Thread: Why lightning don't hit ships?

At sea happen be thunderstorms and shis sail unter them. Lightning don't hit ships-so I am got understand. I have never been heared that lightning hit ships.

Does cruise ships has earthing? Lightning energy collect in-logically thinked. Or lightning not love to hit ship masts or funnels. Ship mast and funnel is high point on big ground and lightning should hit them but no.

One fantasy:
Big dark cloud up to sea and one big cruise ship sail unter. lightning hit its mast but didn't happen nothning with the ship. Cruisers heared hard noise and felt tremble.
Is my imagination wery wrong?

Here one photo where thunderstorm next to a ship.

Watercraft protectors

A lightning protection installation on a watercraft comprises a lightning protector mounted on the top of the mast or superstructure and a grounding conductor in contact with the water. Electrical conductors attach to the protector and run downward to the conductor. For a vessel with a conducting (iron or steel) hull, the grounding conductor is the hull. For a vessel with a non-conducting hull, the grounding conductor may be retractable, part of the hull, or attached to a centreboard.

A modern cruise ship is well insulated against a lightning strike, would not stop a burn mark appearing if struck. People on the deck are not insulated, and could attract a lightning strike with fatal consequences.

I see no reason Ligtning shouldn't strike a ship. I am sure ships cruise captains would try to steer around such storms and that may account for the scarcity of strikes.

It hit Ahab's ship in Moby Dick if i remember. the Pequod ?

There is such a thing as "St Elmo's Fire" which is which can appear on ships during thunderstorms.

I am sure ships get hit by lightening as in the mid ocean they are the highest point by far. As Norman has posted they are fitting with lightening conductors like those on buildings on land. Now I am off to look at some pictures to see if I can spot the conductor.

Both Tony and Norman are right. Lightning can and has struck a cruise ship in the past. In 1932, Morro Castle was in a bad storm and lightning stuck one of the ship's oil tanks. The crew could not lower all of the lifeboats and other ships tried to help but there was no way to get word to all the passengers to abandon ship.

Cruise Ship Morro Castle Struck By Lightning, 1932 | peicanada.com - news that matters to prince edward island

The risk of this happening today is much lower for several reasons. Norman mentioned all the extra shielding around a ship to conduct any electrical surges away from fuels and passengers and toward the water. Ships also now place things like oil tanks in safer places. And as Tony said, with better navigation equipment, ships will avoid the worst weather, which is where lightning strikes would happen.

Cruises are a very safe type of vacation. The most unpredictable part of a cruise is people. You are more likely to catch a cold on a ship than be struck by lightning.

Hmm, I wonder how well the ships electrical system in the rooms is protected from electrical strikes to the ship. Wonder if I should take a power strip to protect against the strikes for all the stuff (laptop, camera, and the like) that I have plugged in.

I am sure their shielding is 10x better than what's in your house. Neal, why not just unplug things when you are not using them? And don't use them in inclement weather?

You can take a power strip, but if it doesn't work, the manufacturer probably won't reimburse you. And unless you are driving to the port, you are probably adding unnecessary weight to your suitcase that could cause you to leave something important behind.

Actually, at home I have all the electronics on UPS's. We have about 10 of them in the house on the computers, the TV, the stereo, and a few scattered around. A surge protector only protects against the spikes, it is worthless against the brownouts - which is where most of the damage really occurs.

Also, with computers on a UPS, if you have a temporary loss of power, the computer does not shut off but keeps running. Windows and LINIX are much happier when they have graceful power downs.

No, I would not add a 5 pound UPS battery to my luggage!

We have all been talking about the down side of an electric storm, lightening especially at sea can be a spectacular and beautiful sight.

I suppose it’s the same when all these mighty wave in a storm are pounding the side of the ship; people are too scared to look out, as with lightening.

I have always said when at sea the best cruise director is Mother Nature.

Thank you all for replyes