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In our first episode of Salty Dips, we sat down with Steve McBride to talk about the life that led him to the water. We heard the stories of resilience, the early days in Manitoba, and the grit required to move across the country. Now, we are diving into the professional side of the man in the coach boat - the Head Coach at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, and a cornerstone of Pacific Northwest sailing. In this second installment, we shift our focus from the person to the proce

From the gusty lakes of Winnipeg to the elite Paralympic stage, Steve McBride has navigated the pivot point between the sea and the sky.

Southern Straits 2026 is almost here. We are ready for the 56th edition of this Easter classic. It is a race of endurance and skill. It is also a race of legendary frustrations. Every racer knows the story of Point Atkinson. You sail 100 miles only to stop dead. You see the lighthouse. You see the finish line. Then the wind vanishes. We call it the "Point Atkinson Drift." It is the moment the current takes hold. You watch your GPS as you move backward. The fleet bunches up.

The Racing Rules of Sailing Appendix TS, is all about safety, and keeping sailboats racing in and around commercial traffic areas.

You cross the finish line third. Your buddy on the slower boat finishes fifth. But when corrected times come out, they beat you by 30 seconds. What just happened? Welcome to PHRF BC scoring. If you've ever stared at results wondering why your elapsed time didn't match your corrected time, this one's for you. What Is PHRF BC Anyway? PHRF stands for Performance Handicap Racing Fleet. It's the handicapping system that lets a 25-foot boat race fairly against a 45-footer. Every

If you've ever looked at a Notice of Race and wondered what "Category 3" actually means, you're not alone. World Sailing race categories can seem confusing at first, but they're really just a way to match safety requirements to the type of racing you're doing. Here in British Columbia and the Pacific North West, we're lucky. We have a huge diversity of locations where great racing can occur. We also have a wide variety of weather, and tide conditions that can gang up to creat

Sail Canada just released their prescriptions to the 2026–2027 Offshore Special Regulations (effective January 1, 2026).  The following is a summary highlighting the prescription that Sail Canada has made to the Category 3 Monohull OSRs. For BC sailors, recent work by the BC Sailing OSR committee has brought  local harmonisation to the major events reducing the number of event specific amendments. This means less work to get ready for your Long Distance Campaign in BC. 

If you're planning to race offshore or participate in serious yacht racing events, you've probably encountered the term "stability screening" in race documentation. But what exactly does it mean, and why should you care? Let's dive deep into this critical aspect of sailing safety and racing compliance. What is Stability and Why Does It Matter? Stability screening verifies that your boat meets defined standards for resisting capsize and for recovery when pressed by wind and

Introduction With the introduction of the 2026-27 OSRs from World Sailing, we have been going through them looking for changes and trying to wrap our heads around what they mean. Below is a bit of a deep dive into what is said about Lifejackets, or PFDs and the systems that surround this vital piece of equipment.  Namely, we will mention tethers and harnesses. Sail Canada has at present not updated its website with their prescriptions.  We are eagerly awaiting that document,

BC Sailing has aligned Category 3 safety rules across BC for 2026-2027, harmonizing with World Sailing and minimizing differences between events. Why this matters: The harmonized approach keeps requirements consistent across Swiftsure, Southern Straits, and other BC Category 3 races. It is not a major change from last year, but it helps crews gear up early for forthcoming safety and equipment developments. Key changes: AIS transponders are now required (signaled in previous

World Sailing published the 2026-2027 Offshore Special Regulations on December 5, 2025. These new rules take effect January 1, 2026, and run through December 31, 2027. For Pacific Northwest yacht racers, particularly those competing in Categories 2 and 3 events, this latest OSR update brings important changes that affect everything from safety equipment to crew training requirements. Black Wolf Racing has analyzed the complete package to bring you the essential updates. Here'