Theis,

My Ariel does have both jacklines and lifelines, and I use both systems, particularly when single handing, but as I said earlier, I avoided using stanchions in my lifeline system, since none had previously been installed on the boat, and I did not want to drill more holes in the deck. I also used Dacron line rather than wire for the lifelines. This means that my lifelines have more stretch and give than lifelines spanning closely spaced stanchions. On the other hand I have no stanchions to break, pull out or the deck, leak, damage the deck, etc.

My lifelines are double forward of the boarding step adjacent to the cockpit, and are also double aft of that same boarding step. They are attached to two points on the bow sprit and two points on the pushpit. They are also attached to the pin raild and shrouds and to through-deck bolted padeyes and eye bolts. In combination with the pin rails, which are attached to and through bolted around the lower shrouds, the lifelines provide a high level of protection when working at the mast base.

The lifelines at that point are above waist level, and the pin rail affords the equivalent of a mast pulpit if one is standing on the side deck working at the halyard winch. The photos on Augustine's webpage, http://www.solopublications.com/sailarip.htm provide several views of the system.

I have discussed the jackline system with boarding ladders elsewhere, and they are also featured on the same site, and no, I haven't jumped overboard at sea while single handing to find out if it all works.