It is a highly stable boat, suitable for beginners, and is normally sailed by two people, although three can be accommodated comfortably.

The hull is normally glass-reinforced plastic construction, with buoyancy tanks on front, sides, and rear.

The centreboard is metal, and the rudder is removable, either fixed (i.e. does not have a downhaul) or with a moveable blade.

Most Coypu mainsails are normally raised by feeding the luff into the track on the mast, although some variants have gunter rig sails.

The design of the boat meant that small boatyards and centres could build their own fleet easily, with assistance from a mould.