[3] Several parts including the mast, boom and the canting keel ram and fin are one design for safety reasons.

[5][6] Design restrictions include the hull length to be between 59 and 60 feet (18 m) and maximum draft of 4.5 metres (15 ft).

The length including the bowsprit may not exceed 20.12 m. The max beam is 5,85 m. A maximum of four ballast tanks is allowed.

[4] The IMOCAs have typically a very wide hull compared to yachts designed for coastal races.

With progressing development the work area got more and more protected by a roof open to the back, sometimes also called cave.

In boats of the 2020 generation the first fully enclosed cockpits appeared, allowing the skippers to stay dry most of the time.

The mast of IMOCA, which is held in place by several stays is able to turn with the main sail, typically of about 180 m2.

[11] The autopilot uses sensors that allow it to take into account sudden variations in apparent wind, speed, load on the foils and sails.

[12] The data provided by the sensors allow the autopilot to steer the boat with the best wind angle and to avoid boat-breaking loads.

However, on flying sailboats that are increasingly akin to aircraft in mechanical terms, it seems inevitable that the automated servo-controls already developed and generalized in aviation will be adapted to the world of foiling boats.