[Paddlewise] Thunderstorms

My encounters with thunderstorms at sea have all been in sailboats.  The
two most memorable were both on southern Lake Michigan on a 30 footer
while racing.  Boiling green/black clouds preceded multiple lightning
strikes within a hundred meters of the boat.  Really spectacular.  There
were over 60 boats in the fleet, and not a one of them was struck.  We
shortened to storm jib and double-reefed main when we first spotted the
thunderstorm, then I sent the crew below decks to sit on the cabin
floor.  The heaviest rain followed the lightning.  Just as another
poster commented the rain laid down three-foot seas to almost flat.

The other thunderstorm was not as spectacular for lightning.  However,
it was preceded by a period of almost dead calm, then very large wind. 
There were water spouts astern of us... as many as seven at one time. 
They would drop down to the sea surface for awhile, then dissipate, only
to be replaced by other funnel clouds.  Again, in a large fleet of boats
about 20 miles offshore, none were struck by lightning or the water
spouts.

I have read everything I could get my hands on about lightning over the
past 30 years of sailing and boating.  One can sum up all those articles
by saying that lightning strikes do not seem to follow any predictable
pattern.  Boats with grounded rigging and rigging not grounded to the
water seem to get hit with equal frequency and with equal damage. 
Common sense says the get into the trees and hunker down approach is as
good as any advice.  Being lucky is even better.

Steve King
New to Paddling/Old to Sailing

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