LYRA SAILING
  • home
  • Blog
  • gallery
  • Boat
  • about us
  • Review

Lightning strikes

21/6/2018

3 Comments

 
Picture
.​In an intense lightning storm in Kalamata on Tuesday afternoon we were struck by lightning whilst at our berth.  180 boats and random electricity chooses us to earth on. No damage to crew but boat wounded. Strong smell of burning plastic and after the storm abated we were able to start inspecting the damage. No shorepower, engine electronics and a small red box called a Sterling voltage sensitive relay now a molten box of plastic and semi conductors. Later we found additional damage to all of our navigation equipment and the boat’s stereo. Still going through electrical circuits to discover faults around the boat and I expect sorting it out will be a slow process. Luckily we have a good local electrician and the insurers are being proactive but lots to do and only a week before we go home. Sailing obviously over for the trip as currently we have no engine and no navigation. Electrical strikes on boats (especially in marinas) are rare but I think we suffered an air strike rather than the full works. It was enough to completely destroy the VHF masthead aerial, just little bits of copper wire strewn across the deck the morning after. The rigging is being inspected for damage tomorrow. If there can be any consolation it is that we were struck whilst on our berth: if this had happened at an isolated anchorage somewhere it would have been ten times worse...


After four trouble-free years of Med sailing we have had our fair share of problems this year, defunct and expensive instrument replacement, being ripped off for boat servicing in Lefkas and now boom, electrical damage all around.  At least the smell of burning has gone away...
​
Update: The surveyor and electrician are working their way through the boat and the list of electronic replacements grows longer. The insurance company are working their way through this and hopefully Lyra will be restored to full working order before we return to her in early September.

3 Comments
Jean cullen
21/6/2018 07:38:57 am

Hi as long as you are both alright the other can be fixed love you both

Reply
Paul Newhouse
21/6/2018 12:23:25 pm

It’s terrible about the stereo! Glad you’re both safe. Sounds like a great adventure.

Reply
Helen Smith
21/6/2018 11:43:07 pm

What a shocker - so glad you are both ok. Hope to speak soon but take care of yourselves and much love.

Tim and Helen xx

Reply



Leave a Reply.




    ​Archive

    October 2018
    September 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    January 2018
    September 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    October 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014


    Categories

    All
    Boat
    Croatia
    Italy
    Montenegro
    Slovenia




     







  • home
  • Blog
  • gallery
  • Boat
  • about us
  • Review