| M.A.T. 12 / Designer Comments The M.A.T. 12 design represents an extension of the successful Mills Design IRC Cruiser/Racer theme blending the performance characteristics of a racing design with the comfort and accommodation of a performance cruiser, resulting in a true dual-purpose yacht. Building on our production IRC experience, and sharing many of attributes of our 40' racing design Tiamat, this 41' performance design promises both racing and cruising enjoyment. The 3 cabin interior provides a lot of accomodation, with full galley and nav facilities and a fully enclosed head. This design concentrates on good all-around speed in a wide range of conditions. The balance of features and performance is made possible by quality cored vinylester/e-glass boatbuilding by M.A.T. On deck the security of seats and coamings creates a comfortable space for family and friends, while racing the large cockpit aft of the seats provides an uninhibited racing platform.  Twin wheels allow the driver the best possible vision and communication with the main sheet trimmer seated directly in front of him. A liferaft locker in the cockpit floor is a great feature for offshore racing and multiple opening ports and hatches provide the best airflow to the interior. The selection and location of deck gear reflects the race-winning capability of the design, allowing a skilled crew to extract the racing potential. The swept spreader alloy rig, with a carbon option, with masthead spinnakers and non-overlapping jibs is not only favoured by IRC, it is also the most popular sailplan for a wide range of sailing. With no runners or large jibs to worry about both racing and cruising are faster and more enjoyable. Nice features like external chainplates under a recessed cover reflect the combination of practical boatbuilding and visual flair which make this such a successful design. Results show the M.A.T. 12 brings a new level of performance to the production Cruiser/Racer market offering a better priced and faster design with a better deck layout and more enjoyable sailing than its competitors. |