The design goal in creating the Mumm 30 was a state-of-the-art One Design keelboat that would be fast and exciting, yet uncomplicated and economical. We set about the design of the Mumm 30 with a 'clean sheet of paper' in that there are no rating rule driven compromises in performance.
Experience
Our experience in Whitbread 60's and America's Cup boats gave us confidence that incredible light air speed does not necessary dictate large overlapping jibs. Fractional rigs are preferred over masthead for performance and handling, but with no arbitrary rule restrictions, masthead spinnakers will turbo-charge the boat down wind. The symmetrical vs. asymmetrical masthead spinnaker debate is a non-issue. Each has its advantages and place so we have allowed for both, making the Mumm 30 today's most versatile boat. During design conferences, we applied a simple test for complex issues, "will this detail or feature make the boat more fun to sail?" Time and again, we found that the simplest solution was the best one. For example, there are no running backstays. The extra crewman needed for the runners, and the chance of losing the rig if the runners aren't set up properly are eliminated.