As the Founder and Managing Director of Mainstay Consulting Group Ltd, I’ve spent over two decades in the yachting industry, managing everything from new builds to crisis management. Our firm has handled a variety of challenging situations, but few are as unpredictable and potentially devastating as lightning strikes on yachts. Over the years, I have managed numerous lightning-related incidents for both yacht owners and insurers. There’s a lot of conjecture about how to prevent lightning strikes, what happens when they occur, and how to handle the aftermath. Here, I’d like to offer our opinion and expertise on the subject.
The Myth of Lightning Protection Devices
Last year, we encountered an interesting case involving a large and reputable underwriter who required that an induced current lightning-protection device be installed on the masthead of a new 80' catamaran. Whether this was the underwriter’s stipulation or something insisted upon by the broker, it was contractual. There are countless products out there that claim to prevent lightning strikes, but I have yet to see any convincing evidence that they’re worth the effort.
I’ve witnessed lightning strike the water in the 10 feet of water between two boats in a marina, each with masts over 80 feet tall, with my own eyes. The lightning ignored the masts entirely, choosing instead to strike the gap between them. This incident reinforced what I’ve always believed: lightning goes where it wants, regardless of what you have mounted on your mast.
In another case, I surveyed a yacht that had a piece of aircraft cable dangling off the anchor roller, just above the water. The yacht owner informed me that a professor claiming to specialise in some sort of lightning science had advised him to install it as a preventive measure and that its distance from the water was precise in order to be effective. However, the professor failed to clarify crucial details like the specific salinity of the water (which affects the buoyancy of the yacht), whether the tanks were supposed to be full or empty, or whether the cable should be deployed before or after the anchor chain, which removes a specific amount of weight from the bow, which provides a highly conductive path to ground. These inconsistencies only add to the confusion surrounding lightning protection.
The Reality of Lightning Strikes
Lightning strikes vary in severity, whether they’re direct strikes, side strikes, or just the electromagnetic pulse (EMP) from a nearby strike. There’s no real way to quantify whether a strike will be mild or catastrophic. Most sailing yacht manufacturers install lightning grounding systems on their spars, with a high-amperage conductor leading to a grounding plate on the hull bottom. This setup theoretically provides a better path to ground, making the yacht a floating lightning rod. Other builders, recognizing this risk, opt not to ground the rigs, hoping to avoid creating a lightning rod. But in reality, lightning doesn’t seem to care about small wires; it goes where it wants. The key difference is that without a grounding conductor, lightning finds other, often more destructive, paths to exit the yacht.
In my experience, the outcomes of lightning strikes vary widely. I once captained a 60-foot catamaran that was struck by lightning. Initially, everything electrical shut down, but within minutes, everything was back online, and we experienced no residual problems. We were incredibly lucky. However, in other cases, the damage has been extensive—complete system failures, circuit breakers blown apart, osmotic blisters on the hull bottom burst open from the heat, through-hull fittings and transducers destroyed, wiring looms melted, and years of latent failures waiting to emerge.
The Hidden Risks of Carbon Fiber Masts
The so-called scientists will tell you that carbon fibre masts do not pose a higher risk for lightning strikes. But my experience tells a different story. The proportion of lightning claims I’ve been called upon to investigate involving carbon masts is significantly higher than the market distribution of these masts. There seems to be a disconnect between theory and reality that should not be ignored.
Does Lighting Strike Twice?
They say lighting never strikes the same place twice. I guess yachts move, but I have seen a few yachts hit more than once, and in one case a yacht underwent three lightning strikes over several years. We have no idea what makes these particular yachts so attractive!
Expert Advice for Handling Lightning Strikes
If your yacht is struck by lightning, my first piece of advice is simple: get a professional to assess the damage. Do not attempt to “just replace the broken stuff” yourself. Lightning follows a path from entry to exit, and it’s crucial to understand the full extent of the damage. We’ve seen multi-million dollar yachts repaired by their crew without professional assessment, only for significant issues to surface later—like the need for entirely new spars or structural failures in the hull.
Another important tip: keep your insurance claim open. There will be latent failures. Electrical systems are complex, with numerous components, and not all of them will fail immediately. It’s not uncommon to see incident-related failures months down the road. You don’t want to close your insurance claim prematurely and then be left footing the bill for these additional issues.
Finally, be prepared for a lengthy repair process. If you experience a severe strike, expect your yacht to be out of commission for a considerable amount of time. For example, repairing a 60-foot charter catamaran after a moderate strike can take at least 6-9 months, even when handled efficiently. The process is cascading, meaning that each step depends on the previous one, and it’s essential to work through it systematically from beginning to end.
Conclusion
At Mainstay Consulting Group Ltd, we have extensive experience managing the aftermath of lightning strikes, and we’re here to help owners and insurers navigate this complex process. Lightning is unpredictable, but with the right approach and expertise, the impact on your yacht can be managed effectively. Whether you need advice on preventive measures or assistance with repairs, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Your yacht’s safety and integrity are our top priorities.
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