The class rules focus on this event and encourage development while controlling both costs and design and fitout safety requirements.

In response to the perceived challenge of sailing small high-performance boats the class has created rigorous trials, equipment, and inspection requirements to add promote safety.

Due to the downwind nature of the racing across the Atlantic Ocean designs tend to be beamy, being nearly half as wide as it is long.

The class led the way with canting keels – due to their small size there is a design requirement for them to be self-righting when capsized.

The constraint of the box rule led to the introduction of the Scow hull form when David Raison's Mini used the hull shape to win 2011 victory, which may in fact, revolutionize open ocean racing if not sailing altogether.