I got struck in Daytona in 1991 on spring break. On the beach and the storm started rolling in, did not think much of it. Why would ya when you drunk and staring at thongs Everyone starts running for the hotel , I think it would be cool to stay on the beach and watch, Ya that was smart Then I realize how bad it is and start running my ass off for the hotel. About half way up I heard the loudest bang I've ever heard. I froze in my tracks and started to shake uncontrollably. It lasted about 5 seconds but seemed like an hour. A bolt hit the water and came right up the beach and hit me in the ass. Nobody would have believed me but my friend was standing on the balcony and saw the whole thing. Since then I have a strong respect for lightning and its force!

It's kinda cool though, when people asked why are you so f#$ked up you have a damn good reason

27 searay docked .lightning hit shore jumped to metal decking on dock. It then jumped from dock to bow spotlight. From there it hit back of mirror in cabin next to bow. It exploded the mirror throughout cabin.All the fuse's completly liquified and coated the glass of fuses.
ran down side of boat on rub rail jumped to swim platform and grounded to lake.

So, if caught in boat cover the front mirror.
the mirror was plexi!

In a storm on the Chesapeake Bay years ago, we lost a good friend named Jack Anderson. Jack was out in his Mirage and got hit by lightning in the storm. I was caught jogging in the storm, believe me, it was really a bad storm. Fortunately he never knew what hit him. The coroner said it hit the gold chain on his neck (NO B.S) went through his only arm (lost the other one in a motorcycle crash) and grounded his hand to the steering wheel. It actually fused the links in the gold chain together.

So the moral of the story is that in our basically open boats, lightning is extremely dangerous.

I kinda thought that if I were caught again I would just go near shore where tall trees were and take my chances.

Roby

I cant decide if I should by a Fountain or OL to outrun the storms. Which is faster?

dude, after the story that was funny

A few years ago a buddy and I were fishing just offshore at night. A storm came in from the land side. Winds 40 to 50 knots and the worse lightning storm I have ever been in. 17' CC open Mako boat, can't see anything. We did leave the anchor light on, took down the VHF and bimini top and laid in the bottom of the boat.
We could taste the electricity in the air. Like chewing tin foil.
Hope to never be in that position again.
Probably try to run next time. Except we would have run into the storm and through the bars and reefs at the same time. Not a good idea.

I was at a on the water Buffet concert tie up and it was pouring down so bad you couldn't see 10 inches in front of your face. we all just went down in out cuddy area n waited it out.

I know just what you are talking about except ,I tried hidding under a bridge circling hoping it would pass,well the wind kicked up and sounded like a tornado,I was at the end of the world I thought ,as at the time I was driving a smaller boat with a outboard I could not see but knew where land was at least the direction so I hit the throttle full power the boat stood straight up and down and I looked back and the black max was half under water but kept running ,I FINALLY GOT PLANED OUT WITH LIGHTING SHOOTING AROUND ME AND HIT THE BOAT RAMP HARD ,JUMPED OUT LEFT THE BOAT AND JUMPED IN THE TRUCK ,I, am sure if I would have stayed under the bridge that would have been it for me.I have never felt so close to death other than that day,Well the storm passed and cleared off beautiful;,back out we went but in TEXASS you have to watch the weather close as the storms pop up severly quick,I saw a pontoon boat driver get hit and it killed him as well it took his shoes and feet off.

I think this would be the best thing to do. Does anyone agree or disagree?