IYF HamburgFebruary 2010

Originally from San Francisco, California

Sailed ULDB ultralight offshore designs: Moore, Express, Santa Cruz

Worked for West Coast Designers

CHS 32 Aztec IMS/CHS 36 Quokka IRM/IRC 50 Mandrake

DK 46 - Production 46’ Cruiser/Racer

IRC 40 Tiamat

M.A.T. 12 - Production 41’ Cruiser/Racer

IRC 39 Mariners Cove

Daysailer designs

Landmark 43 - Production 43’ Cruiser/Racer

Summit 40 - Production 40’ Cruiser/Racer

Mini-Maxi Alegre

IRC 41 Ambush

Summit 35 - Production 35’ Cruiser/Racer

Projects in Development

Design Statements

AVOID CONTRADICTION “In producing a new yacht, the central philosophy of Mills Design is that of developing and maintaining a focal design concept, the nature and integrity of which will determine the character of the finished product.”

REDUCE COMPLICATION “In attempting to hold to a clear design concept we have found that with careful analysis complex requirements are often best satisfied with simple discrete solutions, simplicity being a key to success in competitive sailing.”

Design Process

Design Type Example: IRC 30-40’

The design type for this displacement range developed by Mills Design relies on a slim low wetted surface hull shape to provide minimum drag in the light and downwind, but with sufficient displacement for a large bulb to produce outstanding stability upwind in a breeze.

That balance of weight, vcg, and sail area works not only to create a design with exceptional performance but to do so in a way that rating rules can digest most easily leading to the best possible performance/rating profile, especially on a Windward Leeward course in any wind speed.

Design Process

Design Type Example: IRC Mini-Maxi

At larger sizes the freedom to concentrate on high performance combines with the inherent increase in stability afforded by the larger size and proportionate reduction in build weight to tilt the design cycle towards a power equation where target windspeed ranges and angles dictate the final balance of beam, wetted surface area, and drag.

Designs looking to perform in lighter windspeeds opt for lower drag, while the design type that excels in windier more reaching courses is wider, lighter, and can benefit from specific design features like chines.

Design Tools

Goal