For the past issues I have written several articles on what creates wind. The reason for these articles is by having some good, basic knowledge about how wind is made; it makes the model yachter a better skipper. But just being a better skipper is not the only thing, there is one weather topic that is very important, it is lightning.
You may be thinking why do you have to worry about lighting? You have never sailed during a thunderstorm. But there are some shocking facts about lighting that we all need to know. Knowing these basic facts about lightning, will keep you safe.
First, some basic information about lightning. As we all know lightning is a static discharge between cloud to cloud and cloud to ground. Static electricity is created in the cloud when air and moisture is being circulated inside the cloud. As the static charge builds up, the cloud polarizes with the top of the cloud becoming positive and the bottom of the cloud becoming negative. It is when the cloud's static charge builds up so much the electrons wants to discharge to another cloud or to the ground. It is when the negative electrons at the base of the cloud discharges to the ground is when it becomes dangerous.
Another fact about lightning is it starts to create an ionized path to the earth before the strike occurs. What is happing here is the electrical potential becomes great enough to overcome the resistance of the insulating air and force a conductive path to the ground. Negative charges repel negative charges and attract positive charges. So, as a thundercloud moves overhead, a concentration of positive charges accumulates on objects on the ground.
When objects on the ground starts to build up a positive charge, and once concentration of positive charges is large enough, a positive conductive path is started upward to connect to a negative conductive path. Once the two conductive paths meet, up flow of positive electrons occur to the cloud, and lightning is created.
Because of the build up of positive charges at the ground, it means anything can become a lightning rod. So if you are standing by the pond with a radio transmitter in you hand, you have become a walking lightning rod! But why you? It is because of salt being in the human body, salt is a good conductor of electricity. Also with a pointed, metal antenna sticking up in the air, and standing near water you got "strike here" written all over you.
Now you may be saying the thunderstorm is a long way away so you are ok. Not so brave skipper. If a thunderstorm is within a 15 mile radius or if you hear thunder, you are in danger. There was a lightning strike case in Colorado where a fellow was riding his bike in a park. He was struck by lightning on a clear day with no clouds over head. Come to find out a thunderstorm was 10 miles distant and sent out a horizontal lightning bolt, and struck him. Luckily, he lived through the ordeal.
For model yachts to be safe during thunderstorm season, here are the things to do.
The point is don't take any risks when thunderstorms are in your area. Your health and life is too important to your family and friends just to sail in some good wind created by a storm. So if you see thunderstorms in the distance, get your sailboat out of the water, pack up, head to the car and go home before the threat is over you. It is better to be safe than risk getting struck by lightning and become dead.
A side note: the one outside activity that has the most deaths due to lightning is Golf, and the state that has the most lightning deaths is Florida. Talk about a nice place to retire at.