I’m sure that we all shared a similar reaction when reading Ian’s post about the lightning strike on Tourterelles. We were struck by lightning in 2016 when on the hard in Guatemala, which resulted in replacing $60K (USD) worth of electronics, batteries, and a generator. As a result, I decided to install a lightning protection system on BlueJacket².
After doing a bunch of research (I was quite skeptical), I found that there are systems from companies such as Sertec and Dinnteco that seem to provide actual protection from lightning strikes. The Dinnteco site has some pretty amazing statistics gathered from radio tower sites that have installed their system.
The systems aren’t cheap, but some insurance companies, such as Pantaenius provide significant premium reductions for having such a system on board. Add to that the loss of a cruising season and the insurance deductible, and it becomes much more reasonable.
Hi Geoff, I put protection on my boat (hull 98) and would be happy to share the drawing if you like. I looked at all means of diffusers and magic feather things and eventually worked with a guy in florida on generating paths to the water. That said, I have asked every insurer we have explored coverage with and all of them were anemic to the benefits. I have some background managing discharge in the electronics world and the florida guy preports to be an expert. Now, to my knowledge mother nature has not tested the system I put in so…
I haven’t made the final decision yet, but I am tempted to use the Sertec system due to costs. Based on what I’ve read, the guy who started Sertec used to be a partner with Dinnteco, and then they split.
Per an email from Just Catamarans, the Sertec system costs about $8500 for the head unit, and the complete installation costs about $20K. I would expect the installation to be much less at Knysna because they can run the cable in the mast while it’s down and install the grounding plates while on the hard. This should make the installation much simpler.
Just Cats also said that the Dinnteco hardware was $24K, but that also includes other equipment (DINFIL) that protects against side strikes.
For what its worth one learning from our experience is that with these beautifully configured inter-connected boats everything is connected.
We have bridges from CZone to Mastervolt, from CZone to Raymarine, between Raymarine networks and even to the engine management units so we can see engine data on the chart plotter… Its all the comms interfaces on everything connected to these various backbones that have fried.
Have a very good think if you really need engine data on the plotter as well as the dedicated Yanmar screens. Think about if you will really ever turn a czone light circuit on and off from the plotter. I know I never have.
CZone and Mastervolt are harder to divorce - you would need a separate monitor screen for Mastervolt.
Our wired ethernet became a liability and destroyed everything on it. I could easily have used WiFi to connect the TV’s. Because of the wire, now I have a dead TV and a very specific hole for it…
Most radars can be linked up using WiFi - but we wired it anyway.
Would I still have had two working engines if the Raymarine network was not connected to them?
Obviously I cannot say what would have happened if we did not have so many bridges between all the components but it will not have helped.
As we rebuild our boat I will definitely be keeping these inter-connects to the minimum and asking myself the question will I really make use of that integration and could it be wireless?
Yes, but all of these are plugged into the power system, which you can’t do away with. Maybe it was the Ethernet, or the N2K, or EMP, but you’ll never know. Sorry!
I have seen a number of lightning strikes on aircraft. The EXACT same model of aircraft. Each time the result was significantly different. With a plane, the outer skin is metal. Even composite aircraft like 787s have an aluminium coat sprayed over the composite for lightning protection. It provides a Faraday cage around the aircraft so most things are protected. But…
Due to the random nature of lightning, the inspections after a strike are very detailed. Often there is even microscopic welding on the main engine bearing that will drastically reduce engine life. Each lightning strike has a totally different outcome on the same model aircraft. It is a totally random event.
I have seen photos of the carbon fibre nose cone of a plane completely disintegrated from a strike.
Weather the current went through the AC system, the DC system, or the network is just luck, or bad luck.
The engine computer can be destroyed equally well from a DC surge as a network surge.
That said, I am very happy with old 4JH5E motors they have no fuel computer. No electric throttle. Nothing. They are just an old school diesel engine. … actually the core is the same as the new engines. They use about 5% more fuel, but that fuel can be any sort of diesel.
I agree with you . The more integration and complex a system, the more prone to failure it is.
The more user friendly a boat becomes, the more user unfriendly it is when there is a failure.
You do pose a very good question. What systems should be integrated, and what systems are best left standalone.