I grappled with that one, and my research has concluded that both lightning ground and boat are connected at a single point, closest to where ground plate. I think, if you check, you will find a wire connected to your water inlet valve in the forward cabin on the starboard side. I believe that was company issue. That wire is the ground connection for lightning. I have never heard of a Alberg boat being hit (although it may have happened), but I am familiar with others - and many others are not water grounded (they are made in California where they don't have lightning). Incidentally, there is a good read on Sailnet this week about this very subject. I'll try to put the URL on this site.