Proper Procedure when Stuck in a Lightning Storm

bajturner

bajturner

Well-Known Member
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Aug 17, 2010
1,589
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Boat Info
2008 44 Sedan Bridge
2017 Avon 380DL RIB w/ Yamaha 40
2022 Sea-Doo GTX LTD
2020 Sea-Doo RXT-X
Engines
Twin QSC-500 HO
If you are on a fairly long trip and the weather is something like "Mostly sunny with a chance of late day thunder storms" (practically every hot day here!), what should you do if a thunderstorm does develop while underway?

I have XM weather hooked up to my chartplotter, which is quite accurate, and my default would be to find a place to dock and take cover when visual observations and the weather data dictate, but what if there is no where to dock? What is the best course of action?

I know there will be responses saying "don't get caught in a storm to begin with" but short of never going out, it is inevitable I think.
 
Depends on where you are boating. Since you have XM you have a great tool couple that with some common sense and you have a great start I think. For me first would be steer a course to avoid it if the storm cell is small enough.

My thoughts would be get to a good anchorage with good holding ahead of the storm don't wait till the last minute give yourself time to get your anchor out with at least a 7:1 scope and canvas up. Lower your antennas and running light if its up on the arch. Get everyone down into the cabin. Start the genny turn on the AC and wait it out.

Then keep an eye out for all the folks that will anchor too close too you and yell at them when they don't have enough scope out!
 
If you absolutely cannot make it to the dock or a harbor/cove. I would put down the Radio antenna, set your anchor with plenty of scope, and get below with cockpit door closed. Keep a watchful eye out for anchor slippage and other vessels in your area, react as needed. Wait for the storm to pass.
 
Alegria types faster than I do.
 
There is no way I go below during a bad storm. I would anchor, put the canvas up, leave the engine running in the event the anchor slips, and ride it out up top.
 
We watch the radar religiously - if we see cells indicating bad weather is coming, we don't go. I understand that things do pop up, but if you follow this rule of thumb, I think (hope) you are minimizing the risk to a very low level. For the time it takes for the storm to pass, you have a lot less anxiety. Worst case, you stay another night. I know it's not that simple, and things do happen that you can't predict or control. Let's just hope none of us get caught in something really bad this season, or ever.
 
My engines will start quick enough that I wouldn't feel the need to keep them running.

I too wouldn't retreat below until I was SURE the situation was stable (my anchor holding -> other boat's anchors are holding). And then I would probably recheck conditions fairly often.

Unfortunately "putting up canvas" is not a quick task for me. Starting from Biminis unfolded to "full canvas up" is probably an hour of cursing the stupid zippers and rubber-in-rail design.
 
Interesting question being posed here. I would like to here from those with bigger boats, that tend to get more offshore. I agree with the thoughts so far, however, pop up storms are part of summer boating. I have been out and find that just keeping the boat anchored, with canvas up, VHF down, and gennie running seem to work well. Just watch waves, and other boats. You could always pull anchor and just keep head speed to control yourself. I would not try to get into dock during storm as winds could gust and cause more problems.
 
I second Scott's post. Florida is notorious for storms popping up (and I mean big storms) and we are lightning capital of the world so I always keep an eye out for storms building. Luckily our storms come as quick as they go. I get everybody down below and usually ride the storm out up top, just in case you have another anchored boat break loose or maybe mine has broken loose.
 
I'll second Scott's approach it is almost exact wording from any State or Coast Guard boating safety course in the northwest things can change quick you better have a plan prior to a storm not try to figure out what to do when it hits. We've been in storms in the Straights of Juan De Fuca near Sekiu fishing in calm water within 15 minutes 6-10' rollers 40 mph winds and fog so thick you can't see past the bow not the time to figure out a plan.
 
As a river boater we could never leave the slip if we had to wait on the weather. I have been caught in the locks during some hellish thunderstorms with no place to go or hide. If we are underway on the river and get caught we come off plane and get out of mid-channel anchor and wait it out. The biggest issue is the loss of vision during the storm. You don't want to come around a bend in the river and meet up with a three wide tow in the middle of the river.
 
bajturner said:
If you are on a fairly long trip and the weather is something like "Mostly sunny with a chance of late day thunder storms" (practically every hot day here!), what should you do if a thunderstorm does develop while underway?

I have XM weather hooked up to my chartplotter, which is quite accurate, and my default would be to find a place to dock and take cover when visual observations and the weather data dictate, but what if there is no where to dock? What is the best course of action?

I know there will be responses saying "don't get caught in a storm to begin with" but short of never going out, it is inevitable I think.
Click to expand...

We had interesting discussion in this thread on the topic: STORMS – How to Avoid Them and What to Do When They Hit
 
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