GT27 Build (Wes K)

To help other builders, please list the boat you are building in the Thread Subject -- and to conserve space, please limit your posting to one thread per boat.

Please feel free to use the gallery to display multiple images of your progress.
jonnymac
Active Poster
Active Poster
Posts: 338
Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2020 8:33 am
Location: Eliot, ME

Re: GT27 Build (Wes K)

Post by jonnymac »

I would consider lightening equipment and other grounding as separate systems never to touch. the last thing I would ever want to happen is a lightening strike going through my fuel systems. I would have them as physically separate as possible. A real life example of this is when I lived in Okeechobee there was a woman killed when the lightening struck her yard, traveled up the building ground and killed her as she was leaning on her stove.

Also there would be different electrical requirements anyway as lightening is high voltage high current and boat electrical is going to be low voltage and low current.

jonnymac
Active Poster
Active Poster
Posts: 338
Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2020 8:33 am
Location: Eliot, ME

Re: GT27 Build (Wes K)

Post by jonnymac »

also I would separate radio and radar grounds from the rest of the electrical as high frequency noise could cause unexpected problems.

fallguy1000
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
Posts: 10199
Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2010 12:25 am

Re: GT27 Build (Wes K)

Post by fallguy1000 »

jonnymac wrote: Sun Jan 03, 2021 2:50 pm I would consider lightening equipment and other grounding as separate systems never to touch. the last thing I would ever want to happen is a lightening strike going through my fuel systems. I would have them as physically separate as possible. A real life example of this is when I lived in Okeechobee there was a woman killed when the lightening struck her yard, traveled up the building ground and killed her as she was leaning on her stove.

Also there would be different electrical requirements anyway as lightening is high voltage high current and boat electrical is going to be low voltage and low current.
Not to be a nit, but the stove will always be tied to building ground and leaning on a stove or any building electrical equipment during lightening is dangerous.
My boat build is here -------->

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=62495

User avatar
OrangeQuest
Very Active Poster
Very Active Poster
Posts: 3944
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2018 1:14 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

Re: GT27 Build (Wes K)

Post by OrangeQuest »

Why would you ground the grab rails? They are attached to wood deck are they not? And doesn't grounding a boat only works when it's in the water?
"that it isn't just an ordinary sort of boat. Sometimes it's a Boat, and sometimes it's more of an Accident. It all depends." "Depends on what?" "On whether I'm on the top of it or underneath it."
A. A. Milne

fallguy1000
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
Posts: 10199
Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2010 12:25 am

Re: GT27 Build (Wes K)

Post by fallguy1000 »

OrangeQuest wrote: Sun Jan 03, 2021 11:03 pm Why would you ground the grab rails? They are attached to wood deck are they not? And doesn't grounding a boat only works when it's in the water?
Grounding the rails provides a pathway for lightening which is better than through the house.
My boat build is here -------->

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=62495

User avatar
OrangeQuest
Very Active Poster
Very Active Poster
Posts: 3944
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2018 1:14 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

Re: GT27 Build (Wes K)

Post by OrangeQuest »

fallguy1000 wrote: Mon Jan 04, 2021 1:05 pm
OrangeQuest wrote: Sun Jan 03, 2021 11:03 pm Why would you ground the grab rails? They are attached to wood deck are they not? And doesn't grounding a boat only works when it's in the water?
Grounding the rails provides a pathway for lightening which is better than through the house.
But if they are ungrounded they are not a source for a lightning strike. Grounded they become a source and a high chance of lightning hitting them because once grounded they are higher than anything else around.
"that it isn't just an ordinary sort of boat. Sometimes it's a Boat, and sometimes it's more of an Accident. It all depends." "Depends on what?" "On whether I'm on the top of it or underneath it."
A. A. Milne

fallguy1000
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
Posts: 10199
Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2010 12:25 am

Re: GT27 Build (Wes K)

Post by fallguy1000 »

