The International Cadet is a junior class of boat which is sailed by a helm and a crew. The Cadet is the most popular junior/youth sailing dinghy in South Australia. There are also Cadet fleets in Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales.
A big advantage of the Cadet class is that children can get to sail as a crew almost straight away under the guidance of an older and more experienced helm. The helms will often have a great deal of experience and knowledge which they can pass down to the new crews and therefore ensure rapid progress for beginners.
The Cadet is a one-design boat and therefore all Cadets have the same, strictly controlled measurements. The boat itself is 3.2m long, weighs 61.2kg and has a sail area of 4.55/4.65 square metres.
The boat was purposely designed to be too small for an adult to sail but with all the attributes of a racing dinghy and including a spinnaker.
Typically crews will start at 8 or 9 years of age and then begin to helm at 12 or 13 but this is largely dependent on size and ability. The class rules state that sailors must be under 18. The International Cadet is a pathway class and provides excellent preparation for young sailors before they progress to other youth or senior classes.
The International Cadet Class was formed in 1947 and Jack Holt who was a junior race trainer designed the first Cadet boat. Since then, thousands of children have had their first introduction to sailing via the