thought long an hard about this and I think it best get as far from your mast, batteries, engines, and large metal items (e.g., pile of anchor chain in port bow locker, ac, etc.) as possible. If anchored, that puts me in my starboard forward cabin with my back against the forward bulkhead, sitting on the foam-rubber mattress (great insulator) leaning against the fiberglass closet. If under weigh, I put on my rubber boots and those heavy chemical-proof rubber gloves and put my hands on the wheel as little as possible. If it sound like I’m a chicken-shit, you’re right! I friggin hate lightening, My old monohull was struck while soloing across the Gulf. It was a serious scary experience. LOTS of lightening all over the place. I had on rubber boots and gloves and didn’t feel a thing, but my electronics got fried.

BTY, the most common cause of death from lightening is not on golf courses or metal umbrellas but rather in small boats with outboard motors. The driver has his hand on the tiller, and lightening strikes the engine. Thus, stay OUT of your dinghy during a lightening storm!!!!!

I don’t really believe any of this really helps much, but what else can you do except stay home, subscribe to “Latts & Atts” and read about everybody else out their living it up!
Ed & Linda Ellis
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Page 83
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Re: Lightning Strikes and Gov't conspiracies

Post by Page 83 »

The bit about putting your electronics in a microwave oven is true. It is a good Farraday cage. The aluminum foil is not necessary (except to resist secret government mind control signals) and a Farraday cage can be any conductive enclosure: Copper door screen works as well as anything. A simple bag wade up of screen on the outside and a non-conductive layer like foam rubber on the inside will work. My ditch bag is a moderately deep aluminum briefcase, but there are much better alternatives.
Sandy Daugherty "Page 83" PDQ 36026
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Re: Lightning Strikes

Post by amytom »

DogHouse has the "bottle brush" on the mast purely because it was already there. As far as preventing the strike a few prayers are probably more effective than anything else. As far as electrical safety goes I would ensure that all metal parts at or near the helm are bonded to each other very well with heavy cable. You dont want the current to find you as the easiest path to ground. Imagine: antenna to vhf to right hand to left hand to steering wheel to rudder; with your heart right in the middle.
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Re: Lightning Strikes

Post by ATTITUDE »

The following is very informative. It is from the University of Florida. http://www.cdc.gov/nasd/docs/d000001-d0 ... 00007.html
ATTITUDE
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Allezcat
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Re: Lightning Strikes

Post by Allezcat »

I installed a Strikeshield system on Allezcat (36010). Check out the info at http://www.strikeshield.com/author/strikeshield
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Root
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Re: Lightning Strikes

Post by Root »

Have any PDQ 36 owners been hit by lightning?

Yes, discovered all GFI outlets pooped and batteries dead on Wind Seeker after a thunderstorm.

What were the circumstances (i.e. direct mast head strike, side flash, EMP, anchored, sailing, docked in marina or on the hard)?

EMP from a nearby Pine Tree strike while docked and connected to shore power.

What if any lightning protection system was employed?

None, but now, at the electronic repair shops recommendation, we disconnect the radio antenna when not need and during thunderstorms.

What path did the lightning take(i.e entry/exit points)?

Down the radio antenna without destroying the wire!

What were the resulting damages?

Fried batteries, battery charger/inverter, VHF Radio, all Navigation Instruments, Chart Plotter, Autopilot, wind anemometer, some circuit breaker indicator lights (LEDs), Snake River tank monitor, all LED bulbs.

One suggestion given to us by a very knowledgeable sailor and engineer is to put one hand in your pocket during thunderstorms. This prevents you from becoming a path for lightening by completing the circuit between two separate objects on the boat while steering, holding on, etc.

Ray and Paula Reuter
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Re: Lightning Strikes

Post by Page 83 »

A friend of mine is a surveyor. He says he is now pinging any boat with a VHF antenna above the "bottle brush" because the manufacturer specifies that it be above anything else on the mast! Its not hard to see the reasoning.... :lol:
Sandy Daugherty "Page 83" PDQ 36026
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Re: Lightning Strikes

Post by ATTITUDE »

"... at the electronic repair shops recommendation, we disconnect the radio antenna when not need and during thunderstorms."

I believe this to be very good advise.

Best to all.
ATTITUDE
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ATTITUDE - the last of human freedoms (Viktor Frankl)
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Re: Lightning Strikes but there's never a final word

Post by Page 83 »

go to http://www.marinelightning.com/AirTerminals.htm and look at the second and third pictures. That's a Maine Cat 30 with an intact lightning dissapating bottle brush on top of the mast and a big hole in the side of the hull blown out in a lightning strike. Seems the only proponents are those with a financial interest. :lol:
Sandy Daugherty "Page 83" PDQ 36026
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Re: Lightning Strikes

Post by amytom »

That sucks! Now I have to climb the mast again to remove that POS (or is it POinS standing for PO installed?).

Maybe next week...
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