Following recommendation from the World Sailing Special Regulations Sub-Committee, the World Sailing Oceanic and Offshore Committee approved an urgent change to the requirements of storm jibs, aiming to clarify the primary role as essential safety equipment.
The change to Offshore Special Regulations (OSR), effective immediately (25 November 2025), states that a storm jib may not be set in conjunction with any other sail set forwards of the forward mast spar.
Importantly, this potentially affects the IRC declaration for number of headsails on boats that have been using an ‘OSR storm jib’ as a staysail or in combination with another sail. All headsails, including staysails, are required to be counted in the number of headsails carried when racing (except 1 x OSR Storm Jib and 1 x OSR Heavy Weather Jib). See IRC rule 21.7.1 and the guidance on the IRC website.
Read the full announcement on the World Sailing website
In addition, from January 2026 OSR Storm jibs will not be permitted to have battens.
Image (c) RORC/Paul Wyeth