Lightning ground plate

[Tom]

So I've started my winter project list on Eclipse.  I'm replacing the standing rigging, mast wiring, nav lights, etc.   (Bought some slick LED nav lights at the show on Sat.) We had the mast pulled last week and that went pretty smoothly.  While I have the mast out, I thought I'd add a ground plate to the hull for lightning damage reduction / protection. Has anyone added a ground plate and where did you locate it?  Just looking at things briefly yesterday, it's not clear that I have an easy path for ground cable from the mast to the bilge.  The mast steps on the holding tank.  We have the "B" plan, which puts the mast in the head.  It seems that the path to the bilge will be circuitous and may make the whole idea ineffective. I know the cable connecting the mast step to the ground plate should be as straight as possible with no sharp turns.  Just not sure how to accomplish this.  Thoughts?

Tom

S/V Eclipse

CR38 #115 

Rock Hall, MD

[David Cameron Miss Molly]

➥ http://www.marinesurveyorschool.org/...Protection.pdf

___Tom here is a wealth of info regarding Lighting Protection.

Good Luck Dave 52_______________

[David Cameron Miss Molly]

On Monday, October 8, 2012 10:07:40 AM UTC-4, Tom wrote:

[Clay]

Hi Tom,

Leslie said she saw your boat at Mark Reurer's place..get struck by lightning..?

Clay
currently in North Fla.

On Monday, October 8, 2012 10:07:40 AM UTC-4, Tom wrote:

[Tom]

No.  We're having the bottom done over the winter.  Previous owner had done a bandaid on some blisters and I'm inclined to address the problem in a more serious way.  Initial test grinds (I think 6 altogether)  revealed evidence of previous blisters.  The PO did a decent job of a barrier coat, but the hydrolysis had occurred.  The good news is that it's not deep.  Mark said that it's obvious that the resin used in the layup is of a high quality and the mat was well saturated.  Really the best possible news.  The repair is done by doing a peel,  allowing the substrate to fully dry (this takes time), and apply new layup using a bi-axial glass and vinyl-ester resins.  Wrap it up by fairing and many coats of new barrier coat.  Big job and many boat bucks.  I figured that while the rig is down I'll replace the standing rigging, chain plated, through hulls, and anything else that makes sense while it's all apart.  I figured that adding a lightning plate would also be on the list.  I'm just not sure as to how to route the conductor from the mast step down to the plate.  I can add the plate in the bilge space forward of the mast / holding tank.  Still working out a plan.

Tom