lightning when on the water?

[Hocus]

This is probably a stupid question, but here goes.
What happens if you are for some freak reason caught in a storm. Will the lightning be atttracted to the boat?
what about different boats tinnies, ocean liners?

And does lightning affect fish/ creatures in the water?

:D just curious. Thanks

[Fisheasy]

Generally lightening strikes the highest point and if you are the highest point, yep, looks like you'll be it if you're unlucky.
Unfortunately there have been a few fishos who have been killed by lightening whilst out fishing so best to get out of there if you can.

[NQCairns]

Check here good info http://www.cdc.gov/nasd/docs/d000001-d000100/d000007/d000007.html nq

[Hocus]

Thanks for the link. It answered alot of my questions. Thanks again :)

[jaybee]

Remember one summer afternoon anchored off the nine mile. an unpredicted storm come up the coast then split in two, one went to sea the other behind the mountain ranges. Then the unthinkable happened the one behind the ranges come across the range and hit us. (these usually travel up and do damage to southport) visibility was nill, wind was gusting my deckie reckoned 50 knots. within 30 seconds we had the bilge working flatout. That wasnt so bad, it was when the lightning and thunder started, some of the bolts were within 50 feet of the boat, what a light and noise show, all i could think off was pull the arial down, then i thought if i do i will be the tallest object :-[ in all this lasted around 4 mins. All i can say is thank goodness i carry toilet paper on board. And hope i never go through it again. the funny thing i have yet to work out, when we went out there was a fair swell running, with the wind and rain it completly flattened the ocean, and we had a good nights fishing on a glassed out sea and starry night.

[Lachie1]

Had the same thing happen to us twice in regards to the seas glassing out hey. Once it was predicted to be 20 -25 knts of NW/N and we went out off scarborough reef for a few hrs before the wind got up and cos it had been visiously storming and all night it glassed out and we ended up in the pearl channel with a heap of whiting and a mackrell plus a few squire from scarborough no breeze at all and just a slight drizzle early on. :o :o :D And once south of green island same thing as Jaybee said above, bloody wild storm :o :o

Cheers, Lachie

[ozzyfisho]

when you say visibility 0, i can relate. in a tropical down pour we couldnt see past the edge of the tinnie. we were surrounded by greyness, trying to find our way out of a mangrove lined estuary. what fun.

[jaybee]

hey ozz it was only zero till the lightning, the we had pretty lights in front of the eyes, dont know which was worse looking into a wall of grey or into a purple haze
cheers

[clutter]

Think I can recall a few years ago, might have been 5 or so, that a couple of blokes were killed by lightening while fishing in a tinnie off Nudgee Beach.

Clutter

[CHRIS_aka_GWH]

It is always prudent to pack your golf clubs into the boat with you for any outing.

Should a storm arise, find the highest point of your boat, stand tall & hold your One Iron high above your head ...

Not even God can hit a One Iron !

;D ;D ;D

chris

WAIVER: any idiot who actually does this deserves instant vaporisation.