The boat shares its sleek hull shape with the rest of the VX family. In fact, it uses the same hull as the VX Evo, paired with a unique deck laid out for a crew learning to drive a modern skiff hard.
Design and Construction
Mackay has configured the VX Two’s deck specifically for an intermediate doublehanded skiff team. Its wide, shallow, open cockpit gives the skipper and crew plenty of room to move. It also adds righting moment when both sailors are hiking, while the angled cockpit-tank contours make the hiking position more comfortable.
Construction is light and deliberate. The builder’s attention to detail brings the boat to 209 pounds all-up. The hull is solid fiberglass, with a lead centreboard and kick-up rudder. The flip-up rudder has a quick-release skewer, and the daggerboard slots flush into its trunk. However, the foils are super-high-aspect specimens with razor-sharp edges and need careful handling off the water.
Righting lines run beneath the rails. After a capsize, a 145-pound sailor can right the boat alone using the daggerboard.
Rig and Sail Handling
The VX Two carries a fully battened square-top mainsail, a full-batten jib, and an asymmetric spinnaker. The kite flies from a retractable carbon-fibre bowsprit and launches through a large chute.
The mainsheet runs directly from the boom in skiff style. This arrangement keeps the cockpit clear and puts the sail load directly in the sailor’s hand for easy trimming. Floating jib leads and smooth halyard purchases at the mast allow the forward crew to make quick, dynamic changes between modes.
A jib-luff zip speeds rigging. The high-clew spinnaker uses a single-line launch-and-retrieval system, pulling through a large throat in the foredeck and into a sock. Test sailors found the kite easy to trim because of its narrow clew box, similar to that of a 49er or 29er.
The tapered rig is a one-piece carbon extrusion, although the builder has indicated that future rigs will be made in two parts. The spars are clear-coated carbon tubes assembled by Mackay. The boat is beautifully balanced to provide a near-perfect handling experience on every point of sail, achieving new speed levels with ease.
Cockpit and Crew Space
As a hiking skiff, the VX Two has no cabin or berths. Its only accommodation is the open cockpit, whose wide, shallow layout allows both sailors to shift their weight and hike effectively. Test sailors noted that the angled tank contours make prolonged hiking sustainable.
Centralized controls are within easy reach of both helm and crew, helping them make quick adjustments. Any excess water passes directly through the open transom rather than collecting in the boat.
Equipment and Ownership
The full package includes all Robline ropes and sheets, foils, rudderstock, tiller extension, pole, hiking straps, boom, and Bluewave turnbuckles. The rig package adds the mast, stays, halyards, and boom. Sails aren’t included and may be supplied by any sailmaker, provided they comply with the strict class rules.
A well-balanced, lightweight aluminium beach trolley ships with the boat, simplifying launching, retrieval, and transport along the shoreline. Straightforward controls and easy-to-use systems also help make ownership approachable for a team stepping up from junior skiffs.
The Verdict
The VX Two is a thoughtfully detuned evolution of a pure racing skiff. It uses the same fast hull as the Evo, but combines it with a deck and rig tuned for a developing doublehanded team. The boat rewards active crew work without burdening an intermediate pair with unmanageable systems. Its light weight, open transom, and kick-up foils also make beach sailing practical.
The sharp, high-aspect foils and carbon rig demand care during storage and rigging, but the boat’s balance and simplicity are genuine strengths.
Pros
- The Evo hull delivers proven skiff performance
- Wide, open cockpit has comfortable hiking contours and provides strong righting moment
- Boom-mounted mainsheet and floating jib leads keep the cockpit clear and allow ready adjustment
- Lightweight trolley and kick-up foils simplify launching and retrieval
Cons
- High-aspect foils with razor-sharp edges need careful handling off the water
- Sails aren’t included in the base package
- The single-piece carbon rig is slated to change on future builds
