First off let me say no one can say in a coin toss what the outcome will be, and no one can predict the time, place or severity of a lightning strike.
Because of the shot in the dark nature of lightning storms, my choice for protection is get off the boat and seek shelter in a large building away from walls and not using a telephone.
I personally would more than likely never spend a penny on lightning protection for a sailboat. That is just me. If anyone else wants to do it, be my guest. It might help? It might not. It might make things worse. Lightning is 100% unpredictable. Period.
Now, having said that, guess what I stumble onto on my Aft Cabin CM32 today? I had noticed wires in my bilge before, going past my keel bolts. Today while cleaning the bilge (fun job) I see in amazement all the wires go to my bow starboard keel bolt.
Someone I guess, somewhere in the past 36 years does not think like I do.
Will I leave it? Yes, too difficult to remove, and it is not hurting anything. Not yet anyway. If it leads lightning to my boat, which some people claims it could do, well, we will see. I doubt it will do anything, good or bad.
The connector was not reattached when the keel bolts were replaced a couple years ago. I guess someone thinks like I do.