New M.A.T. 1180 - 39 IRC Racer

by sail-world on 17 Mar 2015

Mills 11.80 Mat Yachts

The brand new Mills 11.80 from Mat Yachts is the culmination of three years of modelling and design work by Mark Mills, and according to Mark is the first of a new generation of IRC 40 footers.

Mark Mills comments 'The MAT1180 is an exciting next-generation IRC raceboat design which is the product of a long and careful design, engineering, and development process initiated by long term clients Alp and Cem Somer of MAT.

Mills Design and MAT have worked together very successfully in the past on the MAT1245 and MAT1010 IRC designs, and we are looking forward to continuing this relationship with the new MAT1180. MAT's interest in taking their successful production operation to the next level began with a preliminary design exercise in 2013 to investigate fully the changes in IRC affecting lighter designs in the 39' size range. It became clear that there was space in IRC for an aggressively light and fast design if well-engineered and well-built to produce the right weight and distribution of mass.

Research work began in early 2014 with our R&D partners KND Sailing Performance, a specialist firm leading the field in CFD and VPP performance prediction of high performance yachts. After a CFD program covering more than 20 hulls we produced a powerful hull shape that offers low drag when upright in light airs with increasing stability as the hull form immerses with heel in stronger winds. This increase in form stability allows a lighter overall displacement ensuring high performance offwind and in light airs. Producing the design to that lighter displacement is key, and Gurit was brought in to ensure fully optimised composite engineering including hull deck and internals, carbon rudder, and keel fin.

The wide cockpit is laid out for optimal crew communications and promotes the full range of fore-aft crew weight positioning which is a key ingredient for moding in different conditions. The interior has full standing headroom under a shallow wedge coachroof supporting and asymmetric pit and hatch, transverse jib tracks, with a two swept spreader high modulus carbon rig for light weight and high tube stiffness, carrying a square-top main and masthead spinnakers for high performance in all conditions.

Mark Mills 'MAT have been a superb builder of our designs, bringing their own talent for design and construction to each one. I have been impressed at every stage of this project how committed and focused the whole team has been to make this a breakthrough boat for MAT.'

Jamie McPhail from Symbol Yachts comments:

'The brand new Mills 11.80 from Mat Yachts is the culmination of three years of modelling and design work by Mark Mills, and according to Mark is the first of a new generation of IRC 40 footers.

Engineering is by Gurit - SP Systems and no expense has been spared in the build and engineering process. It is sold with ISAF certification so is eligible for Cat 1 and 2 events.

The Mat design is a near sister-ship to the new Mills 41 that McConaghy is now building in China for a Hong Kong client.

Mat build quality is second to none, as many Australian owners who have seen and touched a Mat product can attest to.

Mat 11.80 hull 2 is coming to Australia, and there is strong interest from other parties.

The next available production slot is Hull no 4 and it is available at Euro $218 X factory Izmir Turkey September 2015'.