Bolts And Boats

Recently, some visitors to the Grand Canyon were struck by lightning. This brought up the question of how boaters can stay safe during a thunderstorm. Mike Telleria of Boating Magazine gives 29 strategies for boating in a thunderstorm at — Fehttps://www.boatingmag.com/surviving-lightning-strikes-while-boating-0What to do in a Lightning Storm on a Boat.

There are no specific warnings or advisories for lightning, but all thunderstorms produce lightning. A lightning strike to a vessel can be catastrophic, especially if it results in a fire or loss of electronics. If your boat has a cabin, then stay inside and avoid touching metal or electrical devices.

An open boat like a runabout is the most dangerous to human life during lightning storms, since you are the highest point and most likely to get hit if the boat is struck. If shore is out of reach, the advice is to drop anchor, remove all metal jewelry, put on life jackets and get low in the center of the boat.