Design and Construction
The Vixen displaces 8,600 pounds on a 23-foot waterline. Her displacement-length ratio of 316 puts her firmly in the heavy, seakindly camp by modern standards.
Construction is unapologetically solid. The hull, deck, and liners are all solid fiberglass, while the deck also uses core. The hull has three alternating layers of woven roving and mat above the waterline, four below it, and five around the keel. All are set in a polyester matrix with no core. The decks used plywood core in the first fifteen or so boats and foam thereafter.
A solid fiberglass pan forms the interior, with one liner at the sole and another beneath the deck. In the main saloon, a single FRP liner shapes the settee backs, settees, and sole. This is a substantially solid-fiberglass structure, though the deck itself is cored.
Below the water, the keel is separate from the skeg and rudder. The skeg shields the rudder, offering far more protection than the exposed, high-aspect spade rudders common on later designs.
Rig and Handling
Nearly every Vixen left the yard as a masthead sloop, although two or three were finished as yawls. The mast is deck-stepped against a solid beam in the main bulkhead. Three sets of shrouds terminate at chainplates inset into the side decks and backed by G-10 plates.
Inboard sheet tracks allow close-winded sheeting. With 365 square feet of working sail, the sail-area-to-displacement ratio is just 14—modest on paper. Light-air sparkle isn’t the Vixen’s strength, but once the wind passes 8 to 10 knots, her heavy displacement and hull form deliver a romp that shows the value of mass in seakindliness.
In moderate air, the boat stays balanced and tracks well. The tiller also suits simple self-steering: tie off the helm with shock cord from the sheet, and she will hold a course all day with minor adjustments.
Cockpit and Accommodations
The cockpit is unusually generous—more spacious than those on some 40-foot Passports and Valiants. Its coamings and low volume lend security offshore, while handrails and wide side decks make it easier to move forward. A small but deep lazarette makes use of the pinched space aft of the cockpit. The engine, tankage, and batteries sit beneath the cockpit sole.
Below, Hale managed to provide standing headroom in the main saloon, no small achievement in a narrow double-ender. Bench settees to port and starboard flank a folding dinette table that stows against the main bulkhead.
Forward of that bulkhead, a small area with ducking headroom contains the head to port and a sink to starboard. Beyond a secondary bulkhead lies the V-berth, with a rode locker in the stem.
The galley is tucked aft beneath the companionway. Its centerline sink drains just above the engine below. Inevitably, the narrow hull limits the overall volume below deck.
Engines and Owner Refits
Early boats carried four-cylinder Westerbeke diesels. Some later examples received one-cylinder Volvos, and several have since been repowered with three-cylinder Yanmars. All are around 15 horsepower. No Vineyard Vixen 29 was ever fitted with an Atomic 4.
Some owners have removed the auxiliary entirely and sail engineless from mooring to mooring. Wooden hatches are the most common cosmetic upgrade.
The two-inch void between the liner and hull is inaccessible. As a result, the deep keel sump aft of the companionway is the only place to see how much water has come aboard.
Known Issues
Leaking chainplates are the main concern. They need occasional rebedding to keep water out and protect the bulkhead or hanging knees that carry their loads; chainplate leaks are the headline watch item.
The original companionway, forward, and lazarette hatches were built of wood at the yard. Some owners have replaced them with Lewmar units, although doing so requires rebuilding the sealing boss.
The single-line lifelines fall short of current safety recommendations. The narrow hull also restricts interior volume.
One documented hull suffered water intrusion at the chainplates and hatches but showed zero laminate damage where core had been avoided. That speaks well of the solid shell, although the cored decks remain a route for moisture.
The Verdict
The Vineyard Vixen 29 is a thoughtfully developed double-ender that trades sparkle for substance. Her solid-glass hull, sheltered rudder, and self-steering manners make her a reassuring coastal and offshore companion. Standing headroom in the saloon and a large cockpit also make the most of her modest length.
She calls for vigilance around the chainplates and an upgrade to the lifelines. For a careful owner, however, she remains a stout, quiet little ship.
Pros
- Monolithic solid-fiberglass hull and deck resist delamination and damage from water intrusion
- Skeg-protected rudder and split underbody add offshore security
- Standing headroom and a cockpit roomier than those on many 40-footers
- Naturally balanced helm that self-steers with minimal assistance
- Seakindly heavy displacement and stronger performance once the breeze builds
Cons
- Chainplates are prone to leaking and require periodic rebedding
- Single-line lifelines fall below modern safety recommendations
- Narrow hull restricts interior volume
- Modest sail plan is sluggish in less than 8 to 10 knots
