Build a miniature raft

Before you begin

• Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. There’s also more guidance to help you carry out your risk assessment including examples.
• Make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely.
• Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help.   

Planning and setting up this activity 

• Separate the sticks you have collected into piles for each group.
• Take some time to go through knife safety with the adult volunteers and young people before starting this activity. Read our Knife safety guidance. You can also find more knife safety resources on our Victorinox supporter page. 

Building the raft 

1. Ask everyone to get into groups of up to four. Explain that they'll be building a miniature raft together, using sticks, string and a plastic bag. 
2. Start by taking two of the main body sticks and laying them down next to each other. 
3. With a pencil, draw a diagonal line at the top of one of the sticks. This is to create one side of a “V” shape. This line should go down the stick by 1cm, drawing from one side of the stick to the other at an angle. Repeat this on the other stick but going the alternate way. You should be able to see a “V” at the top of your sticks. 
4. On the same two sticks, find the middle. Draw a circle over the two sticks, so that each stick has a semi-circle on it. The edges of the circle should only go halfway across the sticks, so you end up with a circle of about 2 to 3cm in diameter (width). Make sure the “V” shape is in the correct position before drawing on the circle, this is because they need to be on the same side of the sticks. 
5. When both shapes have been drawn, carefully cut out these shapes with a knife. The “V” shape should go all the way through the sticks, but the circle should only be carved out, enough to create a dip for another stick to sit in. 
6. Grab a small length of string, around 20cm long, and tie the two sticks together. They should be tied together just underneath the carved-out circle, on the side where the “V” shape is at the end of the sticks. 
7. Next, grab the remaining sticks for the main body and the two supporting sticks. 
8. Flip the two carved sticks over, so the circle is facing the floor and place the remaining main body sticks on either side of the sticks, three on each side. Then place one of the supporting sticks on top at one end of the raft. The supporting stick should be around two centimetres from the end of the raft, across all eight sticks. 
9. Cut around 1.5m of string to start the lashing. On one end of the supporting stick, tie a clove hitch. Weave the string around the first stick and tie another clove hitch, catching the supporting stick underneath as you weave through. Repeat this along all eight sticks. If the sticks are still a bit loose, go back along the raft, weaving through all the sticks and finish it off with a reef knot. Repeat this on the other end of the raft with the second supporting stick. 
10. Flip the raft over and place the rudder stick on top of the raft, directly above the supporting stick closest to the “V” shape. Tie the rudder stick to the ends of the supporting stick, and a couple of times in the middle of the raft. 
11. Cut four lengths of string, between 40 and 50cm long. Grab the mast, and tie each string to the top of the mast using a clove hitch. 
12. Place the mast upright in the carved-out circle and tie each end of the string to a corner of the raft using a clove hitch. These should be tight enough so the mast can stand on its own. You may need someone to hold the mast upright, while others tie the strings. 
13. Next, take your plastic bag and your two sail sticks. Cut a 20cm x 30cm rectangle out of your plastic bag. On one of the shorter sides of your rectangle, make two holes, big enough to put the smaller of the sail sticks through. This will become the bottom of your sail. Push the smaller sail stick through the holes. 
14. On the opposite end of the rectangle, punch 12 small holes around 2cm down from the edge. Wrap this part of the sail around the larger of the sail sticks, making sure the holes are still visible. 
15. Take some string and tie a clove hitch on one end of the larger sail stick. Then take the end of the string and push it through the first hole. Pull the remaining string through the hole, then take the end of the string and loop it around the stick and push it through the second hole and pull the remaining string through. The string wrapped around the stick will keep the top of the sail in place. Repeat this through the remaining holes and tie the string off with a clove hitch at the end of the stick. 
16. Now it's time to attach the sail to your raft. Cut two lengths of string, each about 20cm long. Tie one end of each string to the top of the mast, and the other ends to either end of the larger sail stick. Make sure the sail is centred on the mast so the raft can sail straight. 
17. Finally, take your rudder, and tie it to the rudder stick. Make sure the long flat part of the stick is at the bottom. Your raft is now complete. 

Sailing your raft (optional) 

1. Now it's time to sail the rafts. Head to a local stream or pond or fill a paddling pool at your meeting place. 
2. Place your rafts in the water and adjust your sails and rudder depending on the type of water you are near. 
3. Let your rafts go and see how well they sail. You could let them go at their own pace or even try a little race.