Safety

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. 

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'