The Woodenwidget Stasha is the World's lightest nesting dinghy. It's also lovely to look at. Launching a Stasha should only take a moment but by the time you have answered all the questions from amazed spectators it may be getting dark.

Not only can it be stowed on the smallest of foredecks, or put in the back of the average estate car but it can also take an outboard motor up to 3.3 hp. If you want you can also add a mast and go sailing. The Stasha sails surprisingly well and is a lot of fun.

The Stasha was designed to be easy to build so that anyone can make one regardless of their woodworking experience. All you need are a few basic tools such as a jigsaw and a plane and the confidence to have a go. No specialist tools are needed and even the ribs are formed with just a heat gun.

The plans are illustrated throughout and guide you through the whole process step by step. The materials needed to build a Stasha are very few and they are inexpensive so even if you make a mistake it won't be a costly one. Building a Stasha is good fun and you don't even need much space. Because the Stasha is in effect two boats, no one section is longer than 4 feet (1.2m). This makes building a Stasha much easier than most boats.

All the materials you'll need are readily available and not costly. The comprehensive plans include a lot of extra information about the materials and where to get them.

The special Dacron skin is shrunk into a nice wrinkle free and tight covering simply by using a domestic iron. Dacron isn't waterproof so you'll need to coat it with something and the many options are well covered in the plans.

The Stasha is a tough little boat but it does need some care during use. The Dacron can be damaged by sharp objects so don't drag it along the ground. Anyway it's so light that it can be picked up and carried instead. If you do make a hole in it gaffer/duct tape will repair it. If in time the Dacron gets worn out it can be quickly replaced for about 35 Euros.

The basic boat weighs about 10 kilos (22lbs) but that will increase depending on the options you choose to fit. For example, reinforcing the boat to take an outboard will add approximately 500 grams (1 lb). The sailing option adds about 6 kilos (13lbs) not including the modified Optimist rig.

The Stasha can be assembled on the land or in the water. The trick is to launch both parts and climb into the larger front section which is easily stable and buoyant enough and pull the rear section towards you. The two halves slot together with ease, there are just two small bolts to fit and you're done!

When you're finished with the boat, split it and put the rear section in to the front section. This reduces the Stasha from 7 feet long to just 4. Being able to carry the boat in two parts makes it even easier to move about.


If you want an easy to build little dinghy that does it all for not very much then maybe the Stasha is for you.



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