IF Lightning Hits A Boat?

Question: Looking to purchase a boat that Was hit by lightning several years ago(2010). Should this have been disclosed? It is an older boat, 1990, and most every piece of electronics was replaced - looking at the invoices. Should that give me piece of mind, or is it "Buyer Beware?" Found out about the lightning while asking some questions of the Company that installed the electronics. Some electrical issues presented during the survey, tripping breaker underway on Generator while calling for AC. Surveyor says, "neutral / grounding issue and Boat needs a good going over from a reputable Marine Electrician." What Say the Forum? The boat did cruise quite a bit up until about 3 years ago.
Thanks,
KIM

I dunno...maybe having to go through the system in any case could be a good idea. Mine was hit somehow a couple of years ago while I was standing in the veranda. Anything 12 V was shot except for one bilge pump, windlass and bow thruster (although relays were toast). Genset windings had a hole through them, and 2/3rds of the wiring and especially wire ends were toast. Charger survived as did batteries but inverter didn't. It's really hard to figure how some things cooked and others were OK. Look at it good.

Larry, was that covered by your insurance?

Is there any way to install either lightning rods or surge suppressors to protect a boat?

Ransom said:

Question: Looking to purchase a boat that Was hit by lightning several years ago(2010). Should this have been disclosed? It is an older boat, 1990, and most every piece of electronics was replaced - looking at the invoices. Should that give me piece of mind, or is it "Buyer Beware?" Found out about the lightning while asking some questions of the Company that installed the electronics. Some electrical issues presented during the survey, tripping breaker underway on Generator while calling for AC. Surveyor says, "neutral / grounding issue and Boat needs a good going over from a reputable Marine Electrician." What Say the Forum? The boat did cruise quite a bit up until about 3 years ago.
Thanks,
KIM

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I'd say, "Boat needs a good going over from a reputable Marine Electrician". It has a history of lightning and it has some current electrical problems. The fact it cruised regularly two years after the lightning strike is a positive but one doesn't know how much things like AC and the Generator were used. Lightning can be deceptive and items you don't think were damaged, be found later to have been. Healhustler's experience is what I've seen with boats I've heard of being struck by lightning.

There are lightning rod systems available. From my point of view, although not an expert, I doubt they do very much if anything.

Deciding what type of lightning protection works best is much like deciding what kind of witchcraft works best.

To the OP, I would not be too worried about a long ago strike. Get a good inspection and have any issues fixed. Lots of local boats have been hit, they just fix stuff and motor on.

On boats with lots of digital systems, that can be A LOT of fixin!!

Thanks Ski,
Makes Good Sense.

Friend with a GB 42 was hit by lightning. Took months to get all fixed. Then against popular belief he got hit a second time.

You don't even have to get hit.a nearly strike can do lots of damage..

Lightning rods do work its just finding a good ground that's the hard part .

gaston said:

Lightning roods do work its just finding a good ground that's the hard part .

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Bruce anchor and all chain rode.

gaston said:

Lightning roods do work its just finding a good ground that's the hard part .

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Actually from what I have read they really dont.

Especially for moving boats or boats in moving water.

It is the Faraday cage with enough copper or equivalent that carries the charge safely around everything that does the most good.

And like I posted, a near miss can do as much damage electrically than a direct hit.

A direct hit can do structural damage and needs a way to go from the high point to the water....preferably not through the hull.

Because all the conflicts in scientific research and all the disputes of what is adequate protection...lightning is the one part of mother nature that I love to see, but not too close as I can't bring myself to head off in any direction for prevention.

Check http://www.marinelightning.com/

They have fixed lightning terminals for boats...

Ski in NC said:

To the OP, I would not be too worried about a long ago strike. Get a good inspection and have any issues fixed.

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I would agree with that. Lightning strikes mostly affect the electronics, and you said those had all been replaced. If you really want to be super cautious, get the boat pulled and check the thru-hulls for any change. Tap them with a hammer, and if flakes of metal come off, then replace them. That can be expensive, but not near as expensive as a sunk boat.

But most likely not a problem if none have shown up before now. From experience I will say that a BIG fuse should be put in the battery line if not one there already. I use a 300 amp fuse. Exploding batteries make a big mess in the engine room.

Back in our sailing days our Cape Dory 28 was struck. Insurance covered the damage. My base loaded VHF antenna was crystalized, also radio, depthsounder, knotmeter. The grounding system took a lot of the voltage out thru the sea cocks, etched some eerie patterns in the bottom paint. Midship 12" below the waterline the fiberglass was crystalize in a 2" x 12" area that was water tight till it was discovered in the travel lift, slight pressure from my finger poked a hole right thru the hull. Also in the stbd sail locker there was a hole similar to a 12 gage shotgun would make as voltage went to ground. Insurance agent told me the boat was hit by a" side streamer " a direct hit will usually sink the boat because the force will blowout the seacocks.
Ransom, I'd say your boat should be a safe buy because troubles caused by the strike would have shown up by now.

Wow!! Great Story!! Thanks for Sharing. Mother Nature is a Tough Mother. I believe after a Marine Electrician chases down a few things it could still be a Contender - Price being a consideration.

Mine was struck and it was fubar, only thing left was the hull, rudders and blocks/heads.

I assume a fiberglass boat and not a steel one. Is that correct ?

Ransom said:

Question: Looking to purchase a boat that Was hit by lightning several years ago(2010). Should this have been disclosed? It is an older boat, 1990, and most every piece of electronics was replaced - looking at the invoices. Should that give me piece of mind, or is it "Buyer Beware?" Found out about the lightning while asking some questions of the Company that installed the electronics. Some electrical issues presented during the survey, tripping breaker underway on Generator while calling for AC. Surveyor says, "neutral / grounding issue and Boat needs a good going over from a reputable Marine Electrician." What Say the Forum? The boat did cruise quite a bit up until about 3 years ago.
Thanks,
KIM

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It's a roll of the dice.

But if it's been 6 years since the strike and they have been fixing any issues that have cropped up in the meantime, you are probably OK.

But with electrical/electronic gremlins you just never know.

At the time of the strike on my boat, whether direct or otherwise, I had just completed the installation of a new dinghy crane with a solid 2.5" aluminum bar standpipe. Wrapped around the standpipe were two cables attached to zinc fish in the water. The cables were both burned off just above the surface of the water, suggesting that it was the surface, and not the depths of the water that the charge was grounding to. Some lightning grounding systems for boats are based on the idea that the discharge is AT the surface of the water, which may be born-out by some of the below-the-waterline grounding plates being blown out anyway. I'm not sure what the heck lightning has a mind to do, but when it gets bad, I drape my two aluminum pike poles over my upper deck rails and extend them to just below the water surface, just in case. Both the mast and the dinghy crane are grounded to the rails.

The systems of the boat seem reliable and predictable. You'll always find something here and there that may or may not be related to the strike, like the one working bilge pump, for example. Before the strike, it wasn't working at all. Go figure.