Sure glad we no longer have a C Dory

[thataway]

Just a few minutes ago, we had a direct lightning strike on one of the boat trailers parked on our lot. (Flash/bang-no delay, and Marie saw the strike). If we had a C Dory on the trailer, there would be a lot of damage. We will inspect the trailers in the morning.

Moral, do not every go out if lightning is within 30 miles. We have a lot of lightning strikes in Fl. There are always a few strikes which hit people on the beach, on a boat etc when there is even no rain, or other lightning strikes in the area!!!

[TyBoo]

Wow! Talk about a contradiction of Title vs. Story! I am glad you didn't have a boat sitting on that trailer too!

I can only recall being near the boat when lightning was likely one time, and that was on the river so no escape would have been available. Around here there is usually some predicted wind with thunderstorms so being on the water isn't planned anyway. That one time though... anchored for sturgeon fishing when a squall came up the river and we stayed put. No visible lightning but hearing the thunder made me wish for minute we had stayed home. It passed quickly but was memorable.

Thanks for the reminder. I wish the trailer well and hope it survived.

[clayhubler]

Is there anything that can be done for a boat the size of a c-dory to protect from lightning while on the water, or perhaps mitigate the damage? Seems like not boating when lighting is within 30 miles would be the same thing as not boating at all in Florida...

I have to admit that I clicked on this thread expecting to hear from some disgruntled ex-cdory owner. Hopefully you will find no severe property damage in the morning.

[Foggy]

Thunder and Lightening

Thunder, loud and close, can be awesome, can be bone jarring and dramatic
But remember, it's lightening that does the work.

Sometimes, it seems one occurs without the other in your location. But thunder
always occurs with lightening. It causes thunder.

Between seeing lightening and hearing thunder is a time interval (TI).

This TI has given birth to "The 30 30 Rule":
* If the TI is < 30 seconds, seek shelter now
* Wait 30 minutes, or more, after hearing thunder to leave shelter

Then there's the "Lightening 5 Second Rule" to get the distance in miles to the
lightening: Divide the TI by 5
Example:
0 seconds - lightening too close, your goose may be cooked
5 seconds - lightening 1 mile away
30 seconds - lightening 6 miles away, etc

Don't mess with, disrespect or tempt Mother Nature, Grandpa used to say.

Aye.
PS: I once had a C-Dory and was as happy then as I am now.

[Robert H. Wilkinson]

[Peter & Judy]

In September of 2021 we were anchored on the west coast of Vancouver Island in small bay in Nuchatlitz Inlet. We had spent the day exploring this gem of an area in our kayaks and were relaxing after dinner in the cabin. Far off to the west we saw a front coming in with lighting flashing against the dark sky. The wind picked up and it began to pour rain. We were happy to be warm and comfortable in the cabin of our C-Dory. The lighting was coming closer and due to the darkness and heavy rain all we could see were the flashes. Then all of a sudden there was a blinding flash followed almost instantly with a loud boom. It must have been right over us. Fortunately we were near a high bluff with a lot of big cedar trees. We survived this and other big storms including a couple of big lightning storms at Lake Powell. In a situation like this all you can really do is find a snug anchorage and hope for the best.

I've experienced a lot of big thunderstorms in my life. Where we live on the eastern foothills of the Rockies in Alberta there are lots of thunderstorms in the summer. My scariest experience was camping on a high ridge on a climbing trip many years ago. We were in a remote mountain group in the Purcell range in BC. We had a storm system that hung around us for five days off and on, dropping considerable snow on us, it was late August. During one of these storms there was also a flash-bang lighting strike. It lit up the inside of the REI McKinley tent with its single 7 foot aluminum pole supporting it. We were sure happy when the sun came out later that day.

[pcg]

[thataway]

Paul, thanks for posting the links. I am going to repost, and modify the replies I made on that thread.

We have been in a number of lightning storms in various boats. In the C Dory we would disconnect the electronics--antennas, grounds, transducers and posative and negitive power cables. Remember that lightning can come thru the water in a near by strike.

Anchor if at all possiable. Put antennas down. Stay away from any metal in the boat. A ground plate, lightning diffuser etc would do little if any good in a C Dory or TC.

We have had direct strikes on a boat with wooden masts and shrouds which were directly grounded to the water with chains--and the only damage (all electronics disconnected)--was to diodes in wind instruments. This mast was the tallest item in a cove in Yugoslavia, where a dozen or so sailboats were anchored. We had "St Elmo's Fire" in the rigging. There were over 60 strikes visible in this cove area in one hour!

Wikipedia paraphrased St Elmo's Fire::

[colbysmith]

[RobLL]

My most and only lightning scare was with a Church youth group. We were on the west end of Hurricane Ridge, good weather until - suddenly a lighting cloud was above us and active. The wind took it back and forth across the ridge 3 or 4 times, flashing about once every 5 minutes and close. There were no tall trees the get away from, and I was unsure what we should do.

We went as far down one side as was safe, hunkered down, and sat low to the ground. Over as quickly as it started, sunny and clear.

[gulfcoast john]

Thanks Bob,

Be aware that any nearby (even indirect) lightning strike EMP can fry all our delicate electronics like cell phones, VHF HH, etc.

You can protect them in any ‘Faraday Cage’ like a metal closed tool box, ammo box, cheap electronic safe (we use a $48 Amazon with a mechanical key backup), Microwave, aluminum foil, etc.

Think of this ahead of any thunder so you can call for help if you are sinking or have suffered any injuries aboard in a thunderstorm. Otherwise you are hurt and sinking and can not call out for help for anyone! Don’t be that crew!

Hope this helps if you haven’t already considered the possibility…

John
from the Gulf Coast of Florida, the Lightning Strike Capital of the Entire US.
Don’t be a victim!

[starcrafttom]

Must just be me and my family. but a lighting storm coming is an excuse to sit out side and watch the show. Texas was great for that. House sat on a long ridge with a view north for 100 miles. If we heard a big storm coming we would have dinner on the back deck and watch the show roll by. When we moved to the sierras it was always a thrill to have a summer storm come thru popping the tops off trees right in our camp or across the lake. Susan grew up the same way. Just love those big dry lighting storms.

[starcrafttom]

Must just be me and my family. but a lighting storm coming is an excuse to sit out side and watch the show. Texas was great for that. House sat on a long ridge with a view north for 100 miles. If we heard a big storm coming we would have dinner on the back deck and watch the show roll by. When we moved to the sierras it was always a thrill to have a summer storm come thru popping the tops off trees right in our camp or across the lake. Susan grew up the same way. Just love those big dry lighting storms.

[thataway]