World Sailing Approves Urgent Changes to Storm Sail Design Requirements

Matt Allen, Chair of the Oceanic and Offshore Committee, noted the increasing trend of using staysails in offshore conditions, which has led to safety concerns. “The use of staysails has increased, and it’s become common to use storm and heavy weather sails as staysails to reduce the number of sails on board. While this setup can improve performance, it’s not as effective in actual storm or heavy weather conditions.

“Without clear definitions for the conditions storm and heavy weather sails should meet, boats could carry sails that technically comply with current regulations but don’t provide the necessary protection in severe conditions,” said Allen.

The newly approved requirements establish specific standards for designing and manufacturing storm sails to ensure they meet safety needs under harsh weather. From 16 December 2024, the addition of OSR 4.27.1 (f) to the Offshore Special Regulations will set forth the following key criteria:

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• Colour: Storm sails purchased post-2013 must be made from highly visible materials, such as dayglo pink, orange, or yellow.
• Material Restrictions: Aromatic polyamides, carbon, and similar fibres are prohibited for use in trysails or storm jibs, although HMPE and similar materials are allowed.
• Sheeting Requirements: Storm and heavy weather sails must have specific sheeting positions on deck, including independent sheeting for the trysail.
• Size Specifications: The maximum area for storm and heavy-weather sails should be the lesser of the values specified in the regulations or those recommended by the boat designer or sailmaker.
• Primary Purpose: Storm sails must be built to provide propulsion and steerage under Beaufort scale 8 conditions across all points of sail, while heavy weather sails must be fit for Beaufort scale 6 conditions.

This urgent amendment, permitted under Regulation 30.1.2, defines storm sails’ standards, affirming their role as crucial safety equipment. With these changes, World Sailing strengthens its commitment to protecting sailors by ensuring that storm sails are designed and maintained for the realities of offshore conditions.