You are caught on open water during a thunderstorm. What should you do?

1 Answer
EET-AP
Jul 6, 2017

The consensus seems to be to get off the water a soon as possible, but the type of craft you are in, and the type of lightning observed should direct your actions.

Explanation:

Lightning generally aims for higher pointy objects on earth to reach ground by the fastest, easiest path. But that outcrop nearby may be enough, depending on the type of lightning that was generated.

Types of lightning are documented here:
http://stormhighway.com/types.php

A small boat in the middle of a lake can also be a target for some types of lightning. When caught in this situation it is always best to stay low in the center of the boat away from metal, with PDF's on, for added stability.

Some tips on boating in a storm are here:
https://www.boat-ed.com/washington/handbook/page/17/Weather-Emergencies/

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