OrangeQuest wrote: Tue Jan 05, 2021 5:05 am
fallguy1000 wrote: Mon Jan 04, 2021 1:05 pm
OrangeQuest wrote: Sun Jan 03, 2021 11:03 pm Why would you ground the grab rails? They are attached to wood deck are they not? And doesn't grounding a boat only works when it's in the water?
Grounding the rails provides a pathway for lightening which is better than through the house.
But if they are ungrounded they are not a source for a lightning strike. Grounded they become a source and a high chance of lightning hitting them because once grounded they are higher than anything else around.
No. The boat is always a source for a strike. When you ground the grabrails with a sufficient conductor; the energy can travel to ground via the conductor instead of via an iphone charger next to you which might kill you.

Best way is probably grounding all four ends of the grabrails into thru hull electrodes for a Faraday effect. Things like a marine antenna which are high in the sky are also best kept away from helmsman.
My boat build is here -------->

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=62495

jonnymac
Active Poster
Active Poster
Posts: 338
Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2020 8:33 am
Location: Eliot, ME

Re: GT27 Build (Wes K)

Post by jonnymac »

OrangeQuest wrote: Tue Jan 05, 2021 5:05 am
fallguy1000 wrote: Mon Jan 04, 2021 1:05 pm
OrangeQuest wrote: Sun Jan 03, 2021 11:03 pm Why would you ground the grab rails? They are attached to wood deck are they not? And doesn't grounding a boat only works when it's in the water?
Grounding the rails provides a pathway for lightening which is better than through the house.

But if they are ungrounded they are not a source for a lightning strike. Grounded they become a source and a high chance of lightning hitting them because once grounded they are higher than anything else around.
probability for lightening striking an object isn’t going to change with grounding or not. The lightening just traveled through thousands of feet of air which is considered an insulator. Its halfway a crapshoot if it follows the grounding path vs just blowing a hole in the boat and following the plasma to the inside.

User avatar
Jaysen
* Bateau Builder *
* Bateau Builder *
Posts: 6500
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2015 7:59 am
Location: St Helena Island, SC
Contact:

Re: GT27 Build (Wes K)

Post by Jaysen »

jonnymac wrote: Wed Jan 06, 2021 9:32 am probability for lightening striking an object isn’t going to change with grounding or not. The lightening just traveled through thousands of feet of air which is considered an insulator. Its halfway a crapshoot if it follows the grounding path vs just blowing a hole in the boat and following the plasma to the inside.
I've always wondered about this. Yet the sailboats that have proper grounding always fair much better (albeit with massive damage to electronics) that those that don't (that hole you mentioned). There is some value to the grounding but that may be more due to being a lightning rod 40'+ tall.
My already completed 'Lil Bit'. A Martens Goosen V12 set up to sail me to the fishing holes.
Currently working on making a Helms 24 our coastal cruiser.
“Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens” wrote:Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.
Jaysen wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2019 3:44 pm I tried to say something but God thought I was wrong and filled my mouth with saltwater. I kept my pie hole shut after that.

jonnymac
Active Poster
Active Poster
Posts: 338
Joined: Sun Jun 21, 2020 8:33 am
Location: Eliot, ME

Re: GT27 Build (Wes K)

Post by jonnymac »

Jaysen wrote: Wed Jan 06, 2021 9:46 am
jonnymac wrote: Wed Jan 06, 2021 9:32 am probability for lightening striking an object isn’t going to change with grounding or not. The lightening just traveled through thousands of feet of air which is considered an insulator. Its halfway a crapshoot if it follows the grounding path vs just blowing a hole in the boat and following the plasma to the inside.
I've always wondered about this. Yet the sailboats that have proper grounding always fair much better (albeit with massive damage to electronics) that those that don't (that hole you mentioned). There is some value to the grounding but that may be more due to being a lightning rod 40'+ tall.
I’m sure its better to have the path to ground, its just not necessarily the only path the lightening could travel.

for lower profile motor boats, I wonder how many are actually struck by lightening.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot] and 16 guests