Design and Construction
Jo Richards gave the Vago a hard-chine hull whose chine and rocker help it handle exceptionally well during maneuvers. The flared gunwales aren’t merely styling: they provide flotation and good righting moment. That matters in a light, 234-pound hull intended for learners and experienced sailors alike.
The boat uses the rotomold method, which period reviews describe as producing dinghies that are durable, stiff, and inexpensive. It also carries a foam-cored fiberglass deck and hull in a centerboard configuration. A beam of just over five feet keeps its footprint compact for trailering and beach launching.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
Laser Performance offers the Vago with Standard and XD rig configurations. Rather than assigning separate handicaps to each rig, the Class Association publishes a single Portsmouth Yardstick of 1064 for all versions. For handicap purposes, the standard mainsail is treated as a reef, a neat concession that helps keep mixed-fleet racing straightforward.
The XD version carries 30 square feet more sail area than the standard Vago and adds a trapeze. Sailing World found that the trapeze makes the boat a ton of fun to sail. The trade-off is that the XD’s extra sail and trapeze demand more crew skill than the Standard rig.
A Gnav vang mounted above the boom frees up space compared with the conventional vang arrangement in many small dinghies. Together with the spacious cockpit, it allows the crew to tack and jibe easily. The sail-area-to-displacement ratio is near 47, while the capsize screening figure is 3.32. Those figures describe a lively, easily driven planing hull rather than a sedate trainer.
Cockpit and Accommodation
The Vago is an open dinghy, with no cabin or berths. Its cockpit, however, is genuinely roomy for a boat of this length, and the space is functional rather than decorative.
The Gnav vang and broad, flared-gunwale layout allow two sailors to move across the boat without catching on conventional vang gear. That’s a real advantage when teaching or when a trapeze sailor moves outboard on the XD. Even so, the open cockpit and dinghy dimensions make the Vago a dayboat rather than a cruiser.
Verdict
The Performance Vago makes good use of its 13-foot 9-inch length. Jo Richards’ hard-chine, flared-gunwale hull combines with a configurable rig to produce a versatile rotomolded planing dinghy. The XD’s extra sail area and trapeze make it a blast, while the Standard rig and single handicap number keep club racing relatively simple.
The Vago is light, stiff, and forgiving through maneuvers. Its open layout offers useful working space for one or two sailors, but no sheltered accommodation.
Pros
- Hard-chine hull and rocker provide excellent handling through maneuvers
- Flared gunwales add flotation and righting moment
- Rotomold construction is durable, stiff, and inexpensive
- XD rig adds 30 square feet of sail area and a trapeze for high-performance fun
- Gnav vang frees up cockpit space for easy crew movement
- Single Portsmouth Yardstick simplifies mixed-fleet racing
Cons
- Open dinghy with no sheltered accommodation
- XD trapeze and additional sail area demand more crew skill than the Standard rig
