Back in my youth I was on a trailer sailer in a thunder storm. First strike of the storm hit either the mast or the water next to the boat. The chainplates and a stanchion on each side shared a common base plate. The boat had an earth wire.

I was leaning against the life lines when the strike hit and was thrown from one side of the boat to the other. No damage to the boat (it had no instruments). I don't sail in storms.