Safety flag & Lightning

Hi I'm new and this is my second post.

Does mounting a safety pole/flag increases the chances of a lightning strike? As I know, lightnings like pointed objects. The one I have is fibreglass and 70plus inches(http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... d=cat20161)

Will running a metal from tip into water helps or does nothing at all?

Hobie also has a nice one at 4feet but I find it a little short.

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IMHO the best thing is to not be on the water during a lightning storm.

But the rule is yes, the more height the more chance BUT, at least it may hit IT instead of your head poking up there (if its a better ground than you and the water). Either way it's moot as atavuss says, you shouldn't be there.

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H18, H17 & Various motor boats

I'm in the tropics. Lightnings strike even in clear weather! You can go out sunny nice but come back soaked wet chicken

I read the cabling need to be significantly thick/wide if not it will melt or something?

And copper or aluminium?

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I'd go copper and the length of your craft maybe even a very wide strip, you need area to dissipate the charge. I can't believe I'm even saying this! Hard to imaging surviving a hit that close to you My friends Whaler got hit last summer moored with no one on it. You could tell by the burn marks that if anyone was holding onto metal they would have been charred, but the energy came out the outboard with no real harm done to the rest of the boat.

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H18, H17 & Various motor boats

I will be (at least my current intention) running the cable from tip into water, cable-tieing it along the fibreglass whip. That whip is >70inches so alum is better as it's lighter. Copper being heavier would most likely sag it down.

And copper corrodes faster right?

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Good point. I think it does.

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H18, H17 & Various motor boats

I'm no kind of expert but here are some thoughts:

The chances of a 70" fiberglass rod attracting a lightening strike are negligible IMHO
The chances of a 70" conductor attracting a strike are slightly higher
If lightening does strike, a light conductor would likely blow like a fuse and leave the lightening looking for an alternate path, you?
Alumium is a great conductor and lightweight but also melts very easily
A lightening strike is likely to leave you with a major hull leak, think flotation and repairs
Even a nearby strike will probably leave your onboard electronics inop so think self sufficient, low tech
The cheapest, simplest, and probably safest solution is to simply pull the pole out and secure it with your paddle bungee and stay low until the threat passes

I live in the lightning capital of the world. I don't go out if there is threatening weather. If I am out when a storm comes up, I hunker down and seek shelter. First thing I do is get the fishing poles down and make myself as small as possible.

So to answer your question... I wouldn't use a flag pole on my kayak unless I was in extremely heavy boat traffic area...then I wouldn't be there.

I wear flagman flourescent green with the reflector tape on it. Walmart, $4.97. Bright and great for night fishing. NO SAFETY FLAG for me

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Hard Core Kayak Anglers Club