There are individual rules that each fleet uses to govern their local races. Our fleet wanted boats to carry engines aboard. I have heard fleets requiring lifelines. Anyone had a install lifelines???
There were several regional racing associations that required lifelines for boats in PHRF. Most notable was Chesapeake Bay. The growth of Sportboats with legs in hiking has made this rule obselete. In most parts of the country, lifelines are no longer required. Chesapeake Bay dropped the requirement last fall.
Where it still exists, you can obtain a "courtesy rating" and race with the permission of regatta or series organizers. In Long Island Sound, we can race in some events and not others. The Viper is meant for inshore racing and not offshore, so this seems perfectly reasonable.
Some Vipers did fit lifelines. IMHO, it hindered safety rather than enhanced. The new Rondar Viper is the only sportsboat that I am aware of that has safety lines under the gunwale and a retrieval line at the stern. If someone is unfortunate enough to go overboard (despite a class requirement that when racing PHRF, ankles must be in the footstraps if your upper body extends over the gunwale), they can prevent themselves getting separated from the boat and self rescue. The Viper is a much safer boat from a crew overboard perspective than any small yacht with lifelines.
Some Viper fleets require an engine. The Desert Fleet does this because their winds can be so fickle. All the Desert Vipers , even when racing One Design, carry a motor while racing. In Marblehead, nobody does.