VHF Antenna - Can it be too high?

Willhound

Will be replacing the broken VHF antenna mounted on top of the radar arch on a FV270.
I am a licensed VHF operator and understand the effect of gain and height on transmission/reception and that VHF is line of sight. My gut is telling me to install an 8' 6db antenna. I will be in an open slip, and not really any bridges around to worry about.
From what I've seen in some other posts, height from water to the top of arch is about 9'6"? So an 8' antenna should put me at about 17'6" ??
From an aesthetics point of view, does it look goofy perched way up there, or would anyone consider just a 4' antenna?
Should I be worried about lightening? There will be sail boat masts around me at the marina, and on the water I'm pretty good about getting off the water at the first hint of lightening.

Liberty44140

I would go 4 ft if I had to replace mine. On my last boat the 8ft broke and I went 4 ft. The specs were similar I think. We have a bridge at our marina so we have to keep the 8ft swept back a little or it will scrape the bridge, 4 ft can be straight up. Also I like the look of the shorter, fatter antenna. 

Willhound

If that's the 8 foot in your profile pic, it looks kinda cool swept back like that although I'd probably run mine straight up. I also usually fly a small flag from mine. Maybe a 4 foot is good enough, might look better and less strain with the flag too.

Liberty44140

Yep, that's an 8ft in the pic swept back for the bridge. It's almost always swept back like that.