Design Brief & Intent
The core mission of the VX Two is to provide thrilling, high-performance sailing that can be easily managed by a two-person crew without requiring Olympic-level athleticism. Designed to comfortably accommodate a combined crew weight of 125 to 155 kilograms, the boat is ideally sized for couples, parent-child duos, or club racers who want a fast, tactical ride. In terms of market positioning, the VX Two acts as the lighter, centerboard-only sibling to the larger, keel-assisted VX One, and a more social step-up from the singlehanded, single-sail VX Evo.
Rather than relying on a heavy lifting keel, the VX Two is a true dinghy, boasting a featherweight, vacuum-bagged composite hull that weighs just 157 pounds. The deck layout is a masterclass in clean, modern ergonomics. The open transom instantly sheds water, while the wide, shallow cockpit offers a clean, uncluttered workspace. There is no traditional interior joinery or cabin, as the boat’s character is defined by its minimalist, race-ready deck. Key details, such as the rounded and angled carbon jib brackets, are intentionally engineered to reduce cuts and scrapes for the crew, reflecting a thoughtful design philosophy that prioritizes both physical comfort and high-speed efficiency.
Variations & Configurations
As a dedicated one-design class, the VX Two does not offer alternative cabin layouts, cruising interiors, or shallow-draft variations. Instead, consistency is strictly maintained across all builds to ensure that racing remains a pure test of strategy, technique, and teamwork. However, its modern spars and rig configuration represent a highly sophisticated departure from older dinghy classes.
The standard package features high-end carbon fiber spars engineered and assembled by Mackay. The carbon mast is a clever two-piece design, allowing the entire rig to be packed down and transported inside the cockpit, safeguarding it against damage during transit. The sail plan is optimized for rapid acceleration and comprises an 8.7-square-meter square-top, fully battened mainsail, a 3.9-square-meter full-batten jib with a zippered luff for rapid hoisting, and a powerful 14.9-square-meter asymmetric gennaker. The gennaker is deployed from a wide-mouth bow launcher integrated directly into the foredeck, utilizing a single-line halyard and retrieval system that automatically extends and retracts the carbon bowsprit.
Sailing Performance & Handling
On the water, the VX Two is explosive. Boasting an extraordinary sail area-to-displacement ratio of 62.42, the boat possesses an incredibly high power-to-weight ratio that allows it to transition onto a plane with minimal breeze. Upwind, it is incredibly responsive, requiring active participation from both helm and crew to keep the boat flat. Its capsize screening formula of 3.87 underscores its tender, lively nature when static or sailing in light air. However, once up to speed, the hull’s design incorporates a distinct chine and flat run aft—borrowing design cues like the kick-out transom chine seen on modern ocean racers—which flattens the wake and delivers exceptional dynamic stability.
Helming the VX Two is an intuitive, highly tactile experience. The one-piece carbon rudder stock and integrated tiller extension provide immediate, slop-free feedback. Because the mainsheet sheets directly off the boom in skiff-style fashion, the cockpit remains open, and the helm feels an instant, unbuffered connection to the mainsail. The forward crew is kept equally engaged with adjustable floating-jib leads and highly efficient, low-friction control lines. When the wind rises, the boat behaves like a sports car; it is highly sensitive to crew-weight placement, requiring the team to work in unison to trim the hull fore-and-aft and athwartships, rewarding precise technique with breathtaking speed.
Market Snapshot & Economics
Since its global debut, the VX Two has carved out a premium niche in the high-performance dinghy market. Backed by the manufacturing reputation of Mackay Boats and Ovington Boats, the class commands respect on the brokerage market for its build quality and strict one-design enforcement. While it represents a higher financial entry point than mass-market trainer dinghies, its performance-to-cost ratio is highly regarded by industry experts, earning it strong praise in Sailing World’s Boat of the Year evaluations.
Because the class is relatively new, pre-owned boats are rare and tend to trade at a premium, retaining a substantial percentage of their original value. Buyers looking at the market should expect to find boats in race-ready condition, outfitted with premium running rigging, high-spec turnbuckles, and carbon foils. The economics of owning a VX Two are simplified by its lightweight aluminum beach trolley and easy trailering, which eliminate slip fees and expensive haul-outs, making it an exceptionally cost-effective way to campaign a cutting-edge racing machine.
The Verdict
The VX Two is a triumphant modernization of the doublehanded hiking dinghy. By combining a featherweight carbon rig, high-efficiency control systems, and a remarkably balanced hull, the designers have succeeded in creating a boat that is blazingly fast yet remarkably accessible. It strips away the intimidating barrier of trapezes while delivering authentic skiff performance, making it the perfect vehicle for sailors who want maximum thrills with minimal rigging hassle.
Pros:
- Exhilarating performance with a sail area-to-displacement ratio of 62.42 that ensures instant planing.
- Exceptional build quality from world-class builders Mackay and Ovington.
- Highly ergonomic, clean, and self-draining cockpit layout that minimizes crew bruising.
- User-friendly single-line gennaker launcher and retrieval system.
- Two-piece carbon mast enables easy transport and storage within the hull.
- High initial acquisition cost compared to older, traditional one-design dinghies.
- High sensitivity to crew weight and active trim, which may frustrate novice sailors.
- Extremely scarce on the pre-owned brokerage market due to its recent production launch.
- Purely a racing and high-performance daysailing platform with zero cruising utility.
