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Why don t boats get hit by lightning?


Lightning is a powerful and potentially dangerous natural phenomenon. When lightning strikes land or objects on land, it can cause significant damage and poses a serious risk to human life. However, lightning strikes on boats and ships out at sea are exceptionally rare. This leads many people to ask: why don’t boats get hit by lightning very often?

In this article, we will explore the main reasons why lightning rarely strikes boats and ships. We will look at how the properties of water and the conductivity of metal hulls protect boats from lightning. We will also examine what precautions sailors and captains take to reduce the small risk of lightning strikes. By the end, you will have a thorough understanding of the phenomenon and physics behind why boats do not attract or get directly struck by lightning bolts.

The Properties of Water

The primary reason that lightning infrequently hits boats and ships is because of the inherent properties of water. More specifically, water has a high electrical conductivity which allows it to dissipate charges very quickly. Water also has a high heat capacity which prevents it from heating up rapidly when hit by a lightning bolt.

Let’s look at these properties in more detail:

High Electrical Conductivity

Water, especially salt water in the ocean, is highly conductive. This means that electricity can pass through water much more easily than air. When lightning travels from the clouds towards the earth, it will preferentially take the path of least resistance. If given an option between striking the surface of the ocean and a boat, the lightning will hit the water because it is more conductive.

The high conductivity of water allows it to dissipate the electrical charge of a lightning bolt rapidly. This prevents the charge from accumulating on the surface and “seeking out” targets like boats. Instead, the charge spreads out and dissipates quickly through the large body of conductive water.

High Heat Capacity

In addition to being highly conductive, water also has an extremely high heat capacity. This means that water requires a lot of energy to increase its temperature. When a lightning bolt hits water, the heat is quickly distributed through the surrounding area without causing a significant increase in temperature.

In contrast, materials like wood have a lower heat capacity. A lightning strike can cause wood to heat up rapidly and combust or shatter. However, the same amount of heat energy from a lightning strike distributed in water will barely warm it at all.

This property protects boats by allowing the water to harmlessly absorb and distribute the massive heat energy from a lightning bolt. Even if a bolt does strike the water right next to a boat, the hull will not catch fire or be damaged from rapid heating of the water.

Lightning Rods and Conductive Hulls

Modern boats and ships have additional protections from lightning strikes through the use of lightning rods and conductive metal hulls.

Lightning rods are tall metal poles with pointed tips installed high up on the masts of sailboats. They work by attracting the lightning to strike them instead of the boat. The electrical charge then travels down through the rod and into the water without passing through or damaging the ship.

Many larger ships and metal-hulled boats also provide protection through lightning rods and the conductivity of their hulls. When lightning hits a conductive metal hull, the electrical current quickly spreads out and dissipates into the water. This prevents damage by avoiding concentrated heat buildup or electrical charges.

Essentially, a metal boat hull acts like a very large lightning rod, providing an easy path for the electrical current to follow into the water rather than through vulnerable equipment. While not guaranteed to prevent all lightning damage, modern lightning protections greatly reduce the risk on board metal-hulled boats.

Avoiding Storms and Seeking Safe Harbor

Experienced captains and sailors know to treat lightning seriously by proactively avoiding severe storms whenever possible. If caught in an electrical storm, the safest option is to immediately head towards the nearest port or safe harbor.

In general, the open sea is more dangerous than coastal regions during thunderstorms. Further out, lightning has a direct path from the storm clouds to the water’s surface. However, near the coast the charges diffuse into landmasses and tall objects, reducing strikes directly into the water.

By proactively avoiding lightning-prone areas and seeking shelter when caught in a storm, captains greatly minimize the chances their vessels will be struck. While not guaranteed, evasion and defensive sailing strategies are important maritime practices to mitigate potential lightning damage.

The Statistics on Lightning Strikes at Sea

Given all of these protections against lightning, strikes on ships and boats at sea turn out to be exceptionally rare events. Looking at the statistics paints a clear picture:

  • The odds of an individual being struck by lightning in their lifetime is about 1 in 15,000.
  • For someone who spends significant time sailing or boating, the odds only rise to approximately 1 in 3,000 over their lifetime.
  • In comparison, the odds of being injured in a boating accident of any kind are about 1 in 1,100 annually.

Clearly, the frequency of lightning strikes pales in comparison to routine boating dangers like accidents or drowning. However, the precautions sailors take against both risks are similar – preparation, vigilance, and seeking shelter when storms arise.

Risk Odds
Struck by lightning in lifetime 1 in 15,000
Struck sailing in lifetime 1 in 3,000
Injured in any boating accident annually 1 in 1,100

Notable Lightning Strikes on Ships

While exceedingly rare, lightning does occasionally strike ships and boats either directly or through starting fires. Here are a few noteworthy examples:

USS Kitty Hawk Aircraft Carrier

In 2005, the USS Kitty Hawk was struck by lightning off the coast of Japan. The strike caused a large refueling boom to explode which led to a major fire. However, due to the ship’s extensive fire suppression system and watertight compartmentalization, damage was contained and only a few minor injuries occurred.

Sailing Vessel Cheeki Rafiki

In 2014, it is believed a lightning strike damaged the keel of the Cheeki Rafiki sailboat during a transatlantic race. This led to a catastrophic hull breach which ultimately caused the boat to sink. Tragically, all four crew members were lost at sea.

Bulk Carrier Ocean Crystal

In 2015, the 668-foot bulk carrier Ocean Crystal suffered a lightning strike near Brazil. The strike caused an explosion and fire in one of the cargo holds carrying 26,500 tons of iron ore. Thankfully, the 28 crew members were evacuated safely with only minor injuries.

Conclusion

In summary, lightning poses a very minor risk to boats and ships due to the protective qualities of water and the preventative measures sailors take. The physics of lightning combined with the properties of water mean strikes are exceptionally rare. While entirely preventing lightning damage is impossible, prudent captains take all precautions to avoid storms and minimize risks. With proper preparation and vigilance, the odds of a catastrophic lightning strike on the water remain extremely low.