I think I've posted this before: I've been in sailboats and in motor boats during severe storms... some with lighting strikes some 50 feet from the boat. I thought for sure we were going to be killed...I would have gotten off the water if I could have. I flew into an airport during a lightening storm once and met a fellow pilot seeking refuge on the ground, he advised thathe'd rather be down here on the ground wising he was up there, than up there wishing he were down here. I guess the only good thing is, in seawater, you're pretty close to being grounded. I read about a fellow who was sitting on the fantail of a steel hulled boat and was struck. He was badly burned and it blew out a hole in the boat where he had been sitting.. he survived. Most of the sailing articles I've read recommend grounding the mast during electrical storms. I bought lead straps to wrap the mast and trail in the water... not that I knew it ever did any good. As for salt vs. fresh water, I would think that salt water would dissipate the electrical charge better, thus, you would be able to survive a strike that was closer to you in salt water. A direct hit would probably fry you either way, regardless of what you were wearing. Robert Does anyone have information on kayaking accidents involving >lightning? Is boat/paddle/clothing composition a relevant factor? Salt >versus fresh water?> > >I've been paddling on the salt chuck for 20 years, never do get off the >water when lightning is about, and I've never been hit. > >Dead man paddling :) , >Doug lloyd > > >*************************************************************************** >PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List >Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net >Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net >Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ >*************************************************************************** rcline_at_onramp.net *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************Received on Sat Apr 24 1999 - 23:37:44 PDT
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