Thunder, Rain, lightning, water in the boat

[KDAVID1]

Had an interesting day today. Got to the ramp about 8am. Ran out 3miles and set up to fish. Got the first pole out and was starting on the second--got a hit on the first and had to reset. Got the second one out then looked back at the dam (the direction I came from) and saw a lightning bolt (it wasn't over the water) so I proceeded to pull in my two lines (didn't get the other three going) put them away, stowed everyting, and made a b line for the ramp (was only out about 15mins. Got the boat loaded, parked, and waited. Stupid me--I waited for about 4 hours until it was good enough to go out again (still raining though). It is amazing what people will fish in==there were about 4 boats still in the water while it was thundering and lightning ( I don't think they were too bright) Also it is amazing how much water will get in your bilge from rain. I ran the pump about 6 or seven times to clear water from the bilge--I was shocked. It wasn't until the rain quite that I got all of it cleared out. I know water gets in when it rains but being fairly new to boating I just didn't imagine it would be so much.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Thunder, Rain, lightning, water in the boat

I got caught in a "gully-washer" here one time - like you, I was blown away at how much water can fall that quickly. I opted to come in, but ran into a problem trying to load because the storm was pushing 2ft waves in to the ramp. If it hadn't been for a couple very nice guys at the ramp, I'd have never gotten her on the trailer. In reality - I might have been better off riding the rough stuff out on the water away from all the rocks. Hopefully, there won't be a next time where I find out.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Thunder, Rain, lightning, water in the boat

Pull your drain plug when you take the boat out of the water and it'll save you from having to use your bilge pump.

 

[bigdee]

Re: Thunder, Rain, lightning, water in the boat

Thunder storms can be hard to predict,sometimes they just pop up from nowhere. If I am in my fiberglass ski boat I will run for cover...If I am in my pontoon I will put up the bimini top and sit it out unless I am close to the dock. I feel a little safer on the toon than I do the fiberglass boat.

 

[drrpm]

Re: Thunder, Rain, lightning, water in the boat

I feel a little safer on the toon than I do the fiberglass boat.[/QUOTE]- Why? It doesn't seem that 1 small open boat would have any safety advantage over another. On my power boat I'll head for shelter. If I'm out on the river in my kayak I keep paddling unless its raining so hard I can't see as there is not much shelter in the woods.

 

[bigdee]

Re: Thunder, Rain, lightning, water in the boat

I feel a little safer on the toon than I do the fiberglass boat.

- Why? It doesn't seem that 1 small open boat would have any safety advantage over another. On my power boat I'll head for shelter. If I'm out on the river in my kayak I keep paddling unless its raining so hard I can't see as there is not much shelter in the woods.[/QUOTE]
It is the material not the size. In a fiberglass boat you are most likely to be the tallest object with the least resistance.....in a metal pontoon the bimini top acts as a Faraday cage. The metal allows the lighting a path to ground(water)

 

[drrpm]

Re: Thunder, Rain, lightning, water in the boat

The Faraday cage concept works for a car where its completely enclosed. It might work if you had a metal top but I don't think that a Bimini top with a couple of cross braces would be adequate.

 

[bigdee]

Re: Thunder, Rain, lightning, water in the boat

The Faraday cage concept works for a car where its completely enclosed. It might work if you had a metal top but I don't think that a Bimini top with a couple of cross braces would be adequate.

Your correct....it MAY not be adequate but some protection is better than none at all! It is probable that the electrical discharge would take the path of least resistance through the metal. It is also probable that the tall metal top would discharge the static charge in the air before it could build up to a lethal level. This is the same principle as lighting rods on a building. In a fiberglass boat the charge has to build high enough to travel through you and potentially blow a hole in the boat to get to the water.

 

[mommicked]

Re: Thunder, Rain, lightning, water in the boat

I sometimes just ride to another part of the lake to avoid smaller storms. I also guage the sky darkening and thunder frequency of approaching thunder before hauling butt back to the ramp. If caught or suprised by fast storms, I'd rather hide than ride to the ramp in bad wind and rain, poor visibility. Alot of storms here will pass in 10/20 mins. Sometimes i'll just find a somewhat sheltered bank w tall trees to wait it out in my raingear. I will also call someone who's at home, usually my wife and ask them to check the radar for me to find out if its going to be an hours long gullywasher or bad storm. You can get local weather radar on cell phones or other devices nowadays, but I dont have that......... yet.