How necessary are lifelines on a small boat like my 18-footer?

The psychological effect that there is something there to grab hold of?
Our 19' daysailer didn't have them but she was deep welled...you'd have =
to really clamber to get out of her and there was no need to go out on =
the teeny piece of foredeck... our 22 had lifelines, if it hadn't had =
them, I would not have broken a bunch of ribs...but that's another =
story....

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katysails
s/v Chanteuse
Kirie Elite 32
http://katysails.tripod.com

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea." - Robert A. Heinlein