Our 9ft nesting clinker Stem Dinghy is reminiscent of traditional ships' tenders, built to carry heavy loads of people and stores. She is quite "chubby" and has more freeboard (depth) than most other designs of this size, but still rows and sails very nicely.  The big difference, of course, is that she splits into two sections - and the bow fits inside the stern - for easier transport and storage, whether on the deck of a yacht, or in/on a camper/caravan.

She takes three adults rowing or motoring, and two for sailing. These are
quite conservative ratings, dictated by current regulations about the
amount of buoyancy built in rather than actual hull volume (20 years ago
she would have sold as a four-adult rowing boat).   

Alice Driscoll, in WATERCRAFT magazine (May/June 2011) said of this dinghy: 
"Surprisingly stable. The most comfortable way to sail her is to sit on the sole and use the 
nicely designed aft buoyancy tanks as a backrest. It's easy to forget she's a sectional boat...
can't remember the midships joint getting in the way... lug sail balanced and controllable... 
a very pleasant sail... impressed by the way the sections fit so neatly together... every single 
aspect reflects the quality and care put into the build..." 
Click here to see a pdf: Watercraft Magazine Article, or we can post you a re-print - call us
on 07768 600595 or email mail@nestawayboats.com

The standard rig (with 36sqft sail) works well in most conditions but we
have had a few of our more experienced customers report back that they
felt she could take more. So now we also offer a 44sqft lugsail... this uses
the same mast, yard and daggerboard, making an "upgrade" at a later date -
if you feel the need - fairly simple (you just need the sail and a longer boom).

If you don't want a sailing rig at this stage, but think you might want to 
add it later, there is an option to take just the daggerboard case and mast 
support structure (both of which would be difficult to retrofit).

She has a full length keel and deep skeg (an extra bit of keel at the stern),
which, combined with the long waterline, means she tracks beautifully
under oars. She carries her way through a fair chop and doesn't get blown
off course in the first gust; if you have only ever tried rowing an inflatable,
you will find this almost incomparably better! The right pair of oars - for the
dinghy and for you - also helps, we can supply/advise.

With an electric motor she is easily driven up to hull speed; more in fact,
to approx 5 knots (10kmph). That was using a Torqeedo 503, with a total
load of approx 200kg on board. 

Petrol outboards can also be used: 2-3 hp is perfectly sufficient but she 
will take up to 4hp if you already have one. (A brand new Tohatsu 2.5 is
£524 from us, when purchased with a boat.) Lightness, quietness and
reliability are all highly commendable features of modern engines but
a classic oil-breathing "British Seagull" would look just right!

Here the 9ft sectional Stem Dinghy is shown dismantled and nested on our (bolt-on-in-two-minutes) towbar platform, so you can transport her by road without a trailer or roof rack. It's much easier to load than a roof rack, especially if you are on your own, and won't lead to "towing trauma" either! At your destination the platform can be detached from the towbar and put inside the car (useful now many car parks charge for trailers).

She can also be carried, either way up, on the deck of a yacht, making a
very fine tender that will get many admiring comments. However we should
point out that the bow does not sit as flat inside the stern as our Pram
Dinghy, so the best and easiest option might be to store her right way up
in chocks, with a cover over the top.

In brief the dimensions are:
- length 9ft 0"
- beam 4ft 3"
- nested length 5ft 0"
- weight from about 110-lb (depending on specification)

The picture below shows a high-spec version with navy blue "sheer strake"
(top two planks), cream interior, teak decking on the buoyancy tanks,
rubber fendering and sailing rig. (The hull exterior was not pink, but is
reflecting the bright pink aisle carpet at London Boat Show!)

Below is the same boat (apart from, you may notice, the sail!) under sail in
Lyme Regis, being tested by Alice Driscoll for Watercraft Magazine
(May/June 2011 issue).

"Very pleased with the boat. It has attracted a lot of admiring comments" 
M.S., River Thames