NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Lightning Strike Damage To Navigation Equipment
From: Greg Rudzinski
Date: 2015 Mar 9, 05:51 -0700
From: Greg Rudzinski
Date: 2015 Mar 9, 05:51 -0700
Here is a link to a BoatUS page that discusses boat lightning strike damage and probabilities.
http://www.boatus.com/seaworthy/swlightning.asp
I was surprised that the odds of a sailboat strike in any given year in Florida is 4/1000. That means ownership of a boat for 25 years puts the odds at 1/10. Not good odds. EMP exposure from near strikes must then have odds higher than 4/1000 per year.
A sextant and mechanical watch will have back-up roles for piloting as well as for open ocean if lightning should strike.
Greg Rudzinski
