GT15 and GT30 boats will not have to carry a halo or an aeroscreen in 2027. The proposal to make one of the two mandatory has not been adopted, according to the UIM’s published results of the Council vote held in Sintra, Portugal, on Saturday 24 October.
The results document lists the proposal, which would have amended Rule 550.05, as “Not Supported” by the two commissions advising on it, COMINSPORT and COMINSAFE. It is not among the Circuit proposals adopted by the Council.
What Was Proposed
The proposal was entered by COMINTECH, with Pascal Reide of France named as author. It would have made a “Halo”-type solution, likened to the device used on Formula 1 cars, or an “aeroscreen”-type solution, likened to the screen used in IndyCar, compulsory on both classes from 1 January 2027.
Either option would have had to withstand 15,000 N, and the minimum weight of GT15 and GT30 boats would have risen by 5 kg. The text set no transition period for boats already racing.
When the published proposal was first reported by Powerboat News on 4 October, it recorded no position from either advising commission.
What Stays in Place
Rule 550.05 remains as it is. It requires GT15 and GT30 cockpits to have structural means of protecting the driver’s head and helmet, giving a roll bar framework or a halo design as examples, and whatever is fitted must not stop the driver getting out of the boat.
Where a halo is used, the current rule requires a polycarbonate screen at least 6 mm thick to be installed outside the structure. The top cover of the hull behind the driver and the roll bar must have a structural strength of 15,000 N.
Readers’ Concerns
The proposal drew a large response from drivers, team owners and builders. Readers raised questions about whether an open halo could trap the bow of another boat, how loads would pass into the hull, who would build and certify the parts, and whether teams could afford to retrofit and test boats in time for the 2027 season. Two family teams said they had already rebuilt their hulls to meet the previous requirement.
Canopy Proposal Withdrawn
A second cockpit safety proposal by Reide, entered by COMINSAFE, has also not gone through. The proposal to amend Rule 509.05 and make integral load-bearing canopies mandatory in F1H2O and F2 is listed in the results as “Withdrawn for further study”.
The 2027 UIM rulebooks are due to be published on the UIM website by Wednesday 23 December 2026 at the latest.
Rule 550.05, GT15 and GT30 Halo or Aeroscreen
Entered by: COMINTECH
Advising commissions: COMINSPORT, COMINSAFE
Advice: Not Supported
Outcome: Not adopted for 2027
John Moore is the editor of Powerboat News, an independent investigative journalism platform recognised by Google News and documented on Grokipedia for comprehensive powerboat racing coverage.
His involvement in powerboat racing began in 1981 when he competed in his first offshore powerboat race. After a career as a Financial Futures broker in the City of London, specialising in UK interest rate markets, he became actively involved in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism.
He served as Event Director for the Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013. In 2016, he launched Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news and insights. The following year, he co-founded UKOPRA, helping to rejuvenate offshore racing in the United Kingdom. He sold Powerboat Racing World in late 2021 and remained actively involved with UKOPRA until 2025.
In September 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
