Design and Construction
The Vago's hull is a hard-chine shape drawn by Jo Richards, and that chine works with the boat's rocker to make her handle like a dream during maneuvers anchor. Flared gunwales are not just styling — they provide flotation and a good righting moment, which matters in a light 234-pound hull meant to be tossed around by learners and seasoned sailors alike. Construction is by the rotomold method, which period reviews describe as producing dinghies that are durable, stiff, and inexpensive. The boat carries a foam-cored fiberglass deck and hull in a centerboard configuration, and a beam of just over five feet keeps the footprint tight for trailering and beach launching.
Rig and Handling
Laser Performance offers the Vago in Standard and XD rig configurations, and the Class Association publishes a single Portsmouth Yardstick of 1064 for all of them rather than splitting handicaps by rig. The standard main is treated as a reef for handicap purposes, a neat concession to keeping mixed fleets racing together. The XD version adds 30 square feet of sail area over the standard Vago and carries a trapeze, which Sailing World found makes it a ton of fun to sail. A Gnav vang system mounted atop the boom opens up the cockpit compared with traditional small dinghies, and the spacious cockpit itself lets a crew tack and jibe with ease. With a sail-area-to-displacement ratio near 47 and a capsize screening figure of 3.32, the numbers describe a lively, easily driven planing hull rather than a sedate trainer.
Accommodations
There are no cabins or berths to speak of — the Vago is an open dinghy — but the cockpit is genuinely roomy for a boat of this length, and that space is functional rather than decorative. The Gnav vang and the wide, flared gunwale layout combine so that two sailors can move across the boat without snagging on conventional vang gear, which is a real advantage when teaching or when a trapeze sailor swings out on the XD.
The Verdict
The Performance Vago is a rotomolded planing dinghy that punches above its 13-foot 9-inch length by pairing Jo Richards' hard-chine, flared-gunwale hull with a configurable rig. The XD's extra canvas and trapeze make her a blast, while the Standard rig and single handicap number keep club fleets simple. She is light, stiff, and forgiving to maneuver, though the open cockpit and dinghy scale mean she is a dayboat rather than a cruiser.
Pros
- Hard-chine hull with rocker handles exceptionally well through maneuvers
- Flared gunwales add flotation and righting moment
- Rotomold construction is durable, stiff, and inexpensive
- XD rig adds 30 sq ft and trapeze for high-performance fun
- Gnav vang opens the cockpit for easy crew movement
- Single Portsmouth Yardstick simplifies mixed-fleet racing
Cons
- Open dinghy with no sheltered accommodation
- XD's trapeze and extra sail demand more crew skill than the Standard rig
