My personal experience in my Pearson Triton on Lake Pontchartrain
during a horrendous thunderstorm back in the '60s is that neither
boat is at great risk. My excellent grounding system seemed to
continually discharge the clouds as they passed over us, thereby
never allowing the potential between the clouds and my mast to reach
the necessary difference to cause a lightning strike. The continual
"sizzling" from the mast head, and the extremely loud static on the
radios (and perhaps the hair on my arms standing up straight?) made
me believe that a continual discharge is much safer than a sudden
discharge. Another sailboat near to me did not experience the
phenomenon of continual discharge, but he didn't get hit, either. I
probably kept him safe, too! Oh yes, the sailing was terrific, too!
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| “MONTGOMERY 15” /
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John Butler - Sailing again. Praise the Lord!
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