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Anyone have pictures of their square rigger with lightning rods?

Farmboy

Farmboy

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I'm looking for detail model shots of lightning rod(s) on a square rigger. The English navy officially adopted them in the 1840's so I've read, the Beagle had a lightning rod, and a number of ships well before 1840 had them, though I didn't find a start date but it's close enough for my 'could've been' ship. The rod has been described as a copper cable line from the top of the mainmast following the mast to the hull then to a metal plate to the outside of the hull. I've also seen a drawing of the line parallel to a back stay to the chain plates to the hull. Anybody model this or some other method?
 
Never thought about this subject before, thanks for posting. You may find the following interesting, if not helpful
spectrum.ieee.org

The Shocking Truth: Why the British Navy Refused a Proven Lightning Rod Solution

In the mid-18th century, Benjamin Franklin championed lightning rods, yet skepticism persisted. By the 19th century, William Snow Harris's innovative lightning rod for ships faced resistance from the British Navy despite its proven effectiveness. Why did it take decades for the Navy to adopt...
spectrum.ieee.org spectrum.ieee.org

I cannot find any models with this in any kind of detail, but there are at least the original eight drawings dated 1831 by William Harris that should be a help. Two of the eight are below to see if this would be helpful for you.
Allan
1760696994954.png


1760697121070.png
 
1760699137383.png

Thanks for the documenttion Allan. I'll spend some time going over it. Here's the simplest design I've found.
 
Incidentally, if this thread is in the wrong place please move it to it's proper locale. I am thinking of adding some form of this to my build so thought it best here.
 
Farmboy said:
I'll spend some time going over it. Here's the simplest design I've found.
Click to expand...
The other six drawings are on the RMG Collections site along with the two I posted above. For the years you mention, these should be good. A lot depends on the era of your model.

Collection Results | Royal Museums Greenwich

Find objects, archive records and library items relating to your search, and use the filters to narrow down your results.
www.rmg.co.uk www.rmg.co.uk

Allan
 
Farmboy: You said...

"...I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now. The Byrds."

I could not let that go uncorrected! That is a quote from "My Back Pages" by Bob Dylan. The Byrds covered it. They did not write it. Bob did.
Cheers!
John L (A Dylan obsessive)
 
johnlattanzio said:
.I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now.
Click to expand...
Sorry to go off topic....... but I would add the Ronnie Lane and Ronnie Wood (Faces) lyrics from Ooh La La
I wish that I knew what I know now
When I was younger
I wish that I knew what I know now
When I was stronger

My fave is the Rod Stewart solo version after he left Faces, but for a three minute smile this remastered cut of the Faces version is worth a listen ----------->
 
Farmboy said:
I'm looking for detail model shots of lightning rod(s) on a square rigger. The English navy officially adopted them in the 1840's so I've read, the Beagle had a lightning rod, and a number of ships well before 1840 had them, though I didn't find a start date but it's close enough for my 'could've been' ship. The rod has been described as a copper cable line from the top of the mainmast following the mast to the hull then to a metal plate to the outside of the hull. I've also seen a drawing of the line parallel to a back stay to the chain plates to the hull. Anybody model this or some other method?
Click to expand...
I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now. The Byrds sang the song "Bob Dylan" (the almighty) wrote it. 1964 Album "An Otherside of Bob Dylan" track 8 "My Back pages" Pardon my being pedentic but this is a Bob Dylan issue. :)
 
Back when i was 'jockin' it in radio in the mid 70's when 45's were still being played, the only hit version of that song that mattered at the station was the Byrds
offering. 'Course, we also played Tombstone Blues every now and again. Wonder how many people know Twist and Shout wasn't an original Beatles tune? Anyone care Medley and Berns wrote it? The Isley Brothers got a minor hit out of it, but it's not the version most listen to. Win some lose more.....
It's not misinformation it's only a quote of a lyric in a song performed by a band.
 
Ah but I think it *is* misinformtaion, although clearly not intended.

You are right about Twist and Shout. The Beatles version is dramatically different (many would say "better" but that is cleary subjective). Nevertheless, to say:
"Shake it up baby" The Beatles
is wrong. They did not write that line. Even if their version is the known one.
Suppose Dustin Hoffman performed Hamlet (he may have...I dunno!) and you *really* liked his performance. It is still wrong to say:
"To be or not to be" Dustin Hoffman.

Maybe it is my academic training that sees incorrect attrribution as nasty :-)

And, at the risk of getting back to the topic of the forum, I did not know about the lightning rods so thanks for making me aware of that!
 
Nasty? So how do ya really feel lol! I'm done. Sleep.
 
Last edited:
Farmboy said:
I'm looking for detail model shots of lightning rod(s) on a square rigger. The English navy officially adopted them in the 1840's so I've read, the Beagle had a lightning rod, and a number of ships well before 1840 had them, though I didn't find a start date but it's close enough for my 'could've been' ship. The rod has been described as a copper cable line from the top of the mainmast following the mast to the hull then to a metal plate to the outside of the hull. I've also seen a drawing of the line parallel to a back stay to the chain plates to the hull. Anybody model this or some other method?
Click to expand...
Hellow Farmboy,
The idea of using lightning rods on ships began after the publication in 1752 of Benjamin Franklin's experiments with kites during storms. Accidents caused by lightning on ships were quite frequent, resulting in fires, deaths, and sinkings. Over the following years, the first lightning rods were gradually installed on board European ships.
I can't say specifically about the Royal British Navy, but based on my research in French naval museums, and especially in the book "Musée de la Marine - Modèles Historiques - Collection Archéologie Navale Française" by Jean Boudriot, lightning rods were already being used in the French Navy by at least 1780, when one was installed on the barge "La Boussole", as evidenced by the fragments recovered and exhibited at the Musée de Marine in Paris. The model I built of the frigate "L'Unité" - 1:48, 1794 (full version available here on S.O.S.), also used lightning rods, as did the French frigate "La Flore", from 1804, which is featured in Jean Boudriot's book, with photos of the original model on display at the Museum in Paris.
The installation of lightning rods was done from the top of the main mast, with the placement of a copper piece called a "finial", connected to two copper chains that ran down each side, and were attached to solid copper anodes grounded to the hull's metal plates at the waterline. The system efficiently ensured the dispersion of electrical energy from lightning into the sea, and also helped to continuously discharge static electricity present in the masts and yards.
I hope this information is helpful, I'm at your disposal.
 
Helpful stuff indeed Luiz. Thank you for taking the time to add to the thread. I'm sure there are quite a number of modelers curious about these lightning rods and what route they took to the hull. 'preciate the info!
 
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