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

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